When the cycling world turned its gaze to Rwanda for the 125th anniversary of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), history was not just being made — it was being felt.
The opening of the 194th UCI Congress was more than a ceremonial gathering; it was a meeting of spirit, struggle, and triumph.
Speaking to a global audience at the Kigali Convention Centre today at the 194th UCI Congress, President Paul Kagame gave voice to what many already sensed: that this moment was bigger than cycling, bigger than sport.
“The 125th anniversary of the UCI is a significant milestone, all the more so because it marks the first time that these events are held in Africa. We are grateful to all the riders and fans who have travelled from near and far to be here. From the biggest cycling nations, others from the smallest, your presence is what makes these events truly meaningful,” President Kagame said.
Those words were a reminder that Rwanda — a small nation of rolling hills — had become a meeting place for giants. Riders from cycling’s most celebrated nations rode side by side with others from countries less known in the sport.
Together, they transformed Rwanda’s roads into pathways of unity, proving that sport can bridge divides and honor shared humanity.
But it was Kagame’s tribute to the athletes that struck deepest: “To the athletes: We know that our hills can be relentless, yet you navigate them with determination and heroism. Your resilience mirrors Rwanda’s own journey, which has led us to this historic moment. We are deeply inspired by you, and we will be there every step of the way to cheer you on.”
Here, cycling met Rwanda’s own heartbeat. The hills President Kagame spoke of were not just geographical; they were symbolic. Rwanda, too, had faced relentless climbs: a past scarred by tragedy, years of rebuilding, and an unyielding will to rise again.
Like cyclists straining up steep slopes, Rwanda had pushed forward with courage, determination, and unity.
For fans lining the streets of Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, waving flags and chanting in joy, the message was clear: every pedal stroke was more than a race against time. It was a race that echoed Rwanda’s own rise — a testimony that resilience can overcome even the steepest of climbs.
As the peloton winds through Kigali this Sunday, each turn of the wheel writes another line of this story. The cheers are not only for the athletes, but for a nation that has turned its hills into a symbol of strength and endurance.
The UCI’s 125th anniversary will be remembered for its records and its winners, but above all, it will be remembered for Rwanda — the land that turned sport into a living metaphor of resilience. In Kigali, cycling did not just find a host. It found a story.
And as the sun sets over the thousand hills, one truth lingers: Rwanda’s journey, like the cyclists on its roads, is unstoppable.
This year’s UCI 2025 World Championship has 108 countries competing, with a record number of 36 African nations.
