For the very first time, the U23 Women had their own individual time trial at the UCI Road World Championships, and Italy’s Federica Venturelli delivered a remarkable performance, claiming the bronze medal in Kigali 2025.
The race covered a demanding 22.6-kilometer course, where three riders from UAE Team ADQ represented their respective national teams.
Russia’s Alena Ivanchenko impressed early on, setting the fastest provisional time as she briefly occupied the ‘hot seat’. At the end of the day, she finished in 5th place, 2:22 behind the winner.
It was a more challenging outing for Spain’s Paula Blasi, who had to settle for 12th place, 3:14 off the winning mark.
The highlight of the day came from Federica Venturelli, who rode an extraordinary race to secure her spot on the podium. She stopped the clock in third place, finishing just 2:11 down on gold medalist Zoe Backstedt of Great Britain – the younger sister of UAE Team ADQ’s Elynor Backstedt. The silver medal went to Slovakia’s Viktória Chladoňová.
This historic bronze not only marks a milestone for Venturelli but also underlines the depth of talent in UAE Team ADQ’s young riders on the world stage.
Federica Venturelli analyzed her performance with clarity: “The course was just as tough as I expected, with the climb halfway through and then, even more, that cobbled ramp in the finale that felt like it would never end. I tried not to start too fast because I knew the second part of the race was very demanding, and it was important to save some energy. It was difficult to find the right rhythm because you could really feel the altitude, and especially on the climbs I struggled to breathe. But I told myself that we were all in the same situation, so I just tried to give my best until the very end, using the descents a little to catch my breath. In the end, I managed to hit the final ramp with some energy left, but I crossed the finish line completely exhausted, like everyone else, because it really was a very tough time trial.”
A result of great value: “This medal is very important for me,” admitted Venturelli, 20 years old from San Bassano, near Cremona. “After a difficult start to the season, I managed to bounce back well. I raced many races with the team that didn’t really suit my characteristics because of the demanding profiles, but they definitely helped me prepare for this goal and arrive a little more ready to face the elevation of this time trial. This medal means a lot because it shows that I am back on my path of growth despite all the difficulties, and that gives me hope for the future. Honestly, on such a demanding course I didn’t expect to make it onto the podium, as there were so many strong rivals at the start. I was aiming for a top ten, so finishing on the podium was really unexpected and makes me very happy. I must thank UAE Team ADQ, who have supported me through this experience and throughout the season, my National Team who, despite a limited budget, gave me the opportunity to be here at the World Championships, showing great trust in me, and all the people who support me back home – my family and friends – who have always been by my side throughout this journey.”
(ph. Getty Sport)
