Africa-Press – Rwanda. Tour du Rwanda 2026 is officially set with a full 18-team roster and a major rule change that promises to reshape race tactics.
The race will span 993 kilometres, with the longest stage being the 174-kilometer Gicumbi-Rwamagana route.
Organisers have confirmed that German team Bike Aid and the newly formed mixed west Africa squad will complete the line-up for the race scheduled from February 22 to March 1.
The mixed west Africa team will feature riders from Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso, strengthening regional representation.
Their addition finalises the 18-team field initially announced in December, when only 16 teams were unveiled.
The race will feature development riders from UAE’s Team Emirates, alongside established teams such as Movistar Team, Team Novo Nordisk, Soudal Quick-Step, Team Picnic PostNL, and Lotto-Intermarché.
Continental representation includes Team Amani, Benediction Cycling Team, May Stars, Madar Pro Cycling, Rembe Rad-Net and Swift Pro Cycling, while national squads from Rwanda, Eritrea, South Africa and Ethiopia complete the diverse roster.
Beyond the expanded field, 2026 will mark the first introduction of bonus seconds in Tour du Rwanda history.
Common in elite races such as the Tour de France, bonus seconds are typically awarded at stage finishes to intensify the battle for the general classification. However, Tour du Rwanda will go further, offering time bonuses at intermediate sprint points to encourage aggressive racing from the early kilometres.
The system will debut in Stage One from Rukomo (Gicumbi) to Rwamagana. At kilometre 72.6 in Nyagatare, the first three riders across the intermediate sprint will earn 10, six and four seconds respectively, deducted from their overall time. The same format will apply in Stage Two from Nyamata to Huye.
The change is designed to prevent passive racing and discourage scenarios like the 2025 Rukomo–Kayonza stage, where a lone breakaway was largely uncontested until the closing kilometres. With seconds at stake mid-stage, teams are expected to chase harder and contest early moves more aggressively.
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