From 21 to 28 September 2025, Kigali will host the 2025 UCI Road World Championships for the very first time. This historic rendezvous on African soil will see Great Britain line up with a 25-strong squad, blending established headline names with young riders who already boast international medals. On what is being billed as one of the toughest editions ever, with brutal elevation gains across the routes, the British team will be banking on the balance between experience and youth to shine.
The elites facing the Rwandan challenge
In the men’s events, Tom Pidcock and Oscar Onley will spearhead the charge. Pidcock comes off the back of a stellar season, highlighted by a Grand Tour podium at the Vuelta a España and a European cyclo-cross title, while Onley confirmed his immense potential with a fourth-place finish at the Tour de France. Around them, a solid unit accustomed to the demands of major races has been assembled: Fred Wright for his tactical nous, James Knox and Mark Donovan for their climbing pedigree, and Joe Blackmore, last year’s Tour du Rwanda winner, who knows the local roads inside out. Youngsters Oliver Knight and Bjoern Koerdt, making their debuts at this level, will be tasked with bringing fresh energy and supporting the leaders when it matters most.
On the women’s side, the squad is more compact: Olympic silver medallist Anna Henderson will be the sole elite representative in the time trial. She will be targeting her first World Championships podium over a demanding 31.2km course, having narrowly missed the top five in recent editions. The absence of a British team in the elite women’s road race – the first time in more than three decades – underlines a strategic decision to focus resources on the U23 and junior categories, where medal prospects appear particularly strong.
Juniors and U23: the next generation already crowned
The real strength of the British selection lies in its younger ranks, several of whom already know what it feels like to wear the rainbow jersey. In the women’s U23 category, history will be made with the first-ever standalone road race. National champion Millie Couzens will lead a promising line-up alongside Flora Perkins, Eilidh Shaw and Imogen Wolff. But all eyes will be on Cat Ferguson, double junior world champion in 2024, who is aiming to translate her talent into results in her first season at U23 level. In the time trial, Zoe Bäckstedt – triple junior world champion and reigning British national champion – stands out as one of the brightest prospects in the sport.
The junior squads are equally impressive. Erin Boothman, national time trial champion and already a multiple world champion on the track, will spearhead the women’s team, supported by Abi Miller and Arabella Blackburn. On the men’s side, Dylan Sage will defend his junior world time trial crown, while Max Hinds, winner of the Morbihan Nations Cup, and Harry Hudson, who triumphed at Liège-Bastogne-Liège Juniors, will look to make their mark in the road race. These riders, already accustomed to international podiums, embody the constant renewal of British cycling talent.
The British squad for the 2025 UCI Road World Championships :
Elite men
Joe Blackmore
Mark Donovan
Oliver Knight
James Knox
Bjoern Koerdt
Oscar Onley
Tom Pidcock
Fred Wright
Elite women
Anna Henderson (TT only)
Under-23 men
Callum Thornley
Under-23 women
Zoe Backstedt (TT only)
Millie Couzens (TT and RR)
Cat Ferguson
Flora Perkins
Eilidh Shaw
Imogen Wolff
Junior men
Max Hinds (RR and TT)
Harry Hudson
Matthew Peace
Dylan Sage (RR and TT)
Junior women
Arabella Blackburn
Erin Boothman (RR and TT)
Gabriella McHugh
Abi Miller (RR and TT)
Mabli Phillips
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