Results: Women’s U23 Road World Championships – Gery Wins
Célia Gery Wins Inaugural U23 Women’s Road race World Title in thrilling Finish
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Ruhengeri, Rwanda - September 25, 2025 – in a historic moment for women’s cycling, Célia Gery of France claimed the first-ever stand-alone UCI U23 Women’s Road Race World Championship title on Thursday. The race, held in Ruhengeri, Rwanda, culminated in a dramatic sprint finish after a punishing course featuring the challenging Côte de kimihurura climb. Gery outpaced Slovakia’s Viktória Chladoňová for gold, with Spain’s Paula Blasi securing bronze. Pre-race favorite Isabella Holmgren (Canada) finished sixth.
Race Highlights
The 128.6km race unfolded over eight laps of a challenging circuit, featuring the decisive cobbled Côte de Kimihurura climb. This climb proved to be the launchpad for the winning move, fracturing the peloton and setting the stage for a thrilling finale.
Gery’s victory was a testament to both her individual strength and the tactical prowess of the French team. A well-timed attack alongside teammate marion Bunel and chladoňová on the steepest section of the climb created the decisive break. Bunel’s selfless work in the final kilometer, setting up Gery for the sprint, proved crucial.
“It’s just incredible to win,” Gery said. “We worked together perfectly as a team and we decided to bet on me. Marion [Bunel] was incredible on the last kilometer to set me up.”
Holmgren, widely considered a top contender, found herself unable to respond to the winning move, ultimately finishing in sixth place. Katherine Sarkisov led Team USA with a respectable 14th-place finish.
Key Race Statistics
The following table provides a breakdown of the top 10 finishers:
| Position | Rider | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Célia Gery | France | 3:38:12 |
| 2 | Viktória Chladoňová | Slovakia | 3:38:12 |
| 3 | Paula Blasi | Spain | 3:38:15 |
| 4 | Marion Bunel | France | 3:38:18 |
| 5 | Eline van Rooijen | Netherlands | 3:38:21 |
| 6 | isabella Holmgren | canada | 3:38:24 |
| 7 | Silvia persico | Italy | 3:38:27 |
| 8 | Femke Gortsema | Netherlands | 3:38:30 |
| 9 | Linda Riedmann | Germany | 3:38:33 |
| 10 | Mireia Benito | Spain | 3:38:36 |
The Significance of a Stand-Alone U23 Race
For years, U23 women cyclists competed in the same World Championship race as Elite riders, often overshadowed and lacking the prospect to truly shine.