The Tour du Rwanda cost Rwf1.2 billion down from Rwf1.4 billion spent on the cycling race during the 2023 edition, Times Sport has learned.

Israel Premier Tech star rider Peter Joseph Blackmore emerged winner of the eight-day race on Sunday, February 25.

Organisers reported that the race cost an amount in the north of RwF1.2 billion with the government contributing 40 percent to the budget and sponsorship deals covering the remaining 60 percent.

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Every year, hundreds of Rwandans take to the streets to support and watch Tour du Rwanda, a national cycling race that has been held for more than 35 years now, first as a regional tournament, and later as an international race.

The government every year invests a fair chunk of the organization while the rest of the budget comes from sponsorship deals.

In 2022 alone, it took organisers Rwf1.4 billion to organize the Tour du Rwanda, an increase from Rwf740 million that was spent in 2020.

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Alongside Tour du Rwanda, the Rwandan Cycling Federation organizes the Rwanda Cycling Cup series over the year.

The country’s cycling scene has grown in leaps and bounds to produce elite and amateur riders most of whom have gone on to represent Rwanda nationally and internationally.

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Arguably the biggest race of the UCI Africa Tour calendar, the annual cycling race attracts riders from countries across the globe contesting for the pride of their respective teams, nations, or clubs, while racing through a designed itinerary nationwide.

The 2024 race attracted 94 riders from 19 teams of which three, Maystar, Java Inovotec, and Team Rwanda, were representing Rwanda. However, only 63 riders managed to finish the 718.9km race, the shortest-ever since the race went international in 2009.

No Rwandan rider has won Tour du Rwanda since the tournament was sanctioned to the 2.1 UCI cycling races in 2019, ending their serial dominance under the 2.2 racing category.