2025 WC: Thread for all the women's races + Mixed Relay

[Netserk]

Good post-race interview.

 

[meat puppet]

Reusser wasn't even breathing that hard at T2. So she must have paced it well and thus could push at the end.

Wonder if she was undergeared during the downhill section, as she lost time to vdB though.

Guess the course should favor evenepoel but we know how it goes.

 

[yaco]

...and Vollering takes the medal.

As I predicted halfway through the race.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Good that ruesser won. Deserve the win

 

[Sciatic]

That was a lovely interview by Reusser!!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

After Reusser finally got her gold yesterday, racing will continue today with the first ever stand alone U23 ITT. It will take place on the same route as the men's JR ITT. With only one ascent of Côte de Nyanza, I expect Zoe Bäckstedt to add another rainbow jersey to her collection, but the fight for the other medalists are harder to predict. Wilson-Haffenden is perhaps the best of the rest on paper, but question is if the course is better suited for stronger climbers like Blasi or Chladonová.

Start lists:

https://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=24930&y=2025&k=start

https://ucikigali2025.rw/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/ITT_WU_Start-list_revised.pdf

 

[Didinho]

Zoe flying like expected.

 

[Red Rick]

Bäckstedt should have raced the women's elite ITT.

 

[Red Rick]

Bäckstedt is way faster than Reusser yesterday on the combined sectors they both did.

Obviously Reusser had to do 10km more, but Bäckstedt IMO would have won a medal yesterday and instead opted for a completely pointless u23 title.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Even with a 3 minute lead at the start Schreiber couldn't keep Bäckstedt behind her. That doesn't bode well for the CX season where her early leads are only a handful of seconds at best.

 

[yaco]

I will repeat again that WT riders should be ineligible for the under 23 world championships.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Bäckstedt wants to win every title in every category, including ITT, RR and cyclo-cross. I hope she'll also focus on Paris-Roubaix in the future.

 

[Didinho]

Also a strong 2nd place for Chladonova as the youngest rider participating.

 

[theyoungest]

Also a strong 2nd place for Chladonova as the youngest rider participating.

Last year Chladonova was 2nd at the junior worlds TT... behind Cat Ferguson.

She's a very different rider to Backstedt, more of a climber type. Impressive result indeed.

 

[andrew_s]

I will repeat again that WT riders should be ineligible for the under 23 world championships.

That would be a bit unfair these days, with WT teams signing riders straight out of juniors.

 

[jono]

A bit curious that Isabella Holmgren didn't race the ITT despite being by far the best in that discipline of the Canadian U23 women in Rwanda.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I will repeat again that WT riders should be ineligible for the under 23 world championships.

That would be a bit unfair these days, with WT teams signing riders straight out of juniors.

Bring back the Am Worlds!

 

[JR1012]

For the RR Vos will be replaced by de Vries, because of personal matters.

 

[Sciatic]

That would be a bit unfair these days, with WT teams signing riders straight out of juniors.

I think this is a probably a dead horse type discussion, but perhaps folks can remind me why the UCI doesn’t simply make it U-21 instead of U-23? That would seem an appropriate adjustment to youths training like pros earlier in their careers and competing for pro teams at earlier ages.

 

[yaco]

That would be a bit unfair these days, with WT teams signing riders straight out of juniors.

You can choose to ride for the development team. There are too many riders who are missing this vital step in their development.

 

[yaco]

I think this is a probably a dead horse type discussion, but perhaps folks can remind me why the UCI doesn’t simply make it U-21 instead of U-23? That would seem an appropriate adjustment to youths training like pros earlier in their careers and competing for pro teams at earlier ages.

An under 21 would be a perfect solution, however, I would still make WT riders ineligible.

 

[yaco]

A bit curious that Isabella Holmgren didn't race the ITT despite being by far the best in that discipline of the Canadian U23 women in Rwanda.

Agree. I see Holmgren as a future GT winner.

 

[Andy262]

Bäckstedt is way faster than Reusser yesterday on the combined sectors they both did.

Obviously Reusser had to do 10km more, but Bäckstedt IMO would have won a medal yesterday and instead opted for a completely pointless u23 title.

I doubt it was Zoe, more likely the clowns at British Cycling.

 

[theyoungest]

I doubt it was Zoe, more likely the clowns at British Cycling.

She does the same in cyclocross, so I think it's her decision and not British Cycling. And in this case there's even something to be said for it, as she didn't have any U23 world titles on the road yet.

I think she couldn't have challenged for the elite title, btw. In cross she's also sometimes faster on the same course as the elites... but then when she races the elites she can't beat them, 99% of the time. Different conditions, shorter distance.

 

[Wyndbrook]

I will repeat again that WT riders should be ineligible for the under 23 world championships.

Why, that just devalue's the race. Lower the age limit or whatever , but must be open to all.
Restricting the eligibility whould make it second class and mean nothing.