British Cycling

September 25, 2025

VALIANT EFFORT FROM GREAT BRITAIN IN THE FIRST EVER STAND-ALONE UNDER-23 WOMEN‘S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ROAD RACE

—- It was a baptism of fire for the participants of the first ever stand-alone under-23 women’s world championships road race, with riders putting it all on the line. After a valiant effort, Imogen Wolff crossed the line as Great Britain’s highest finisher, in 12^th place.

The first three laps, as predicted, saw the gradual decimation of the peloton as the race dropped from 86 riders to just 26 within 50km, with GB’s Eilidh Shaw one of those unable to continue. An attritional race unfolded with no riders wanting to expose themselves and make a play for a break, aware of their inability to recover in between repeated tough sections over the circuit.

Both Julie Bego (France) and Fariba Hashimi (Afghanistan) attempted attacks but were immediately shut down by riders unwilling to let the race string out.

As the riders made their way through the city roads, laden with spectators and flags the main nations in content were Canada, France, Australia, Great Britain, Sweden. With 26 riders remaining in the peloton, Canada’s Isabella Holmgren dictated the pace throughout, looking comfortable at the front. Meanwhile, Ferguson seemed to be taking a different tack and maintained her position at the back of the group, refusing to waste any energy and taking all she could from the flow of the peloton.

However, a big surprise came at the race’s halfway point as Ferguson started to be distanced by the group, unable to keep the tempo. Struggling to stay with the momentum set heading up the cobbles, Perkins worked hard to bring her back, but the shake of Ferguson’s head suggested that her medal chances were over. They would both hold on for another lap before retiring from the race.

This left Wolff and Couzens fighting it out in an even more depleted front group, working their way through this unforgiving course.

At the top of the cobbles for the fifth time and Julia Kopecky (Czechia) hit a big acceleration, quickly followed by Eleonora Ciabocco (Italy), Celia Gery (France) and Viktoria Chladonova (Slovakia). A crash for Chladonova offered an opportunity which Bego quickly capitalised on, attacking off the front and managing to initially take some space, before being pulled back into the group as 17 riders crossed the start line with three laps to go.

By the time the riders got to the penultimate climb, the race finally hit full flight with attacks coming thick and fast, from Bego, Paula Cairol (Spain) and Justyna Czapla (Germany); all being reeled right back in.

The peloton was taken by great suprise as Malwina Mul (Poland) managed to make an impressive u-turn, powering her way off the front in a solo effort, having minutes before been dropped by the group. Mul continued to push, getting her lead to almost 40 seconds before Gery and Chaldonova managed to bridge over to her.

With one lap to go, a further nine riders had bridged over, including Wolff, to create a lead group, while teammate Couzens sat in the chase group. As the front group lost momentum on the climbs, the groups converged again before one final attack from Sweden’s Stina Kagevi, who momentarily looked like she was going to be let go.

Unwilling to let Kagevi take it, Bunel, Gery and Chladonova decided to act and worked to catch and eventually drop Kagevi after an impressive showing. This left the three riders off the front. With the remaining riders clearly spent after almost 119km of brutal racing, and the front group clearly not letting up, a shot at the podium fell away for the remaining British pair. Gery launched a ferocious sprint in the final metres to take the under-23 women’s world title.

After battling it out through attritional racing, blazing temperatures and unrelenting climbs, Imogen Wolff finished a commendable12^th in her first year at under-23 level, while Millie Couzens finished 24^th overall.

After giving it their all for the team, Cat Ferguson, Eilidh Shaw and Flora Perkins DNF.

– ENDS –

About British Cycling

British Cycling is the national governing body for the sport of cycling in Great Britain. We govern and develop the sport from grassroots participation through to supporting the riders representing Great Britain on the international stage.

Our purpose is to bring the joy of cycling to everyone, and we’re fulfilling this by building on the elite success of the Great Britain Cycling Team and enabling more people to discover the joys of our sport. Our 145,000 members, over 2,000 affiliated clubs, and 12,500 volunteers are at the heart of what we do and the impact we achieve.

For more information, visit www.britishcycling.org.uk.

Contact details:  

Emma Hope, Head of Communications 

+44 (0) 7384 214079

emmahope@britishcycling.org.uk

Ellie Stott, Great Britain Cycling Team Communications Manager 

+44 (0) 7718 570341 

elliestott@britishcycling.org.uk  

Gareth Burrell, Communications and PR Manager

+44 (0) 7718 394386

garethburrell@britishcycling.org.uk

 Will Kirkpatrick, Communications and PR Officer