Overview

• The program runs September 21–28, opening Sunday with the elite individual time trials and expanding to 13 events, including first-time standalone U23 women’s races.
• The men’s road race covers 267.5 km with 5,475 meters of climbing, a World Championships record, while the women face 164.6 km and 3,350 meters on a hilly Kigali circuit.
• Star contenders such as Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt are set to race, as notable names including Jonas Vingegaard, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel skip the event.
• Political pressure persists after an EU Parliament call to relocate the Worlds over DR Congo conflict concerns; Rwanda rejects the accusations, and UCI officials say preventive agreements aim to forestall protest actions.
• Access and inclusion remain flashpoints, with the points-based qualification leaving many African nations without start places as hosts Rwanda field six riders and Eritrea seven, while Benin has none.