   Dear members
Since our last newsletter, the world of cycling witnessed a historic event with the staging of the UCI Road World Championships in Kigali. This much-awaited event went beyond all expectations, and we will never forget the excitement, the warmth, and the enthusiasm we experienced in Rwanda.
It was the first time we took the UCI Road World Championships to the African continent, and their success was remarkable. The record participation, particularly from our African nations, demonstrates the dynamism of cycling on the continent. I would like to thank all our National Federations who were present, their delegations and all those who helped make the event so successful.
During the same week as the UCI Road World Championships, the UCI Congress in Kigali brought together representatives from 117 National Federations. It was an Elective Congress, and I am delighted to start a new four-year term as UCI President. Thank you for your confidence.
I also congratulate the newly-elected UCI Management Committee, as well as the four UCI Vice-Presidents they elected shortly after UCI Congress. I look forward to working alongside them to continue developing and modernising our sport around the world.
The week following the UCI Road World Championships, I was delighted to welcome Mr Abderrahmane Ethmane, President of the Mauritanian Cycling Federation and of the Mauritanian National Olympic and Sports Committee, to the UCI headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland. Our discussions centred on the development of cycling in Mauritania, a country where cycling is experiencing promising growth.
Last week, integrity in sport was the main point of discussions we had with a delegation from the Chinese Olympic Committee when they visited Aigle. It was a pleasure to welcome them and exchange about our work to ensure sport is fair and clean.
Looking ahead to next year, I attended the presentation of the 2026 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in Paris on 23 October. We already knew the men would start in Barcelona, Spain, and the women in Lausanne, Switzerland (passing near our UCI headquarters in Aigle), and now we have the details. We can look forward to fantastic editions of the two French Grand Tours next July and August.
Meanwhile the 2025 Tissot UCI Track World Championships have just come to an end in Chile, Santiago, awarding 22 titles of UCI World Champion. It was the first time we took this event to the Santiago Velodrome and it was a huge success. Other exceptional UCI World Championships organised this month were those for gravel - which crowned Dutch athlete Lorena Wiebes and Belgium’s Florian Vermeersch in South Limburg, the Netherlands - and for para-cycling track where 48 titles of UCI World Champion were awarded over four days of competition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
It is a pleasure to attend SportAccord’s IF Forum in Lausanne, Switzerland, this week. I always appreciate this opportunity to talk to leaders of other International Federations. United by the same passion, we share our experiences, challenges and common ambitions: promoting our sports, strengthening their integrity and expanding their global reach. These exchanges fuel our collective action and contribute to the advancement of sport as a whole.
Finally, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to Mr Giandomenico Massari on his re-election as President of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria, and to Mr Mark Collins on his election as President of Cycling Canada. On behalf of the UCI, I thank them for their commitment to the development of our sport and wish them every success in their new roles.
Thank you all for your continued commitment and support for our initiatives. Together, we will continue to promote cycling across the five continents.
David Lappartient
 UCI President
IOC member
  2026 UCI Solidarity Programme – applications now open!
All UCI Category 3 and 4 National Federations, as well as UCI Associate Members, are invited to submit their applications for the 2026 UCI Solidarity Programme.
As part of our commitment to promoting cycling worldwide, the UCI Solidarity Programme plays a vital role in supporting UCI members. This initiative aligns with our UCI Agenda 2030, fostering the structured and sustainable development of cycling.
The UCI Solidarity Programme catalogue is available in both English and French, providing clear guidance on the support available. It can be accessed, together with the UCI Solidarity Programme guidelines on the UCI website.
The application form is available online in English, French and Spanish. The deadline for submitting applications is 14 November 2025 for UCI National Federations and UCI Associated Members.
To assist National Federations in preparing their applications, the UCI is organising online workshops to provide specific guidance on the application process for the Solidarity Programme.
The upcoming workshops will take place on the following dates and times:
- 4 November 2025, from 10:00 to 11:00 (CET) – in French
- 5 November 2025, from 14:00 to 15:00 (CET) – in English
National Federations eligible for support under the UCI Solidarity Programme have received a letter outlining the participation details.
If you have any questions or need assistance, the UCI International Relations Department is here to help. You can reach out to us at solidarity@uci.ch.
REMINDER: UCI Athletes’ Commission
The UCI Athletes’ Commission is being renewed this year for the 2025-2029 period.
Voting for the athletes’ representatives takes place at the UCI World Championships of each discipline during the 2025 season.
Details for candidates and voters are available here.
