All roads head to Zaria Court this Saturday as Kigali prepares to host the highly anticipated African Cycling Excellence Awards (ACEA). The inaugural ceremony will celebrate the continent’s finest cyclists across professional and amateur categories following a landmark year for African cycling. ALSO READ: Kigali to host African Cycling Excellence Awards until 2026 Delegates from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the Confederation of African Cycling (CAC) have already arrived in Kigali to honor riders who excelled during the 2025 season. Team Rwanda is in contention for the Best African National Cycling Team award, facing stiff competition from Eritrea and Mauritius. Eritrean riders feature prominently across several categories, reflecting their dominance in African cycling this season. The launch of the awards comes on the heels of a historic milestone when Kigali’s hosted a successful 2025 UCI Road World Championships in September—the first time the prestigious global event was held on African soil. Who are the finalists? Awards will be presented in multiple categories, including elite, amateur, national teams, and honorary recognitions for standout cyclists from the host nation. Amateur Category: Tiemoko Diamoutene (Mali), Blaine Kieck (South Africa) and Paul Daumont (Burkina Faso) Men’s Elite Category: Henok Mulubrhan (Eritrea), Biniam Girmay (Eritrea) and Milkias Maekele (Eritrea) Women’s Elite Category: Kiros Kahsay Tsige (Ethiopia), Gerefiel Selam Amha (Ethiopia), Le Court Kim (Mauritius) National Teams: Eritrea, Rwanda and Mauritius
