Road World Championships – elite men's and women's time trial start times and order

The UCI Road World Championships have customarily opened with the individual time trial events in recent years, and Kigali 2025 follows suits, with the elite time trials the first event of the championships, taking place on Sunday 21 September.

The rolling Kigali course is one of the most challenging in recent memory. Beginning at the BK Arena and finishing in the Kigali Convention Centre, the women face a 31.2 kilometre test while the men’s race measures 40.6 kilometres. With 460m of ascent for the women and 680 for the men, barely any flat, and a tough cobbled climb – the Côte de Kimihurura – at the end of the route, it’s not a time trial for the faint-hearted. It will require a clear pacing strategy, and will likely favour the time trialists who are also strong climbers, making it a more demanding test for powerful flat specialists.

The elite women are first up, and first down the ramp - the first cyclist to deliver a pedal stroke in anger at the championships - will be Rwanda's own Xaveline Nirere at 10:22am local time (10:22 CET / 9:22 BST). All eyes will be on the 23-year-old home talent as she opens proceedings, and after her, riders will set off at 2:30 intervals.

Last year’s world champion Grace Brown, who won the rainbow jersey in consummate style in Zurich in 2024, having finished second in the two previous editions of the race, retired at the end of the season so will not defend her title.

Two former world champions will attempt to add another rainbow jersey to their collection, however. Winner in 2020, Anna van der Breggen will go for a second world title at 11:20, in what has been an impressive comeback year for her. The USA's Chloé Dygert, winner in 2019 and 2023, heads off for her attempt at 12:07, the penultimate rider to depart.

Undoubtedly the best time trial specialist never to have won a world title, Marlen Reusser is certainly the one to beat. She takes off for her effort at 11:55, and will be hoping that 2025 is the year in which she can finally add a world title to her palmares.

Van der Breggen's Dutch teammate Demi Vollering however, is arguably one of the favourites to take the win - she will begin her attempt as the final rider in the event, at 12:10.

Other notable departure times: Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Poland): 11:22; Anna Henderson (Great Britain); Cédrine Kerbaol (France): 11:25

Read our full preview for a run-down of the ones to watch in the women's race.

Following on in the afternoon, the elite men’s chrono test begins at 13:45 local time (13:45 CEST/12:45 BST) with the first rider once again a home talent, Rwanda's Shemu Nsengiyumva.

With 2021 winner Filippo Ganna of Italy and 2022's rainbow jersey Tobias Foss of Norway not travelling to Kigali, defending champion Remco Evenepoel of Belgium will be the only former winner to start the race. He will be the final rider down the ramp, departing for his attempt at 16:00.

His main challenger is expected to be reigning road world champion and Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia). Pogačar departs just before him, at 15:57, meaning that the Belgian will have the incentive of chasing Pogačar to drive him on.

Another strong time trial specialist, though one who may struggle with the amount of elevation along the course, Switzerland's Stefan Küng begins his attempt at 15:55.

One of the most eagerly anticipated arrivals this year is that of French sensation Paul Seixas. Taking the junior title in Zurich in 2024, Seixas has performed well in his first season riding as a pro for Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale, and will skip the U23 category - in accordance with new UCI rules which do not allow riders with a pro contract to race at U23 level - to make his elite debut in Kigali. Also a world champion in Zurich, at U23 level, Spain's Iván Romeo will be another young star making his elite debut in Kigali. The two rising stars set off at 15:15 and 15:42, respectively.

Other notable departure times: Jay Vine (Australia): 15:50, Isaac Del Toro (Mexico): 15:37; Lucas Plapp (Australia) 15:22; Bruno Armirail (France): 15:52.

Check out the riders to watch in the men's individual time trial in our in-depth preview.

Women's elite time trial start times

Men's elite time trial start times

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