Deadlines and information:
 Candidates for the UCI Athletes’ Commission must send their CV and full contact details to the UCI at: athletes.commission@uci.ch
Relevant information will also be available on site in the voting area.
 List of UCI Women's WorldTeams, UCI WorldTeams, UCI Women’s ProTeams and UCI ProTeams
The UCI has published the list of teams that have submitted the essential documents with a view to their registration for 2026. The UCI issues a reminder that all the UCI WorldTeams and UCI Women’s WorldTeams licences will be renewed for the 2026 season.
The UCI would like to specify that teams that do not appear on this list still have the possibility to finalise their applications before the end of the registration procedure, which will be determined by the Licence Commission at its hearings, anticipated to finish in November.
A press release has been published on the UCI website.
UCI Women’s Continental Teams and UCI Continental Teams
The UCI DataRide – Teams platform is currently open for the registration of UCI Women’s Continental Teams and UCI Continental Teams. The deadline for the payment of the registration fee is 1st November.
In addition, complete registration files must be received by the deadline of 10 November to ensure that the lists of UCI Continental Teams and UCI Women’s Continental Teams are published at the beginning of January 2026 and these teams benefit from invitations as specified in article 2.1.007bis of the UCI Regulations.
Participation of UCI Continental Teams and UCI Cyclo-cross Professional Teams in UCI ProSeries events
We remind you that UCI Continental Teams and UCI Cyclo-cross Professional Teams are able to participate in UCI ProSeries events during the season, following the payment of an additional anti-doping contribution and completing the online form by 31 December 2025.
No flexibility will be granted to teams which do not respect this deadline of 31 December 2025. The list of teams authorised to participate in UCI ProSeries events will be available on the UCI website at the beginning of 2026.
2026 UCI Road International Calendar
The 2026 UCI Road International Calendar, approved by the UCI Management Committee, was published on 6 October on the UCI website.
Events with administrative elements still outstanding do not appear on the published list, in accordance with the UCI Regulations. The concerned organisers have been informed. Please contact road@uci.ch should you have any questions.
2025 UCI Road World Championships
The UCI wishes to congratulate the Local Organising Committee of the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali (Rwanda), the event delivery partners Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) and Golazo, as well as all participants, for what will remain an unforgettable edition of the UCI Road World Championships – the first ever to be held on the African continent.
The 2025 UCI Road World Championships took place from 21 to 28 September 2025. A total of 734 riders representing 108 countries took part, including 36 African nations – a record number for the UCI Road World Championships.
In the medals table, the Netherlands topped the rankings with two gold, one silver and one bronze medal. The Dutch notably claimed victory in both Junior individual time trials (ITTs), with Megan Arens winning the Women’s event and Michiel Mouris the Men’s. Several other nations also secured four medals, including France (3rd overall), Belgium, Spain and Switzerland. Great Britain finished second overall, with two gold medals earned in the Women Under-23 ITT and the Men Junior road race.
In the Elite categories, the Slovenian Tadej Pogačar repeated his triumph of last year in Zurich (Switzerland), this time conquering the demanding Kigali course featuring 5,475 metres of elevation. In the Women Elite road race, the Canadian Magdelaine Vallieres Mill delivered a remarkable performance to take the title after 3,350 metres of climbing – a truly memorable achievement.
In the Elite ITTs, the Belgian Remco Evenepoel claimed his third consecutive rainbow jersey in the discipline, while the Swiss Marlen Reusser took victory in the women’s event.
The team time trial – mixed relay brought together 15 formations (14 national teams and the UCI World Cycling Centre Team) over a 41.8 km course (20.9 km for the Men’s trios, followed by 20.9 km for the Women’s). Australia had the honour of donning the rainbow jerseys, followed by France in second place and Switzerland in third.
To help us further improve our services during future events, we kindly invite you to share any feedback at rwc@uci.ch.
2026 UCI Road World Championships
The 2026 UCI Road World Championships will take place in Montréal (Canada) from 20 to 27 September. More information about this event is available on the UCI website.
Qualification system
The qualification system is published on the UCI website.
The qualification system was amended following the meeting of the UCI Management Committee held in June 2025. The quotas allocated to National Federations for the 2026 UCI Road World Championships will now be calculated on 19 October 2025, corresponding to the final day of the 2025 UCI Road International Calendar.
