Yulia Biryukova. REUTERS/Jean Bizimana
According to the online media Suspilne.
Cyclist Yulia Biryukova delivered Ukraine its best result in 11 years in the women’s road race at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships. The 98th edition of the Road World Championships took place from September 21 to 28 in Rwanda, where Ukrainian cyclists Biryukova and Olga Kulynych took part in the women’s road race.
Starting the race with bib number 77, Biryukova gradually climbed the standings and ultimately finished 25th with a time of 4:39:04. She was 4 minutes 16 seconds behind the winner Magdalena Vallieres. Olga Kulynych finished 51st of 53 competitors with a time of 4:51:08.
Key results and impact on the rankings
The 2025 World Championships in the women’s road race remained at the top for the leaders: Magdalena Vallieres (Canada) – 4:34:48, Niamh Fisher-Black (New Zealand) – +23 seconds, Margarita Garcia Canelles (Spain) – +27 seconds, and 25th place went to Yulia Biryukova – +4:16, 51st to Olga Kulynych – +16:20 seconds.
This result became Ukraine’s best achievement in the women’s road race at the World Championships in 11 years. In September 2014 Hanna Solovey finished ninth at the world championships in Ponferrada (Spain).
Additionally, Biryukova finished 15th in the individual time trial at the 2025 World Championships, and as part of the Ukrainian team she placed eighth in the mixed relay. Based on the world championships, she earned 35 points in the world ranking of female cyclists, bringing her total to 423.66 points.
The World Championship concluded with the men’s road race, in which one Ukrainian took part – Anatoliy Budyak; he did not finish the race. The victory in the race went to the four-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar.
