Hetty van de Wouw can now truly be called the queen of the 2025 Track Cycling World Championships. After world titles in the team sprint and individual sprint, the 27-year-old rider was also the strongest in the kilometre time trial. And how: with a phenomenal world record of 1:03.121, she blew the competition away.
The kilometre time trial is on the women's program for the first time this year at the Track Cycling World Championships. Previously, women competed in a 500-meter time trial. During the qualifiers, Van de Wouw already cemented her favorite status by setting a world record (1:03.652) in this non-Olympic event.
This turned out to be the precursor to a memorable final, in which Van de Wouw lived up to her favorite role. The Dutch rider started last and had to beat the time set by Iana Burlakova. On paper, this seemed more than achievable, but Van de Wouw got off to a slightly slower start than her rivals.
Your Women’s 1Km Time Trial podium at #Santiago2025 🏆
🥇 Hetty van de Wouw 🇳🇱
🥈 Iana Burlakova 🏳️
🥉 Ellesse Andrews 🇳🇿
📸 SWpix pic.twitter.com/KyzPAfE3dU
— UCI Track Cycling (@UCI_Track) October 25, 2025
Van de Wouw’s start was even slower than Burlakova's, but the big favorite then truly made the difference. Halfway through, she already posted the fastest time, and the unleashed Van de Wouw was able to accelerate even more in the final phase, wiping her own world record off the books by over half a second: 1:03.121.
For the Netherlands, this is the eighth(!) gold medal at the Track Cycling World Championships in Chile, following earlier world titles from Van de Wouw, Harrie Lavreysen (2x), Lorena Wiebes (2x), and the Dutch men’s and women’s sprint teams.
Pure joy from Hetty van de Wouw - photo: Cor Vos
Hetty 'hat-trick' Van de Wouw was, of course, over the moon with her new world title afterward. “I didn’t expect this. How this tournament is going is really unbelievable for me,” she told the NOS camera. “I already thought I was good, but that I’m the best still has to sink in.”
Van de Wouw now has three rainbow jerseys under her belt, but she will also compete once more on Sunday, in the keirin. She has previously been a silver medalist at the world championships and second at the Olympic Games in this event. “I’m curious how my legs will feel after these four days, but basically, that discipline suits me well.”[/wftk_box]
UCI Cycling World Championships - Track (Time Trial)| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||
| 2 | " | |
| 3 | " | |
| 4 | " | |
| 5 | " | |
| 6 | " | |
| 7 | " | |
| 8 | " | |
| 9 | " | |
| 10 | " |