Wild cards (only for the Men Elite and Men Under 23 road races)
The UCI may decide to invite up to three non-qualified nations to register one rider for the Men Elite or Men Under 23 road race. Interested nations must send an email before 1 December 2025 to rwc@uci.ch to express their interest in receiving a wild card. The UCI will notify each nation awarded a wild card by email.
Team Time Trial – Mixed Relay
Nations interested in taking part in this event shall have to apply for an invitation by sending an email to rwc@uci.ch before 1 December 2025. The selected nations will be informed individually.
For any questions, please contact: rwc@uci.ch.
 2025 Tissot UCI Track World Championships (22–26 October 2025)
Held in Santiago, Chile, the 2025 Tissot UCI Track World Championships welcomed 332 athletes from 38 nations to compete for 22 UCI World Champion titles.
All results from Santiago are available on the UCI website.
2025 UCI Masters Track World Championships (4–11 October 2025)
The 2025 UCI Masters Track World Championships were held for the second consecutive year in Roubaix, France. Results for the competition are available on the UCI website.
2026 UCI Track International Calendar
The 2026 UCI Track International Calendar has been approved by the UCI Management Committee and is now published on the UCI website.
We kindly invite all organisers and National Federations to consult the 2026 UCI Financial Obligations for Track, as the fee for calendar modification has been updated.
2026 UCI Track Teams registration
The registration process for 2026 UCI Track Teams is now open. The final registration deadline is 1 December 2025, and detailed instructions are available on the UCI website.
 2026 UCI Mountain Bike Regulation changes
Following the approval of the UCI Management Committee, the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike Regulation changes are now published on the UCI website.
2026 UCI Mountain Bike International Calendar
Following the approval of the UCI Management Committee, the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike International Calendar is now published on the UCI website.
REMINDER: 2026 UCI MTB Teams
Registration for the 2026 UCI MTB Teams started in September 2025. The deadline for submitting requests is 15 November 2025. In case of interest, please send your team name, the name and e-mail address of the team’s contact person, as well as the nationality of your team (the National Federation you will register your team with) to offroad@uci.ch.
 2026 UCI BMX Racing Regulation changes
Following the approval of the UCI Management Committee, the 2026 UCI BMX Racing Regulation changes are now published on the UCI website.
2026 UCI BMX Racing International Calendar
Following the approval of the UCI Management Committee, the 2026 UCI BMX Racing International Calendar is now published on the UCI website.
BMX Racing international competitions - Class 2 (C2)
A new class for events has been introduced for National Federations to register BMX Racing events on the UCI BMX Racing International Calendar. It has been possible to register the new Class 2 events for 2026 since 1 October 2025. Details are available in section VI of the UCI Regulations published on the UCI website, and also in the 2026 UCI BMX Racing Financial Obligations on the UCI website.
2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships
The schedule for the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Brisbane (Australia), will start with the Championships categories: practice day will be on 17 July, followed by 2 days of competition on 18-19 July 2026. Details available on the UCI website.
The 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Challenge and Masters will start after the Championships categories, with 2 days of practice on 20-21 July 2026 ahead of the 4 days of competition, on 22-25 July 2026. Details available on the UCI website.
 REMINDER: 2025 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships (4–8 November 2025)
The 2025 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships, which include BMX Freestyle Park and Flatland, will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The venue, schedule, technical guide, FOP design, hotel information and other details about the event are available on the UCI website.
2026 UCI BMX Freestyle Regulation changes
Following the approval of the UCI Management Committee, the 2026 UCI BMX Freestyle Regulation changes are now published on the UCI website.
REMINDER: 2025 UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup
The 2025 UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup (Park and Flatland) calendar and all related information are available on the UCI website.
Information about the last round of the 2025 UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup, which will take place in Sakai, Japan (27-30 November 2025), can be found here.
 2025 UCI Masters Cyclo-cross World Championships, Varese, Italy (28–30 November 2025)
The Technical Guide, the link to the organisations’ website and to the registration platform are available on the UCI website.
As in last years, there are no nations’ quota, nor qualification system. Riders must be registered individually by 24 November 2025.
2025-2026 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup
The schedules of the12 rounds are available on the UCI website.
The venues of Tábor (CZE) and Flamanville (FRA) will inaugurate the series with well-known courses that will host the Elite and youth categories races respectively on 23 and 30 November 2025.
One week later, a new venue in Sardinia (ITA) will host the Elite riders in Terralba, in the province of Oristano.
2026 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships (30 January–1 February 2025)
The schedule for the competition that will be held in Hulst, the Netherlands, is available on the UCI website.
Nations can also find practical information on the organisation’s website.
