Rwanda: cycling caught between anxiety and hope

The Tour du Rwanda 2023 has once again shown that Rwandan riders are not prepared to compete with the best in the sport. Since American Jonathan Boyer left in 2019, specialists in Rwandan cycling say the coach has never been properly replaced. “With the American, we managed to win not only stages but also the Tour du Rwanda and even other international races. His departure left a gap that is hard to fill,” laments Niyomukiza, a journalist who closely follows Rwandan cycling.

In this 15th edition, the Rwandans did not win a single stage. In the previous edition, Moïse Mugisha salvaged some pride by winning the eighth and final stage. This year, most Rwandans thought he would do better but, unfortunately, he abandoned on the fifth stage. Moïse Mugisha himself admits they are not up to standard. “When you are not well trained, in races like these against renowned riders, your body can't keep up. We do train, which is good, but frankly it's not enough. We need top-level races to get used to facing professionals who are used to this type of competition. At one point my body told me stop, and I stopped. It's a shame because I wanted to do better than last year.”

On the same subject: Tour du Rwanda 2023 review: Mulueberhan Henok gets the better of Chris Froom

Moïse Mugisha was not the only one to abandon, as his national team-mate Jean-Bosco Nsengimana, one of Rwanda's best climbers, also pulled out during the race. These withdrawals are telling signs of poor preparation. Eric Muhoza, who rode for the Bike Aid team (Germany) during the Tour du Rwanda, was the best-performing Rwandan in the race. Just one month of training in Germany transformed Muhoza. His results showed that talent is not what Rwanda lacks, but rather training with professional teams and experienced coaches, which most Rwandan riders do without. The Rwandan national team coach, Félix Sempoma, for his part says it is not training that is lacking but adequate equipment. “My riders do very well when it comes to climbs, but struggle a lot on descents. They are afraid of crashing because the bikes they use are not made for descents. We have an equipment problem, but I remain hopeful that we will be well equipped for the next edition.”

A cruel lack of races for Rwandan riders

The coach's concerns are well founded, according to the president of the Rwandan Cycling Federation (FERWACY), Abdhallah Murenzi. “We have a well-defined project to raise the level of Rwandan cycling. We are going to look for experienced coaches. Sempoma and his assistants are doing a good job but they need to work with coaches who are used to the top level. We are in talks with the French cycling federation and I hope an experienced coach will arrive within two months at the latest. He is not coming only for the national team, as he will also have the task of training local coaches.” Abdallah Murenzi also acknowledges that they have an equipment problem, but says it will soon be resolved. “We want to find bikes for young riders because we have a lot of talent. Unfortunately, there are not many riders in the clubs. We will put more effort into development to promote a larger number of riders.”

The Ferwacy president maintains that Rwandan riders do not have enough races, whether in Rwanda or abroad, to be able to improve. “This year we are going to increase the number of races. We plan to hold between 30 and 50 races this year. We will also look for international races so that our riders can measure themselves against the best in the world. If we manage that, which I very much hope, we will surely get good results next year.” Abdallah Murenzi also told SNA that they will back the clubs to help them develop more riders. “We will also raise awareness among the districts so they support cycling clubs as they do in football. With everyone's backing, I hope good results will follow.”

Désiré Hatungimana