French rider Celia Gery claimed victory in the Women’s Under-23 Road Race at the UCI World Championships taking place in Kigali, Rwanda. The race proved tough for African competitors, who struggled against the European-dominated field.
Covering a distance of 119km, Gery clocked 3:24:26, averaging 35 km/h. She crossed the finish line just two seconds ahead of Viktoria Chladoňova from Slovakia.
“I think I had really good feelings today, and I was lucky to adapt quickly to the local climate. This is the highlight of a great season for me,” Gery told reporters after her win.
A total of 86 riders from nearly 40 countries, including 14 African nations, started the race. For the first time, 22 African riders lined up in this category. However, none of them—including four from Rwanda—managed to finish. Only 34 riders completed the race.
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The peloton tackled the 15km Kigali circuit eight times before finishing at the iconic Kigali Convention Centre. Of the 86 starters, just 35 riders crossed the finish line, as rules required any lapped riders to withdraw.
With one and a half laps remaining, Poland’s Malwina Mul launched a bold solo attack, building a gap of nearly a minute—the first major breakaway of the day. However, she was caught before the final lap as the pace intensified. Later, Sweden’s Stina Kagevi also tried a solo move, but she was reeled in with 5km to go.
In the final 1.3km, the front group split into two, with three riders pushing ahead. In a dramatic sprint finish, Celia Gery edged out Chladoňova, while Paula Blasi Bairol of Spain took third place.
The championships continue on Friday, featuring two men’s road races: the junior (U17-18) category and the Under-23 race.
