Megan Arens underlined her reputation as one of the brightest Dutch prospects by winning the junior women’s time trial at the World Championships in Kigali. On a challenging 18.3 km route that finished with the cobbled Côte de Kimihurura, the 17-year-old produced a ride of maturity well beyond her years, stopping the clock at 25:47. That was 35 seconds faster than Spain’s Paula Ostiz, with Norway’s Oda Aune Gissinger securing bronze a further two seconds back.
The course in Rwanda’s capital was designed to punish pacing errors. Rolling terrain led into a final 4.6 km stretch dominated by cobbles and a 1.3 km climb averaging 6.3%. Arens was only two seconds faster than Gissinger at the intermediate checkpoint, but she powered through the decisive section, gaining more than half a minute on her rivals by the finish. “I cannot believe it, actually. It’s really humbling, I don’t know what to say,” Arens said afterwards. “It was a really tough parcours, and we made a pacing plan obviously, but it was hard to achieve the watts, so I just focused on my feelings and gave everything I could – and it worked out. Just wow.”
Earlier in the day, Chile’s Marlen Rojas had set a strong early benchmark of 27:28, narrowly ahead of Ukraine’s Milana Ushakova. But once the top nations rolled down the start ramp, the standard shifted. Gissinger was the first to deliver a time that looked capable of standing, leading at the split and then crossing the line over a minute quicker than Rojas. Roos Müller came close for the Netherlands, finishing 10 seconds shy in provisional second, but her teammate Arens was already ahead on the road.
Spain’s Ostiz, who will step up to Movistar next season, managed her effort consistently, reeling in time on the cobbled climb and just edging past Gissinger for silver. Erin Boothman, the British favourite and reigning junior team pursuit world champion on the track, saw her podium hopes disappear when she unclipped on the cobbles and stalled on the steepest section. She eventually finished 5th, only 11 seconds away from a medal.
Behind the medal trio, there were more strong showings. Müller secured 4th to make it two Dutch riders inside the top four. Sidney Swierenga, the Canadian champion who will join Liv AlUla Jayco’s Continental Team, was 6th, while Belgium’s Laura Fivé made the top 10.
For Arens, this rainbow jersey crowns a breakthrough season and sets her up perfectly for her step to Team Picnic PostNL in 2026. With Ostiz bound for Movistar and Gissinger heading to Team Coop-Repsol, the junior podium in Kigali offered a clear glimpse of the next wave of talent heading for the elite peloton.
2025 World Championship Time Trial Junior Women result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
