Cycling - EXCLUSIVE: The 14th edition of “Tour du Rwanda” in the lens of the world road championships in 2025 at home. Interview with Alphonse Nkuranga

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Cycling - EXCLUSIVE: The 14th edition of “Tour du Rwanda” in the lens of the world road championships in 2025 at home. Interview with Alphonse Nkuranga

February of each year, the “Tour du Rwanda ” offers a colourful spectacle that always last for 8 consecutive days on the roads from the capital Kigali to the countryside and other cities of the country not only to enthusiastic crowds massed along the roads, but also to many people abroad through images broadcast by international televisions channels. Since the last decade it has experienced a spectacular development, rising to the top of African cycling where, alongside with “La Tropicale Hamisa Bongo”, one of the most famous races on the continent, it is ranked in category 2.1 of the “Union Cycliste Internationale” calendar. This rise played a key role for Rwanda to win the organisation of the world road championships in 2025, for the first time in Africa since its debut 100 years ago.

The Journey, the country leadership, sponsorship, capacity building and talent scouting, the 14th edition (February 20 to 27, 2022) and the world road championships in 2025,… found out in the transcription below what Mr Alphonse Nkuranga, The Ferwacy’s Second Vice President has this to say.

**Alphonse Nkuranga, Second Vice President of FERWACY**

TP: What is the overall picture of “Tour du Rwanda” today?

AN: The “Tour du Rwanda ” is currently preparing its 14th edition, the 3rd in the 2.1 category. The organiser FERWACY currently has a transitional committee, which has been handling current affairs for two years, having taken over from the resigning committee. Elections for the new committee are expected very soon (on a date to be set by a board meeting scheduled for next March), having been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Two Rwandan nationals, Samuel Mugisha and Moïse Mugisha have been selected among 5 riders who will represent ProTouch, a South African club in the Tour of Rwanda 2022 which will take place from February 20 to 27. Team Rwanda and Benediction Ignite will participate in the “Tour du Rwanda 2022”, and are already in their final phase of preparation in camp at Musanze until 18 February 2022, 2 days before its start. This is the second camp after the one that was organised early December 2021 and lasted 10 days. Claude Uwizeye, a Team Rwanda member, headed to the Excelsior de Baie Mahault Team of Guadeloupe, where he signed a one-year contract.

TP: What can we learn about the beginning of Tour du Rwanda and how it evolved up to the top level in Africa?

AN: Up to 2008, the Tour du Rwanda was a cycling race involving Rwandans and riders from neighbouring countries like Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, etc. From there, it started to grow and rose into the top 3 racing cycling organisations in Africa. In Rwanda a bicycle has always been used by Rwandans as a tool from all over the country for the transport of goods or for travel from one place to another. The Tour joined UCI Africa Tour in 2009 in the 2.2 category, then became a category 2.1 race in 2019. Now at the same level as the Tropicale Amissa Bongo of the Republic of Gabon, it welcomes World Tour teams every year with riders from USA, France, Spain, Belgium, Canada, France, South America, etc., and those from African countries such as South Africa, Eritrea, Kenya, Algeria, Gabon, etc.

TP: The growth and success of “Tour du Rwanda” weighed heavily for our country to be awarded by the International Cycling Union the organisation of the world road championships in 2025, the first edition ever organised on the African continent since its creation in 1927. What have been the feelings among people in our country?

AN: It is a mark of credit and confidence from UCI and global cycling. It will be a boost for our cycling as it will certainly impact its growth. People welcomed the event with excitement not only in Rwanda but also elsewhere in Africa. It is both a challenge and a golden opportunity to showcase the African capability to successfully organise such a high-level competition, but also to prepare our riders for higher challenges.

**The UCI President David Lappartient handling the Rwandan Minister of Sport and the President of FERWACY the symbolic yellow jersey on 24 September in Belgium (Image credit: FERWACY – UCI)**

TP: What factors could have played in favour of Rwanda to see its candidacy be selected in front of big competitors like Morocco?

AN: Firstly, we are full of praise for the unwavering support and commitment from the country’s leadership in terms of the sports policy and initiatives support in particular. We can then point out the subsequent strong record and sound reputation in successfully organising various sporting competitions such as the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, the CAF African Nations Championship, the 2021 Basketball Africa League. The fact that the “Tour of Rwanda” was raised to the level of 2.1 of UCI competitions also played a key role in that sense.

TP: What Rwanda as a country and people could expect to benefit from the organisation of an event of such magnitude?

AN: Benefits to expect in that cycling competitions are obviously high, it will bring together a lot of people who will converge towards different locations, some will take their vacations to follow the race, others will stay in our hotels, pay for basic needs, make various purchases, etc. For 8 days, companies operating in Rwanda in different sectors such as in the tourism sector, banks, petrol stations will benefit a lot.

