Cycling: Vignonfodo, first professional from Benin, to compete in two events at World Championships

Georgette Vignonfodo will represent Benin at the UCI Road World Championships 2026, scheduled from September 20 to 27 in Montreal, Canada. The Beninese cyclist is set to compete in the under-23 category in two events: the individual time trial on September 21 and the road race on September 27.

The young rider approaches this event in her first season with the WCC Team, the women’s continental team of the UCI World Cycling Centre. In 2026, she became the first Beninese cyclist to join a continental team, a status confirmed by the Beninese Cycling Federation and the official roster published by the UCI.

Vignonfodo arrives in Montreal with the U23 national time trial title she won in June. The Beninese Cycling Federation reports that she achieved the best average speed in her category at 39.4 km/h. In the road race at the same national championships, she finished second behind Charlotte Mètoévi.

The UCI has announced thirteen events on the program for the Montreal World Championships, with approximately 1,000 participants across the Elite, under-23, and junior categories for both men and women. This competition marks the return of the Road World Championships to Montreal, more than half a century after the 1974 edition.

The Beninese cyclist continues her progression after winning two consecutive national junior titles in road race and time trial in 2024 and 2025. The UCI lists her among the youngest members of the WCC Team 2026, which comprises ten riders from ten different countries.

Vignonfodo’s first outing in Montreal is scheduled for Monday, September 21, in the U23 women’s time trial. Her second race is set for six days later, on Sunday, September 27, in the road race.