Australia has once again proven their dominance by clinching the Mixed Relay Team Time Trial (TTT) world title at the UCI Road World Championships, narrowly edging out France in a gripping finish on the challenging 41.8km course in Kigali. But here’s where it gets controversial—this victory wasn’t just a repeat win; it was a battle of seconds that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.
Last year in Zurich, Australia had barely scraped past Germany by less than a second, and this year, they managed a slightly more comfortable margin against France, yet it was still incredibly tight. The Australian team, composed of Michael Matthews, Luke Plapp, Jay Vine, Brodie Chapman, Amanda Spratt, and Felicity Wilson-Haffenden, completed the course in 54 minutes and 30.47 seconds, securing the coveted rainbow jerseys by a mere five seconds.
France, with riders Bruno Armirail, Paul Seixas, Pavel Sivakov, Cédrine Kerbaol, Juliette Labous, and Maëva Squiban, held the lead for less than ten minutes after finishing their run, ultimately taking silver with a time of 54:35.71. Switzerland, represented by Jan Christen, Stefan Küng, Mauro Schmid, Jasmin Liechti, Marlen Reusser, and Noemi Rüegg, rounded out the podium with a time of 54:58.89.
Amanda Spratt captured the intensity of the race perfectly, saying, “From the moment we hit the cobbled climb, it felt like pure hell—just push through, no matter what. Brodie was incredibly strong in the final stretch, so I knew I had to stick close and hold on tight. Our director, Matt White, was shouting at us to sprint, sprint, sprint.”
She added, “We knew it was going to be close, but winning this is truly special. It was my first time competing in the nation’s team time trial, and pulling it off with this team is incredible. It’s rare to get the chance to ride alongside fellow Aussies in a full national event like this, so after last year’s win, we were fully focused.”
Spratt also highlighted the team’s preparation—or lack thereof—explaining, “We only arrived a few days ago and saw the course just yesterday. We didn’t have time to practice pace lining on this specific route, but we knew the men had top-10 finishes in the individual time trial, and the women’s team was also strong. I just had to hang on with whatever strength I had left, and thankfully, it all came together today.”
The race unfolded in three waves, each consisting of five teams, spaced roughly 40 minutes apart. The first group saw China dominate, setting the fastest time of 1:01:08.72 and leading at every intermediate checkpoint. They outpaced Ethiopia by over a minute and had Rwanda, the host nation, briefly on the provisional podium with a time of 1:03:08.97. Other African nations like Benin and Uganda also competed in this opening batch.
The second group featured the UCI World Cycling Centre, Mauritius led by Kim Le Court-Pienaar, and European teams from Ukraine, Spain, and Belgium. While the World Cycling Centre and Mauritius posted respectable times (1:03:34.14 and 1:03:28.23 respectively), they couldn’t surpass China’s leading time.
Ukraine then surged ahead with a time of 1:00:33.83, but Spain, boasting WorldTour talents like Iván Romeo and Mireia Benito, became the first team to break the hour mark, finishing in 56:25.99 at an impressive average speed of 45.473 kph.
Belgium, with riders such as Victor Campenaerts and Florian Vermeersch, secured the silver position in this group, crossing the line at 58:50.14.
The final wave included the heavy hitters: Switzerland, France, Italy, Germany, and Australia. Switzerland started strong, with their men’s trio leading the first half of the course in 25:23.40, 27 seconds faster than Spain. However, Australia and France soon upped the pace, with Australia leading at the halfway mark in 24:49.33, 33 seconds ahead of France, who were just one second ahead of Switzerland. Italy trailed in fourth, 13 seconds behind Switzerland.
Switzerland maintained their lead through the later checkpoints, finishing with a time of 54:58.89. Their top spot lasted only three minutes before France crossed the line in 54:35.71, taking the lead. Italy followed but could only manage third place, 1:10 behind France.
Germany, the penultimate team, failed to challenge the podium, finishing four places behind their silver medal position from 2024. This set the stage for Australia’s final run, which delivered a nail-biting finish and secured their second consecutive gold in this event.
This race not only showcased incredible athleticism but also highlighted the razor-thin margins that define world-class competition. And this is the part most people miss: in team time trials, every second counts, and teamwork, strategy, and mental toughness are just as crucial as raw power.
What do you think—does Australia’s back-to-back victory cement their status as the undisputed champions, or is the narrow margin a sign that France and Switzerland are closing the gap? Could the lack of course practice have been a risk for Australia, or did their raw talent and experience make up for it? Share your thoughts and join the conversation below!
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Dani Ostanek, Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews since 2017, continues to cover the sport with passion. Her favorite races include Strade Bianche, the Tour de France Femmes, Paris-Roubaix, and Tro-Bro Léon, bringing a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to every report.
