Historic First: Kigali Hosts Road Cycling World Championships

For the first time in its 104-year history, the UCI Road Cycling World Championships are being held in Africa. The 2025 edition is underway in Kigali, Rwanda (21-28 September), featuring 13 events (elite, under-23, juniors). The terrain is more mountainous than typical recent championships, with challenging elevation profiles: ~5,475m vertical ascent for elite men’s road race, ~3,350m for women. Some standout winners in earlier events include time trials by Marlen Reusser (Switzerland) and Remco Evenepoel (Belgium). Rwanda is leveraging this opportunity to boost its international sports profile and encourage cycling across Africa.
Why it matters:

Marks a symbolic and practical milestone for African sport; opens doors for African cyclists to gain exposure.

Potential positive spillovers: -Tourism, infrastructure improvements and local business engagement.

Offers a chance to challenge the usual dominance of European countries in road cycling.