With the 2026 Tour du Rwanda set to run from February 22 to March 1, one key question lingers among cycling enthusiasts: what does it take to cancel a stage of the race? The concern stems from the 17th edition in 2025, when the eighth and final stage in Kigali was abandoned due to heavy rainfall and slippery road conditions that made racing unsafe. ALSO READ: Fabien Doubey wins Tour du Rwanda 2025, final stage cancelled However, organisers allayed fears that a similar scenario may happen again this year. According to Meteo Rwanda, rainfall ranging between 80mm and 360mm is expected across the country in February. While that forecast may appear alarming to some cycling enthusiasts, officials say such levels of rainfall alone are not enough to force a stage cancellation. In an interview with Weekend Sport, Valentin Bigango, the First Vice President of Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY), stressed that ordinary rainfall, even within the predicted range, cannot automatically halt a race. “In collaboration with UCI technical staff and the race coordination team, we have strengthened our preparations. Rainfall on its own cannot cancel a stage unless rider safety is clearly at risk. The situation that happened last year should not happen again,” he said. ALSO READ: 18-team roster confirmed, time bonuses added What happened in 2025? During the final stage of the 2025 Tour du Rwanda, riders were scheduled to race a 74km circuit in Kigali. However, due to early rainfall, organisers initially reduced the race distance. Heavy rain began around 11:30 AM, shortly before the scheduled midday start. Although the initial downpour was manageable, the conditions worsened during the first lap. As the peloton approached the third lap, the rain intensified, leaving sections of the road dangerously slippery. After assessing the risk, officials from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) decided to abandon the stage in line with safety regulations. The results were declared null and void, and the final general classification was determined based on Stage 6 standings. French rider Fabien Doubey of Team TotalEnergies was declared overall winner of the race based on accumulated results up to that point. ALSO READ: What you need to know about Tour du Rwanda 2026 So, what does it take to cancel a stage? Under UCI regulations, a stage can only be cancelled if there are serious safety concerns, including extreme weather conditions that directly endanger riders, unsafe road conditions, or other unforeseen hazards. In short, it is not rain itself that stops a race , it is the level of risk posed to the peloton. Such decisions are not unique to Rwanda. In early February 2026, Stage Two of the Vuelta a Murcia was cancelled shortly after it began due to powerful winds that were physically blowing riders off their bikes. The stage was converted into a neutralised ride for safety reasons. For the 2026 Tour du Rwanda, organisers maintain that expected February rainfall does not automatically meet the threshold for cancellation. With closer coordination with UCI officials, and weather forecast authorities, the federation believes the race will proceed without disruption, unless truly extreme and dangerous conditions arise.