The event’s Technical Guide will be available mid-November, following the 2025 Cyclo-cross Continental Championships.
UCI-recognised series for cyclo-cross
Eight UCI-recognised series for cyclo-cross are being organised throughout the 2025-2026 season
 As a reminder, the rounds of these series are open to international participation. Only UCI-recognised series can draw up a general classification and award a leader’s jersey for each of the categories. All other aspects of UCI-recognised series must be also in compliance with article 1.2.026 of the UCI Regulations.
REMINDER Participation of UCI MTB Teams and UCI Road Teams in cyclo-cross events
UCI MTB Teams and UCI Road Teams taking part in the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup are invited to send their contact for cyclo-cross to offroad@uci.ch.
REMINDER: Compliance of equipment with UCI Regulations for the upcoming cyclo-cross season
At UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup events and UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, the use of non-approved framesets and wheels will not be allowed.
 REMINDER: 2025 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships (4–8 November 2025)
The 2025 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships, which include trials, will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The venue, schedule, technical guide, hotel information and other details about the event are available on the UCI website.
As per article 7.1.002 of the UCI Regulations a Women Junior competition will be held during the 2025 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships and will award UCI points.
2026 UCI Trials Regulation changes
Following the approval of the UCI Management Committee, the 2026 UCI Trials Regulation changes are now published on the UCI website.
REMINDER : 2026 UCI Trials International Calendar
National Federations and organisers of international events can start to register their events for the 2026 UCI Trials International Calendar. We also encourage National Federations to register their trials National Championships on the mandatory date set on 27-28 June 2026. Please remember that for the National Championships, a Women Junior category (article 7.1.002) can be organised and will award UCI points.
The updated Organisation Guide for UCI Trials International Competitions is now available on the UCI website.
REMINDER: 2027 UCI Trials World Youth Games – open application
National Federations and organisers of international events are reminded that the UCI is currently seeking bids for the 2027 UCI Trials World Youth Games.
Download the UCI Trials World Youth Games information for organisers here.
For any information regarding how to bid, please email offroad@uci.ch.
 2025 UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships (16–19 October 2025)
The 2025 UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 16 to 19 October 2025. The official Result Book has been published on the UCI website. It consolidates the final classifications, medal tables, and event records for easy reference.
2026 Regulation Changes
After the most recent UCI Management Committee meeting, updates to the UCI Regulations were approved affecting para cycling:
- Part 9: Qualification criteria for the Track World Championships.
- Part 16: Additional amendments specific to para cycling.
For a concise explanation of these changes, see 16-PAR-Regulations_amendments_2026.pdf. The latest rulebooks and related documents are available on the Regulations | UCI page.
H3 Sport Class Regulations changes
Following the update of the H3 Regulations per the recommendations of the handcycle working group, you can find an official letter on the UCI website explaining the changes. Please be aware that all H3 athletes must submit updated Medical Diagnostic Forms (MDF) by 31 January 2026.
2026 Para Cycling International Calendar
The 2026 Para Cycling International Calendar is now published on the UCI website.
 2025 UCI Artistic Cycling World Cup
The Final round of the 2025 UCI Artistic Cycling World Cup will take place in Öschelbronn, Germany, on 15 November. All useful information about the 2025 UCI Artistic Cycling World Cup can be found on the UCI website.
2025 UCI Cycle-ball World Cup
The fifth round of the 2025 UCI Cycle-ball World Cup took place in Chemnitz, Germany, on 11 October 2025. Results can be found on the UCI website.
The next round of the 2025 UCI Cycle-ball World Cup will be on 1 November in Winterthur, Switzerland. All useful information about the competition can be found on the UCI website.
2025 UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships, Göppingen, Germany (7–9 November 2025)
The registration period for the 2025 UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships in Göppingen, Germany is now closed. The entry list for the competition is now available on the UCI Website.
2026 UCI Indoor Cycling International Calendar
The 2026 UCI Indoor Cycling International Calendar has been approved by the UCI Management Committee and is now published on the UCI website.
 2025 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships (15 November 2025)
The finals of the 2025 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will take place on 15 November 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Further information about the event is available on the UCI website.
The Technical Guide for the finals is published on the UCI website.
The races will be broadcast live on MyWhoosh’s YouTube channel on 15 November.
2025 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships Semi-Finals (3 October 2025)
The semi-finals of the event were held on 3 October 2025, exclusively online on the partner platform MyWhoosh. A total of 262 riders – 139 men and 123 women – representing 32 nations completed the three semi-final events hosted by MyWhoosh. Full results are available on the UCI website.
