Africa's biggest bike race returns as a pro race for the first time. This results in the strongest lineup ever seen in the East African country. Massive crowds watching the race have sparked some interest in the competition on social media over the last years. With the 2025 Road World Championships being contested between Rwanda and Morocco the country is looking to prove they can host a larger-scale event.
Route
The eight stages are mostly hilly, reflecting Rwanda's nickname "country of 1000 hills". Altitude will be a factor as well, the base height of the stages is 1500 m above sea level.
While the first two stages don't include any longer climbs, they still provide some ondulating terrain in the finale. Stage 3 is the longest and hardest stage of the race with 216 km and 4300 m of climbing. Stages 4 and 5 follow the shores of Lake Kivu in the west of the country and the latter reaches the highest point of the week with around 2470 m. Stage 6 leads the riders back into the central parts of the country. The last two stages cover the capital area of Kigali with challenging circuits, both providing some cobbles including the Mur de Kigali on the last day.
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 5
Stage 6
Stage 7
Stage 8
Startlist
Favourites for overall victory are defending champion Samuel Mugisha (Dimension Data) and 2017 winner Joseph Areruya (Delko), Merhawi Kudus and Rodrigo Contreras (Astana), the very strong Eritrean national squad (with Biniyam Ghirmay), Rein Taramäe (Direct Energy), Edwin Avila (Israel Cycling Academy) and the Algerian national team. Another interesting rider to watch is 20-year-old Salim Kipkemboi of Kenya.
1. Dimension Data for Qhubeka
1 MUGISHA Samuel
2 HAILEMICHAEL Mulu
3 LAVRIČ Martin
4 SOBRERO Matteo
5 MOZZATO Luca
2. Rwanda
11 UWIZEYE Jean Cloude
12 NDAYISENGA Valens
13 MUGISHA Moise
14 HAKIRUWIZEYE Samuel
15 RUBERWA Jean
3. Astana Pro Team
21 KUDUS Merhawi
23 CONTRERAS Rodrigo
24 NATAROV Yuriy
25 STALNOV Nikita
4. Eritrea
31 TESFOM Sirak
32 DEBESAY Mekseb
33 DEBESAY Yacob
34 MULUBRHAN Henok
35 GHIRMAY Biniyam
5. Direct Energie
41 TAARAMÄE Rein
42 GÈNE Yohann
43 NAULEAU Bryan
44 QUÉMÉNEUR Perrig
45 SELLIER Simon
6. Delko Marseille Provence
51 ARERUYA Joseph
52 FEDELI Alessandro
54 TRARIEUX Julien
55 KASPERKIEWICZ Przemysław
8. Israel Cycling Academy
71 ÁVILA Edwin
72 GEBREMEDHIN Awet
73 BADILATTI Matteo
74 GOLDSTEIN Omer
75 TUREK Daniel
9. Team Novo Nordisk
81 LOZANO David
82 BEHRINGER Oliver
83 HENTTALA Joonas
84 SAIDOV Ulugbek
85 MINI Emanuel
10. France
91 DOLEATTO Aurélien
92 BELLICAUD Jeremy
93 FERRON Valentin
94 GUGLIELMI Simon
95 MALDONADO Dylan
11. Benediction Excel Energy
101 NSENGIMANA Jean Bosco
102 BYUKUSENGE Patrick
103 MANIZABAYO Eric
104 MUNYANEZA Didier
105 UWIZEYIMANA Bonaventure
12. Interpro Cycling Academy
111 AGUIRRE Hernán
112 GUILLONNET Adrien
113 NAVARRO Gauthier
114 HUDRY Florian
115 TORRES Pablo
13. Algeria
121 LAGAB Azzedine
122 REGUIGUI Youcef
123 MANSOURI Abderrahmane
124 CHABLAOUI Oussama
125 BENGAYOU Abdelraouf
14. BAI - Sicasal - Petro de Luanda
131 RUGG Timothy
132 ANTÓNIO Dário
133 ARAUJO Bruno
134 DE ALMEIDA Guillaume
135 ISIDORO Micael
15. ProTouch
141 BENEKE Calvin
142 DU PLOOY Rohan
143 FOURIE James
144 JULIUS Jayde
145 VAN HEERDEN Mornay
16. Kenya
151 KANGANGI Suleiman
152 KIPKEMBOI Salim
153 KIPROTICH LANGAT Geoffrey
154 GITHAMBO Josphat
155 KARIUKI John
17. Cameroon
161 KAMZONG Clovis
162 TIENTCHEU Michel
163 TELLA Arthuce Jodele
164 ZANG ONDOA Jacques
165 YAOU Gadji
Coverage
The Rwanda Broadcasting Agency RBA will provide a live stream that allegedly is not geo-blocked.
