The clock is ticking as Rwanda prepare to host the 2025 UCI Road World Championship, which will take place in Kigali from September 21-28.
Dubbed Kigali 2025, the highly-anticipated world cycling edition was officially launched in the Rwandan capital on Thursday, September 21, exactly two years to the event kickoff.
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As the world of cycling awaits to grace the event, Weekend Sport brings you what you need to know about the landmark cycling race.
First time in Africa
Africa prepares to welcome the UCI Road World Championships for the first time since the race inception in 1921.
Rwanda and Morocco are the two African countries which were going toe-to-toe in the race to win the hosting rights for the world cycling championship but the race ended in Rwanda’s favor when the UCI announced the East Africa country as the hosts for the 2025 edition.
Bringing the race to Kigali made Rwanda the first African country to host the world’s biggest cycling event a win which the entire continent is celebrating.
Is Kigali ready?
Kigali has been ready since the Rwandan cycling governing body (FERWACY) submitted an application to host the UCI Road World Championships back in 2019.
And having secured the hosting rights, Sports Minister Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju said that all stakeholders are being involved to ensure a successful cycling event.
"In two short years’ time, and eight days&039; long stop, the cycling world will set sights on Kigali for the remarkable cycling event. Our goal is to make it an excellent and memorable competition for all participants,” Munyangaju said.
"Work is already underway here in Kigali for cyclists’ preparation, service standardization, and cyclists’ readiness, we are all in all the way to 2025,” she added.
Rwanda is increasingly establishing itself into a sports tourism destination, hosting a number of big sports events at the international level like Tour du Rwanda in cycling, Basketball Africa League (BAL) and FIBA Afrobasket, men and women, in Basketball and Kigali International Peace Marathon in athletics to name a few.
With thousands of delegates expected in Kigali for the Road World Championship, a number of stakeholders in the private sector are waiting one their wings to jump on potential business opportunities around the event which is more than just a cycling race.
According to Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Chief Investment Officer, Lucky Philip, "RDB is working closely with the Ministry of Sports to involve the private sector in the championships and seize the opportunities in order to reap the best results. The moment for us to start preparing is now."
On the technical part, Rwandan cyclists have already started preparations for the highly-anticipated cycling championship and the country is set to be represented in both men and women categories.
The selected riders are camping at Africa Rising Cycling Center in Musanze and are training under the tutelage of new head coach David Louvet who was appointed to the position in August.
Facts and figures
Kigali expects to welcome over 5,000 participants including cyclists, coaches and officials, and over 20,000 delegates from the globe for the 2025 UCI Road World Championship.
Available data shows that the event is followed by more than 200 million people worldwide via over 450 international media agencies that gather for coverage from the host nation.
Proposed routes
The 2025 UCI Road World Championship is an eight-day cycling event which dates from September 21-28 in Kigali.
Riders will start with a Time Trial Route departing from BK Arena and head to KIE-Rwahama-Gisimenti-Prince House-Sonatube-Gahanga-Ku Kiraro-Gahanga-Sonatubes-Rwandex-Cadillac-IFAK all the way to the finish line at Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) Kimihurura.
The Road Race was proposed depending on laps as follows:
Lap 5 and Lap 13 will use KCC-Gisimenti-Kimironko-Kibagabaga Hospital-Nyarutarama-UTEXRWA-Kinamba-Yamaha-Nyabugogo-Ruliba-Nyamirambo-Kimisagara-Mur de Kigali-Kuri 40-Ruguga-Cadillac-IFAK-KCC.
From the first to fourth lap and from sixth to 12th lap, riders will be use KCC-Gisimenti-Kimirionko-Kibagabaga Hospital-Nyarutarama-UTEXRWA-Kinamba-Poids Lourds-Cadillac-IFAK-KCC.