For any questions, please contact: esports@uci.ch.
  Join us for an insightful webinar on the fundamentals of para-cycling and the pivotal role of National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) in the sport.
During this webinar, the following topics will be covered in detail:
- Introduction to the different categories and of para cycling
- Technical adaptations and equipment used by para cyclists
- Challenges and opportunities in the national development of para cycling
- The role of National Paralympic Committees in supporting para cyclists, organising competitions, and raising public awareness
- Best practices for fostering inclusion and access to para cycling for all athletes
- Access of funding to IPC/NPC resources.
Whether you're a para cyclist, sports administrator, coach, or simply interested in para cycling, this webinar provides a unique opportunity to gain insights into this dynamic sport and its impact on the Paralympic community.
Join us for this enriching session and learn how you can contribute to promoting inclusion and excellence in para cycling. Register now to secure your spot and participate in this important discussion.
Speaker: Todd Fraser
Registration:https://uciorg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LsTEPQy_QXq2kuI32EQw6Q
  WADA released the 2026 Prohibited List
 On 24 September 2025, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) published the 2026 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods (the Prohibited List).
The Prohibited List is updated annually by WADA and incorporated in the UCI Anti-Doping Rules. It designates which substances and methods are prohibited at all times (i.e. in and out-of-competition) as well as those prohibited out-of-competition only. The Prohibited List will come into force on 1 January 2026.
In view of this, we ask you to ensure that all stakeholders, and in particular your athletes and their entourage, are aware of the Prohibited List and its changes. The UCI strongly recommends you share this information and familiarise your athletes with its content.
Summary of major modifications for 2026
The major modifications of the List for 2026 are summarised in this document.
It should be noted, in particular, that WADA has followed the decision taken by the UCI on 1 February 2025, to ban the inhalation of carbon monoxide (CO). A new section M1.4. has been added to the Prohibited Methods. It prohibits the use of CO outside of a diagnostic procedure such as measuring total haemoglobin mass or determining pulmonary diffusion capacity.
ITA Webinar Series: Ask the expert: Nutrition
 The UCI is pleased to inform you that the educational webinar ‘Ask the Expert: Supplements Part II' organised by the International Testing Agency (ITA) is available on their YouTube channel.
This webinar discusses the potential risks associated with the use of supplements by athletes. It highlights the importance of prioritising nutrition from whole foods and offers key guidance for athletes on what they should know before using supplements, in order to minimise the risk of inadvertent Anti-Doping Rule Violations.
With the participation of Jeni Pearce, expert in performance nutrition, this session provides a comprehensive overview of the topic, along with practical guidance and expert responses to your questions.
You can find the first part of this webinar, dated 29 April 2025, here.
The UCI strongly encourages you and your members to watch these webinars.
  2026 UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum to take place on 10–11 May 2026 in Athens, Greece
The next edition of the UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum will take place in Athens (Greece) on 10-17 May 2026. The 2026 edition will be hosted in collaboration with Kyvernitis Travel Group and the City of Athens.
The two-day Forum will start with workshops, bike tours and the chance to attend the finish of the Tour of Hellas in Athens’ city centre on Sunday 10 May and will continue with the main conference day on Monday 11 May. The programme and information about how to register for the 2026 UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum will be published soon.
First organised in 2018, the UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum is the UCI’s annual conference dedicated to the promotion of sustainable and active mobility, and cycling’s contribution to the global sustainable development agenda. It brings together the transport and cycling communities, alongside representatives from the UCI Bike City and Region network, National Federations, Continental Confederations, event organisers, city representatives, cycling advocates and industry experts.
The UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum is organised as part of the UCI's strategic commitment to develop cycling across the world as a sport and sustainable transport mode. The previous editions were held in Milan (Italy) in 2018, Paris (France) in 2019, Odense (Denmark) in 2021, Glasgow, Scotland (United Kingdom) in 2022, Bruges (Belgium) in 2023, Abu Dhabi (UAE) in 2024 and Copenhagen (Denmark) in 2025.
More detailed information regarding content and speakers will be published on the UCI website in the coming weeks. Relive the 2025 edition of the UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum.
For more information on the UCI’s Cycling for All programme, please visit the dedicated section of the UCI website. Questions regarding the programme and the Forum may be addressed to cyclingforall@uci.ch.
Find more information in our press release.
