For the first time since 2022, the Afghanistan Women’s Road Championships will take place again – this time under extraordinary circumstances. With the support of the UCI and the French Cycling Federation, the 2025 edition will be held on 26th and 28th June as part of the French National Championships in Les Herbiers, Vendée. Five Afghan riders, now living and training in exile, will line up alongside their French counterparts, competing on the same parcours but for their own national titles.
The return of the Championships comes three years after the last edition was held in Switzerland, a one-off event organised in Aigle by the UCI World Cycling Centre after the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 made it impossible to hold the race in Afghanistan. That day saw 50 refugee athletes take to the start, with Fariba Hashimi taking the win and using it as a launchpad into the professional peloton.
Now, Hashimi will return to defend her title in a very different context – but with just as much significance. Speaking ahead of the race, she reflected on how that 2022 victory changed her life. The result opened the door to a place on a UCI Women’s WorldTeam, and the experience remains deeply personal. She said she hopes not only to win again, but to see others use this platform as a stepping stone too. “It’s with great emotion that I’m preparing to defend my title,” she said. “I hope the event will allow other athletes to shine.”
Alongside Hashimi, four other riders will represent Afghanistan: her sister Yulduz Hashimi, Zahra Rezayee, Samira Ehrari, and Mahnaz Mohammadi. Fariba, Yuldudz, and Rezayee will race both the 26.5 km time trial and the 115.5 km road race. Ehrari and Mohammadi will focus on the road race alone. The course mirrors that of the French nationals – a challenging route, with 400 metres of climbing in the time trial and over 1,500 metres in the road race.
The UCI World Cycling Centre is handling the logistical challenge of bringing these riders to the start line, covering travel, accommodation, and race support. But the deeper story is one of solidarity between national federations, between athletes, and between the structures of the sport that are determined to keep pathways open.
UCI President David Lappartient said the return of the Afghan Championships would be an emotional moment, noting that cycling has helped the athletes “find their way” since fleeing their home country. He praised the French Federation for opening their national championships to riders who no longer have a home championship of their own. “These gestures of solidarity honour our sport,” he said.
French Cycling Federation President Michel Callot echoed the sentiment, saying it was a matter of principle as much as practicality. “Organising national championships for athletes who no longer have their own is an act of hospitality that aligns with the values of sport,” he said. “We are proud to give Afghan women a platform and a means of expression.”
While the results may only count towards Afghan titles, the riders will be fully integrated into the French race programme. For those competing, it’s a rare chance to show what they can do at an elite level. For others watching, it’s a reminder that even in exile, the determination to race – and to represent a nation – remains intact.
The Afghan women’s presence in Les Herbiers is a testament to that determination. This is not simply about national titles. It is about visibility, dignity, and ensuring that the story of Afghan women in cycling is not one of disappearance, but of defiance.
