With just a few days left before the curtains fall on the first UCI Road World Championships hosted in Africa, Kigali’s Sonatube–Nyanza–Gahanga road was reopened. That gave me the chance to finally travel and witness the flag-off at Kigali Convention Centre (KCC), a moment I hadn’t experienced yet. A few new routes have also been introduced to the championships. PICTORIAL: UCI 2025 DAY-6: Two Rwandans cross the finish line as British and Italian riders claim gold So, how did my day go? Since the first race was starting around 11am I didn’t rush to prepare lunch because I had other plans. There was time for breakfast, time to travel, and time to explore the fan zone at KCC where numerous exhibitors and vendors had set up. On day six, Friday, September 26, my family didn’t just witness the kickoff, we also shared a meal at one of the stands. Friends who had been there earlier described it as electric. Music, people, bikes, Ganza, sunshine! They weren’t lying. I saw it with my own eyes and felt it with my own hands. Lol! PICTORIAL: UCI 2025 DAY-5 : France strikes gold, Lappartient re-elected From the very start, this edition of the championships was billed as the toughest, and we’ve seen it play out at the finish line. Even riders who’ve been cycling and training since childhood are crossing the line, gasping for air, almost passing out. Then you have riders from Africa, some of whom only picked up cycling later in life often as a means of transport or a hobby, competing in the same league as these seasoned professionals. It is a tough ride for them. Literally. ALSO READ: Lappartient re-elected UCI president until 2029 South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Ethiopia, the Comoros, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, are among the 38 countries flying the African flag. But truth be told, our performance as the “Ubuntu Squad” has been underwhelming. And yet, it isn’t for lack of talent. Africa has the riders. What we lack is structured support and proper grooming. ALSO READ: The UCI Road World Championships through the eyes of a muturage I overheard a commentator on TV describe a young, and motivated rider from an African country, yet riding an old, basic bike and wearing an ill-fitting skinsuit. That moment hit me hard. As Rwanda bids to bring more global sporting events to the continent, the responsibility to shine shouldn’t rest on Rwanda alone. Hosting is one part of the equation. Delivering great performers should be a burden shared by all Africans. Even if Rwanda doesn’t produce medal winners, the country will beam with pride if fellow African nations rise to the occasion. Because truth be told, on the global stage, when one African wins, it’s a victory for all of us. ALSO READ: Open-visa, infrastructure-ready: Why Rwanda is rewriting hosting rules I spoke with Julius Emmanuel Nsubuga, a Ugandan sports journalist covering the UCI event for the first time. He praised Rwanda for successfully hosting a competition of such magnitude, noting that it significantly elevates Africa’s image on the global stage. When asked about Africa’s overall performance, he pointed directly to the issue of investment: “When it comes to cycling, a competitive bike is very expensive. Some African countries get bikes through donations, but then there are the bureaucracies, especially taxation. In some cases, the taxes are so high that they double the price of the bike or equipment. That’s one reason why Africa is underperforming. Another is policies. Governments must take this sport seriously, so it can be a career, not just a hobby. Right now, most of our athletes juggle other jobs and only train part-time. Their counterparts elsewhere spend more time training and earn billions from it.” Then he added: “I thank the government of Rwanda for creating a conducive environment that enticed UCI to give us this opportunity to host. Now I call upon other governments to visit, and to benchmark. Let this not be the first and last time the Road World Championships come to Africa. African riders are endowed with natural endurance. It is time to put that to good use by taking this sport, and others, seriously.” After my brief chat with Julius, I hurried back to the roadside just in time to watch the final lap of the first-ever 119km Women’s U23 road race.
