Mapei confirms its long-standing commitment to the world of cycling as Main Partner of the 2025 UCI Road World Championships, which will be held for the first time in Africa, in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, from 21 to 28 September 2025. The event marks a milestone in the UCI's strategy to globalise cycling, and promote its growth in Africa.

A record-breaking course for the world's top athletes

The UCI Road World Championships in Kigali are expected to be one of the most challenging editions in history, with a course designed to test even the strongest international climbers. The Men Elite race will cover 267.5 kilometres with a total elevation gain of 5,475 metres. The races will take place at an average altitude of around 1,400 metres above sea level, on a 15.1-kilometre urban circuit to be repeated fifteen times, featuring demanding climbs such as the Côte de Kigali Golf (800 metres at an average gradient of 8.1%), the Côte de Kimihurura (1.3 kilometres at 6.3%) and the legendary Mur de Kigali (400 metres at 11%). The Women Elite race will cover 164.6 kilometres with 3,350 metres of elevation gain. In addition to the Elite races, the programme will also include road races for the Men’s and Women’s Under-23 and Junior categories, the spectacular team time trial - mixed relay and individual time trials competitions for each category.

A long-standing partnership

The bond between Mapei and cycling has deep roots. It all began in 1993, when the company entered the world of cycling by sponsoring a professional cycling team that achieved 654 international victories until 2002. Since 2008, Mapei has continuously supported the UCI Road World Championships, confirming its commitment to an inclusive and universal sport. The partnership is built on shared values: tenacity, teamwork and determination to take on new challenges. With the Kigali edition, the collaboration between Mapei and the Union Cycliste Internationale is further strengthened.

Unprecedented global visibility

The 2025 edition will offer Mapei extensive international visibility with its logo featured along the entire race course, at the award ceremony, on backdrops, during press conferences and interviews, as well as across all official event communication materials. The races will be broadcast on major television channels across five continents, ensuring widespread media coverage that will reach millions of fans around the world. In Italy, the event will be covered by RAI, Eurosport and Discovery+.

The UCI Road World Championships in Kigali are not only a premier sporting event, but also a unique opportunity to celebrate the shared values between Mapei and global cycling, bringing the sport into a new geographical and cultural dimension that will further enrich its global heritage.