With the final countdown underway to the first-ever UCI Road World Championships to be held on the African continent, we sat down with the President of the Rwandan Cycling Federation (Fédération Rwandaise du Cyclisme – FERWACY) to talk about all things cycling in the host country.
Samson Ndayishimiye was visiting the headquarters of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) in Aigle, Switzerland, on his way to France to celebrate Africa Day at the seventh stage of the Tour de France, between Saint-Malo and the Mûr-de-Bretagne Guerlédan. Two of “his” Rwandan cyclists were among the promising young African athletes who, training nearby in Bittany as part of the UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) Africa 2025 project, joined in the Tour de France’s African celebrations.
African cycling talents from Eritrea, Rwanda and South Africa meet their hero Biniam Girmay before Tour de France stage 7 🌍 pic.twitter.com/dcpoVlfE1T
— Intermarché-Wanty (@IntermarcheW) July 11, 2025
The FERWACY President predicts that Rwanda could be in the mix at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships (21-28 September) in the capital Kigali: “Who knows? It’s their country. Anything is possible in sport. The Junior races especially are unpredictable as you don’t really know who the competition is.
“Whatever happens, they’re going to be part of a historical moment for cycling.”
Already known for its national cycling tour, the Tour du Rwanda, the country has been preparing for the UCI Road World Championships since being awarded the event in 2021.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to host this event and one that I’m always going to be grateful for,” says the retired swimmer, who was Rwanda’s flag bearer at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. “I know the excitement of being part of an event like this, but I don’t think I’d have ever dreamed of being part of the organisation team on this level.”
Rwanda, the place to cycle
He says cycling is one of his country’s most popular sports for several reasons, not least the cycling infrastructure and Rwanda’s terrain that has something for everyone: elevation combined with flat roads.
Tourists are also increasingly seduced by Rwanda’s roads: “They come with their own bikes, spend the night in Kigali and then you see them leaving Kigali, going into the mountains, to see the villages, and to enjoy the thousand hills, enjoy the challenge. Even the weather… we have no winter. If it rains, it rains, it’s part of the sport.
“Rwanda is a small country, and it’s designed for this sport!”
Rwanda Junior Tour 2024 and youth racing
The first edition of the Rwanda Junior Tour was organised in 2024 with the aim of identifying young talents and helping prepare them for their future cycling careers. Organised by FERWACY, the Tour was developed as part of the wider Africa 2025 project, and already leaves a legacy from the 2025 UCI Road World Championships.
Rwanda now also boasts a UCI World Cycling Centre Regional Development Satellite, which serves to train athletes from across Africa, as well as people working in cycling’s professions, such as mechanics and coaches. It is envisaged to hold a camp at the satellite at the end of August for some 100 athletes from different African countries.
A programme to develop cycling in schools as well as monthly youth races that reveal potential Junior-level talent all contribute to what Samson Ndayishimiye describes as Rwanda’s cycling ecosystem.
“Children also use their bikes more and more, and people are increasingly aware of healthy living and cycling for transport and fun,” he adds.
The Federation President predicts that all these Rwandan cycling enthusiasts will be out on the roadside in their hordes for the UCI Road World Championships.
His great desire is to see the participation of as many nations as possible in Kigali. “It’s an opportunity. Bring your flag. Come with your athletes, so the flag of your country will be raised. Be part of history.”