The event will require significant logistics involving technicians, lighting, printing, transports, media, etc. It offers a favourable opportunity to our partners for branding activities, and contributes to the business climate improvement. At the same time, it opens a window of visibility abroad for our beautiful country and then attracts potential investors and tourists. It is important for people to have creative ideas for starting or expanding their businesses in the future as we keep moving forward.

TP: In regard to the organisation of the race; what is your preparation roadmap to ensure that the competition will be successfully organised?

AN: We had a meeting and a workshop with the Ministry of Sport to make a technical plan, preparation for the tour du Rwanda and after, the world championships in 2025. We will participate in the African championships and other international tournaments and other competitions. For the preparation of riders, our path is still long, we are not up there yet, we must set our goals, having more ambitions, strong teams and riders in number and quality that should compete at the highest level. There are many young talents out there, and we will scout them, especially in schools, and develop them. We can then consider the application for category 2. but by then we want to reach a certain level, a complete level in terms of talent development and supervision, counting on human resources coming out of our system in various fields such as masseurs, mechanics, physiologists. We want cycling to be a culture among our young people.

**The young talent Nizeyimana Fiacre won the first prize in his category in the race organised as part of Heroes Day (Image: FERWACY)**

TP: Do you have some specific expectations from your sponsors, the government, and people?

AN: Regarding sponsors, we have sponsors from both private and public companies and new ones are coming every year. The Ministry of Sports, Rwanda National Police, RWANDAIR, Rwanda Development Board, BRALIRWA, Skol, COGEBANK, Volkswagen, SORWATE, Hotel des Mille Collines, Canal + , Supersport…, are some of them. The government support is no longer something to be demonstrated in the organisation of tour du Rwanda, It has been supporting us in ensuring security and safety and the involvement of different government Institutions just to name a few. The population has always shown us their full support by their massive presence on the courses; therefore, we can always count on this togetherness.

TP: Next February 2022 edition will be the 3rd one, and yet Rwandan cyclists aren’t ranked on the top as usually before. In the last edition, our riders even failed to come in the top 10, while they struggled to win a single stage. What may be the reasons?

AN: The raising of the race to level 2.1 of UCI competitions came up with new challenges for us, this means we have raised the bar. Our riders were confronted with the new proficiency that characterises this category of competition which is higher compared to what they were accustomed to in the previous category. But they are learning from it and we will now fight to a higher level of performance up to new standards, to be more competitive, efficient and consistent.

TP: Concerning the calendar of the 2022 edition, The Partner came across some public comments from the Eastern province, asking why in spite of the state of their good roads, they haven’t once again been awarded to follow this edition at home, asking for a fair calendar. What is your point of view about that?

AN: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic did not facilitate the organisation of the race as it should be done in normal times. Everything had to be done while respecting the measures, including staying in the same hotel. Then, it is impossible to go everywhere for only 8 days, but we will think about it as soon as the situation returns to normal.

TP: Why don’t we have cycling competitions at the East African level, as there are for other sports disciplines, as we think it can increase the level of preparation?

AN: There is regular organisation of competitions in other sports, especially in those that have reached a level of development allowing organisers to do so by guaranteeing the high level of preparation as is the case for football. As far as cycling is concerned, we are still in the process of developing this sport at the sub-regional level and it will take some time for these competitions to be considered, which may extend not only to the 6 member countries of the EAC (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, but also to countries like Eritrea and Ethiopia, etc.

TP: We don’t hear enough about women’s cycling; are there some initiatives in the pipeline?

AN: Women are members of some cycling clubs like Benediction Ignite club (women, men), Amis Sportifs Club (women and men), Bugesera Cycling Team (women only). They participate in all competitions organised by FERWACY, in Rwanda and even abroad at continental level.

Nevertheless, female riders often face certain obstacles such as stereotypes that could hinder their development assuming that this sport can transform them into male likeness.

**Young girls in the race on a course (Image credit: Tour du Rwanda)**

TP: Club and national teams have recently and relatively been up and down in terms of performance and results, particularly in football, sparking often pessimistic speculations in the local press and among the sporting community. What ingredients would you recommend to emulate FERWACY and that may institute a strong commitment and a winning culture?

AN: You want to have goals, setting clear objectives of what you want to achieve, and plan how you are going to achieve it, what you need to do to accomplish your objectives, being focused and determined with the right belief, working together and going step by step. You need also to count on our rooted and strong winning culture that characterises us as Rwandans, and take advantage of the conducive environment initiated and supported by country leadership.

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Cycling - EXCLUSIVE: The 14th edition of “Tour du Rwanda” in the lens of the world road championships in 2025 at home. Interview with Alphonse Nkuranga

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