As the excitement settles in Rwanda’s capital, the echoes of cheers still reverberate through the thousand hills. The 2025 UCI Road World Championships, the first ever staged on African soil in the event’s storied 103-year history, did not merely conclude last Sunday; it propelled Rwanda – and indeed the continent – into a new era of global acclaim. From the blistering time trials on September 21 to Tadej Pogačar’s audacious solo breakaway clinching the men’s elite road race gold, this was no ordinary sporting spectacle. It was a masterclass in ambition, executed with the precision of a well-oiled peloton slicing through the wind.
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One cannot recount Rwanda’s triumph without first extending profound gratitude to the architects of its success. To His Excellency President Paul Kagame, whose visionary leadership has transformed a nation once scarred by unimaginable tragedy into a beacon of innovation and stability, Rwanda owes him an immeasurable debt. His unwavering commitment to excellence, from seamless infrastructure upgrades to the bold bid that outshone Morocco in 2021, has etched Rwanda’s name into the annals of international sport.
This event was not a coincidence; it was the culmination of deliberate nation-building, where sport is both a unifier and an economic engine. Equally deserving of applause are the unsung heroes; government ministries that orchestrated logistics with military-like efficiency, Rwanda Development Board and UCI’s steadfast partners who poured resources into this continental debut, and the security organs whose invisible vigilance ensured every rider pedalled in safety amid crowds that swelled to historic proportions.
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UCI President David Lappartient echoed the world’s sentiments perfectly at the closing gala: "This week in Kigali has not only met our expectations; it has gone far beyond them. The cycling family has fallen in love with Rwanda, its countryside, its people, its beauty, its vitality.”
And then there were the Rwandans themselves, the volunteers who worked through the nights setting up barriers along the cycling routes, then manning them during the day, the families who lightened up the fan zones and lined the 267.5-kilometer route with flags, the children who high-fived world champions as they sped past. As minister of sports Nelly Mukazayire put it, "For Rwanda, this is more than an event. It is a testament to our collective spirit: disciplined, resilient, and unyieldingly proud.”
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The world noticed. Ben Healy, bronze medallist in the men’s elite road race, tweeted about the "incredible discipline” of Kigali’s crowds "huge, but nobody steps on the road.” Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay, Africa’s breakout Tour de France stage winner, declared that Rwanda’s terrain would "give more opportunities to African riders,” inspiring a new generation from Addis Ababa to Cape Town.
From beyond the peloton, regional voices amplified the global applause.
BBC’s Alan Kasujja, who has seen Rwanda evolve from fragility to formidable, beamed: "Rwanda’s UCI triumph is a masterstroke – clean streets, flawless execution, and a warmth that disarms even the most jaded traveller. This isn’t just cycling; it’s Africa rewriting the script on what excellence looks like. One day, we will ask PK how he did it.”
Veteran columnist Charles Onyango-Obbo was equally emphatic: "Rwanda’s hosting of the UCI Worlds isn’t mere spectacle; it’s a quiet revolution. While neighbours grapple with unrest, Kigali’s hills hosted harmony – crowds cheering not in division, but in unity. Kagame’s Rwanda reminds us: sports can heal, build, and boldly claim the future.”
Of course, not everyone was thrilled. Rwanda’s well-worn critics tried to pedal their same tired talking points uphill, only to collapse like sprinters out of gas in the final 200 meters. Remember their dire pre-event whispers and mutterings of "sportswashing.”
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And then reality intervened: 769 riders from 108 nations conquered Rwanda’s hills without a hitch, hotels brimmed at 95% capacity, and not a single safety incident marred the event. The doomsayers were left gasping, their keyboards producing more hot air than analysis. As one X user quipped: "Haters predicted apocalypse; Rwanda delivered euphoria. Samuel Baker Byansi and your gang, who’s pedalling backwards now?”
It is almost comical. For them, Rwanda’s hospitality is propaganda, its security is a façade, its global success is an aberration.
To such cynics, here’s some advice: at least find fresh material. Recycling the same lines while the rest of the world applauds is like booing at a wedding, awkward, futile, and slightly embarrassing.
As the Rwanda haters are still recovering from their post-hate hangover, and the country settles from the euphoria of the UCI, Visit Rwanda is taking the game of sports sponsorship to another level. The brand has signed with the LA Rams and Clippers, and BK Arena will host the first-ever PFL Africa Semifinals on October 18, a clear signal that Rwanda is no longer just hosting events; it is shaping and owning the sports narrative on the continent. This is how vision turns into momentum: global attention, local pride, and tangible investments all flowing into a coherent, forward-looking strategy.
As the peloton packs up for Montreal 2026, Rwanda doesn’t bid farewell, it waves hello to tomorrow. The UCI Road World Championships were more than a race; they were a revelation. Africa, through Rwanda’s lens, is not "emerging.” It has arrived, rainbow jersey and all.
So, to the critics who predicted disaster: thank you for your motivational comedy.
To the athletes and fans who came, cheered, and left inspired: Mwarakoze cyane! And to the world, the hills are calling. The view from the top is breathtaking.
And to our president, Paul Kagame, we Rwandans know that the debt we owe you is not measurable in years or words, but in unwavering support. In steadfast belief, collective pride, and the determination to continue building the Rwanda you envisioned.
The writer is a development and alternative financing strategist.