 To protect and maintain athletes’ health, the UCI has implemented a prevention policy that relies, among others, on systematic medical and biological examinations. This medical monitoring is mandatory for riders of UCI WorldTeams, UCI ProTeams, and UCI Women’s WorldTeams, as well as for track, mountain bike, and BMX Racing riders according to their UCI ranking. The content and schedule of these examinations are published in the “Medical / Medical Monitoring” section of the UCI website.
Starting from 1 November 2025, the following changes will be made to the mandatory monitoring programkme:
- For UCI WorldTeams and UCI ProTeams, each medical follow-up examination must include a medical interview, a clinical examination, and biological and paraclinical tests as defined in the reference document available on the UCI website. The changes concern the cardiovascular examinations (ECG). Currently, apart from the clinical examination, cardiovascular examinations include either a cardiac echo-doppler or a stress electrocardiogram, performed alternately every other year (one year the echo-doppler, the next year the stress ECG). As of 1 November 2025, a stress electrocardiogram only will be mandatory every year (no longer every other year). The echo-doppler, which allows observation of the heart’s structure and evaluation of its function, has only a limited predictive value for cardiac events that may occur during exercise in young athletes. Therefore, this examination may be recommended at the start of an athlete’s career but should not be repeated routinely.
- For UCI Women’s WorldTeams, only a resting electrocardiogram is mandatory once per year. The UCI strongly recommends performing a stress electrocardiogram once per year, or at least once every two years.
- For track, mountain bike, and BMX Racing riders concerned, only a resting electrocardiogram is mandatory once per year. The UCI recommends performing a stress electrocardiogram once per year, or at least once every two years.
  
REMINDER: UCI MedResources
A reminder of the QR code that has been implemented (see below), providing access to the MedResources application.
The application offers several prevention tools regarding mental health, the fast recognition and diagnosis protocol for concussions and various medical forms and declarations.
 For more information, please visit the “Medical” section of the UCI website or contact our medical team at medical@uci.ch.
 
Tsige Kiros seventh for Ethiopia in Kigali
Athletes from the UCI World Cycling Centre’s Africa 2025 programme celebrated a top-10 placing for Ethiopian Tsige Kiros at the UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda.
The 18-year-old Ethiopian animated the Junior race in Kigali, riding an aggressive race up front from the start. Even a mechanical with just over 30km to go did nothing to dampen her determination… she chased her way back to the leading group, finally claiming a magnificent seventh place.
Tsige Kiros was spotted during a development detection camp held at the UCI World Cycling Centre Continental Development Satellite in Paarl, South Africa, last November, and consequently joined the other African athletes on the UCI WCC Africa 2025 programme. They were based in Britanny, France, for much of the summer then took part in a wider African training camp in Rwanda in the lead-up to UCI Road World Championships.
As a reminder, the Africa 2025 programme prepared athletes from Africa for the 2025 UCI Road World Championships for the three years prior to the event. Twelve of its athletes – six women and six men from eight African countries – competed in Kigali. Tsige Kiros achieved the best result, a month after taking 22nd overall at the 2025 Tour de l’Avenir, an international Under-23 stage race in France.
Jean-Pierre Van Zyl, Director of the UCI WCC satellite in Paarl said: “Tsige’s come through the ranks in Ethiopia and shown herself at the Elite level event though she’s only a Junior. In Kigali, she made a couple of mistakes which meant she had no energy at the end to be in the final five. But boy, does she have a good future. The next Biniam Girmay for women's cycling in Africa. Super talent!”
UCI World Cycling Centre Director Jacques Landry said: “We brought her into the fold with the Africa 2025 programme this year. She learned so much in Europe. She got some confidence with that. So, to see her finish 7th when everybody was hurting, and she was in the fray, it was awesome to see. It really reminds us of what we're here for and why we're working so hard for African athletes that demonstrate and show so much talent.”
Jacques Landry added that other initiatives would follow to continue supporting Continental Confederations and National Federations in different regions develop their athletes, coaches, mechanics and Commissaires.
 Ride & Learn programme
As mentioned during the UCI Congress in Kigali, the Ride & Learn programme - developed by Peace and Sport and the UCI World Cycling Centre - is available to National Federations interested in offering their members a grassroots cycling education tool. This programme uses cycling as a powerful vehicle for personal growth, inclusion, and social transformation, guiding young riders through progressive learning cycles that foster self-awareness, mutual respect, and teamwork.
If you are interested in this programme, please contact Salomé Ernotte at rideandlearn@uci.ch
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