Ella and Elsa Nshuti have found a growing love for cycling and they aspire to be elite riders. For the 10-year-old twin sisters, there was no better time to revitalise their passion than during the UCI Road World Championships, the global cycling race taking place in Kigali over the next eight days.

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Too young to take part in the elite race, the twins asked their mother, Nellie Ingabire, to register them for the social ride, the cycling event for friends and families taking place on Saturday, September 20, ahead of the main race on Sunday.

Some 750 people have registered for the fun ride, which is an opportunity to ride in the same space as professional cyclists, watch how they train, and learn more about a sport they have come to enjoy.

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Not a new thing

The twins started cycling when they were about three years old. Having relocated from Kigali to Bugesera near their mother’s farm, they spent much of their time riding bikes whenever they were not in school.

"It is a large farm and only cycling works best,” said one of the twins in a telephone interview with The New Times on Friday.

"Being only two children on a large farm, we could not play basketball or football. That is how we fell in love with cycling.

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To improve their skills, the girls began training at the Gasore Serge Foundation, a nonprofit in Bugesera that supports youth through sports, education, and community programmes. There, they found the Field of Dreams pump track, which they now love. From then on, they got hooked.

"It was so much fun. We just wanted to keep riding,” the other said.

The two twins attend Rafiki International School, where they train once a week during the school term and more frequently during holidays. At the Gasore Serge Foundation, they train with other children from the community, learning from each other in a supportive environment.

&039;We can also do something big in sports'

One of their biggest motivations to pursue cycling seriously came from watching their cousins, who play professional football in Sweden.

"They started young like us. Seeing them makes us believe we can also do something big in sports if we put our efforts into it,” the twins said.

They also draw inspiration from their coach, Diane Ishimwe, who rides for the Bugesera Women’s Cycling Team. Ishimwe also coaches over 50 children.

"She is swift on the bike and gentle when coaching,” they said.

'Cycling feels like freedom'

Being part of the UCI event is a milestone for the girls, and they are approaching it with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

"Being part of the UCI event makes us feel very happy and also a little nervous because it’s our first big event. But we are proud to be part of it because it’s something big for our country Rwanda and for Africa. People can expect us to try our best. We are looking forward to having fun and showing how much we love cycling.”

The girls dream of one day representing Rwanda in international competitions.

"What we love about cycling is that it feels like freedom. It helps us meet new people and ride in different parts of Rwanda. We once went for a competition in Rwamagana and it was so fun."

The Nshuti twins say they are proud to be growing up in Rwanda, a country they describe as beautiful and increasingly supportive of sports.

"There are new sports places being built, which is exciting. But we wish schools could encourage sports more because it makes learning fun and brings excitement to going to school,” they said.

They also called on schools to offer scholarships to children who excel in both academics and sports.

"For us, we think sports and academic excellence should go together. As we grow up, we hope to keep improving with better bikes and good support to stay healthy so we can keep chasing our dream.”

Their mother said she is always available to take them to training sessions or competitions, making sure cycling doesn’t interfere with their schoolwork and homework schedule.

"As for helping them achieve their goal of becoming professional cyclists, I leave that in their hands. I don’t push them too much,” Ingabire told The New Times.

"My main aim was to use cycling to help with their social inclusion. It’s not easy for mixed-race children growing up in a village where people sometimes call them names like ‘muzungu’ or ask them for money,” she explained.

The Nshuti twins are nonetheless self-motivated when they are together, which makes them take on challenges on the road with excitement.

"Riding makes us happy. We like to challenge ourselves. The best part is that we do it together, we cheer each other and sometimes even race each other,” they said.