Africa-Press – Rwanda. Hosting the UCI Road World Championship gave Rwanda a chance to reflect on its sports sector, as cycling fans and officials said it helped them learn about coordination, infrastructure, and volunteer management.
Key lessons included the importance of athlete preparation, with cycling teams noting that planning before and during races can strongly affect performance.
Pascal Ndizeye Nkunduwiteka, manager of Java-Inovotec and Ngarama Women’s Cycling Team, called for more focus on cycling competitions to support rider development.
“We urgently need to improve the abilities of our cyclists. Training is important, but it must go hand in hand with regular competitions. Right now, cycling clubs are limited because they can’t organise races. If given the right support and permissions, cycling teams should not only focus on training riders but also take part in organising competitions to help develop talent through real racing experience,” he said.
Liliane Kayirebwa, Second Vice President of the local cycling federation, FERWACY, shared key lessons from the 2025 UCI Road World Championship in terms of organisation.
“We learned a lot from hosting the UCI championship; something we had not imagined we were capable of. One major lesson was capacity building, especially in event organisation and managing side activities,” she noted.
“On the technical side, we realised the need for more preparation time. For the first time, we had 26 cyclists compete across six categories, which raised their performance levels.”
“It was also historic to have four women under 23 participate, another first for Rwanda. Our cyclists had the rare opportunity to meet international legends right here at home. Competing on Kigali’s challenging roads gave them valuable experience, and we also saw how climate differences can affect performance,” she added.
Ruben Habarurema, Managing Director of the Africa Rising Cycling Centre in Musanze, reflected on how the championship reshaped his perspective on the future of cycling in Rwanda.
“One key lesson is the importance of proper preparation; We need to strengthen this area. There is also a need to continue investing in cycling development, especially in organising competitions across all categories, including juniors,” he said.
“The performance of junior women showed that this category has potential and deserves more attention. We must also maintain regular professional training programs to help identify and grow the best talent,” he added.
Eugene Uwambaje, team leader of Ndabaga Cycling Team, also shared key lessons learned from the UCI Road World Championship hosted in Rwanda.
“The race was intense and highly competitive. Looking ahead, it is important for our cyclists to have more opportunities to compete in races across Europe. To improve race completion rates, we also need better preparation through structured training and more local competitions.
“Developing a larger pool of young riders who can compete at high levels should be a key focus moving forward.”
As a participant in the U23 Women’s Road Race, 21-year-old Jazilla Mwamikazi currently in Ndabaga Women Cycling Team, said the championship left her with important lessons adding that witnessing the UCI World Championship was a moment of pride for her country.
“Participating in the UCI helped me overcome fear. I also learnt that failure is not the end, but rather the starting point for improvement as we prepare for future competitions. Representing my country also brought a sense of respect and motivation, pushing me to put in even more effort,” she said.
The UCI Road World Championship did not only leave lessons for those directly involved in the cycling sector. Fans and spectators who followed the race closely from the first day to the last, also walked away with meaningful insights.
Oswald Muremangingo, a bank employee who among others in Kigali observed the entire UCI championship in Rwanda, said the championship offered profound life lessons, mirroring the necessity of consistent effort to achieve victory.
“The key lesson I got from the race is that one has to always put in efforts so as to win. You can relate it with life; There is no easy thing at all, people have to always fight to reach the end.”
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