Have fun following the race!
Route
The eight stages are mostly hilly, reflecting Rwanda's nickname "country of 1000 hills". Altitude will be a factor as well, the base height of the stages is 1500 m above sea level.
While the first two stages don't include any longer climbs, they still provide some ondulating terrain in the finale. Stage 3 is the longest and hardest stage of the race with 216 km and 4300 m of climbing. Stages 4 and 5 follow the shores of Lake Kivu in the west of the country and the latter reaches the highest point of the week with around 2470 m. Stage 6 leads the riders back into the central parts of the country. The last two stages cover the capital area of Kigali with challenging circuits, both providing some cobbles including the Mur de Kigali on the last day.
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 5
Stage 6
Stage 7
Stage 8
Startlist
Favourites for overall victory are defending champion Samuel Mugisha (Dimension Data) and 2017 winner Joseph Areruya (Delko), Merhawi Kudus and Rodrigo Contreras (Astana), the very strong Eritrean national squad (with Biniyam Ghirmay), Rein Taramäe (Direct Energy), Edwin Avila (Israel Cycling Academy) and the Algerian national team. Another interesting rider to watch is 20-year-old Salim Kipkemboi of Kenya.
1. Dimension Data for Qhubeka
1 MUGISHA Samuel
2 HAILEMICHAEL Mulu
3 LAVRIČ Martin
4 SOBRERO Matteo
5 MOZZATO Luca
2. Rwanda
11 UWIZEYE Jean Cloude
12 NDAYISENGA Valens
13 MUGISHA Moise
14 HAKIRUWIZEYE Samuel
15 RUBERWA Jean
3. Astana Pro Team
21 KUDUS Merhawi
23 CONTRERAS Rodrigo
24 NATAROV Yuriy
25 STALNOV Nikita
4. Eritrea
31 TESFOM Sirak
32 DEBESAY Mekseb
33 DEBESAY Yacob
34 MULUBRHAN Henok
35 GHIRMAY Biniyam
5. Direct Energie
41 TAARAMÄE Rein
42 GÈNE Yohann
43 NAULEAU Bryan
44 QUÉMÉNEUR Perrig
45 SELLIER Simon
6. Delko Marseille Provence
51 ARERUYA Joseph
52 FEDELI Alessandro
54 TRARIEUX Julien
55 KASPERKIEWICZ Przemysław
8. Israel Cycling Academy
71 ÁVILA Edwin
72 GEBREMEDHIN Awet
73 BADILATTI Matteo
74 GOLDSTEIN Omer
75 TUREK Daniel
9. Team Novo Nordisk
81 LOZANO David
82 BEHRINGER Oliver
83 HENTTALA Joonas
84 SAIDOV Ulugbek
85 MINI Emanuel
10. France
91 DOLEATTO Aurélien
92 BELLICAUD Jeremy
93 FERRON Valentin
94 GUGLIELMI Simon
95 MALDONADO Dylan
11. Benediction Excel Energy
101 NSENGIMANA Jean Bosco
102 BYUKUSENGE Patrick
103 MANIZABAYO Eric
104 MUNYANEZA Didier
105 UWIZEYIMANA Bonaventure
12. Interpro Cycling Academy
111 AGUIRRE Hernán
112 GUILLONNET Adrien
113 NAVARRO Gauthier
114 HUDRY Florian
115 TORRES Pablo
13. Algeria
121 LAGAB Azzedine
122 REGUIGUI Youcef
123 MANSOURI Abderrahmane
124 CHABLAOUI Oussama
125 BENGAYOU Abdelraouf
14. BAI - Sicasal - Petro de Luanda
131 RUGG Timothy
132 ANTÓNIO Dário
133 ARAUJO Bruno
134 DE ALMEIDA Guillaume
135 ISIDORO Micael
15. ProTouch
141 BENEKE Calvin
142 DU PLOOY Rohan
143 FOURIE James
144 JULIUS Jayde
145 VAN HEERDEN Mornay
16. Kenya
151 KANGANGI Suleiman
152 KIPKEMBOI Salim
153 KIPROTICH LANGAT Geoffrey
154 GITHAMBO Josphat
155 KARIUKI John
17. Cameroon
161 KAMZONG Clovis
162 TIENTCHEU Michel
163 TELLA Arthuce Jodele
164 ZANG ONDOA Jacques
165 YAOU Gadji
Coverage
The Rwanda Broadcasting Agency RBA will provide a live stream that allegedly is not geo-blocked.
Have fun following the race!
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