The Director-General of the International Cycling Union (UCI) Amina Lanaya says she was impressed by the organisation of Tour du Rwanda and commended it as a benchmark in the development of cycling.

The official said this during her visit to the country recently where she had come to watch this year’s Tour du Rwanda that ended on Sunday. The visit was also partly to evaluate the country's bid to organise the 2025 Road Cycling World Championships.

Rwanda applied to host this world competition last year and faces competition from Morocco. If successful, Rwanda would be the first African country to host the world’s most prestigious cycling event.

In an interview with RFI, Lanaya said she has followed races in Belgium and the Tour de France and was very impressed with the level of organisation and huge turnout of people on the roadsides during the Tour du Rwanda.

She also commended Rwanda as a yardstick of cycling development.

"Tour du Rwanda is a benchmark in the development of our sport and that is why we can speak of Rwanda as a candidate on the right track for the organization of the 2025 World road cycling championship,” she noted.

Natnael Tesfazion became the third Eritrean to win the Tour du Rwanda on Sunday with Rwanda's Moise Mugisha, who was riding for local outfit Skol Adrien Cycling Academy (SACA), finishing second.

Prior to Tesfazion’s victory, Valens Ndayisenga was the only rider to ever win the race more than once, in 2014 and 2016.