Preparations for the 13th Tour du Rwanda have started and tentative dates for the race have been set, the Rwanda Cycling Federation (Ferwacy) has announced.

While the decision is pending approval from the world cycling governing body (UCI), the 2021 edition of the annual Tour du Rwanda is scheduled for February 21-28.

Next year will mark Tour du Rwanda’s third edition as a UCI 2.1 race, a category it only shares with Gabon’s La Tropicale Amissa Bongo in Africa.

Speaking to Times Sport on Wednesday, Emmanuel Murenzi, Ferwacy’s Permanent Secretary, revealed that early discussions between the cycling body and its partners are underway and "as always, the ultimate goal is to make Tour du Rwanda a great experience for riders and fans.”

"We are in talks with sponsors, organisers and other concerned parties, we are doing all we can to speed up preparations and have everything in place as early as possible,” he added.

Natnael Tesfazion is the reigning Tour du Rwanda champion after becoming the third Eritrean and second in a row to win the race – also known as Africa’s biggest cycling event – in March this year.

No Rwandan rider has won a stage in the last two editions of the Tour du Rwanda.

Every year, a total of USD51,000 (about Rwf48.5 million) is given out to winners in stage classification and general classification. The overall Yellow Jersey winner takes home USD 4,000, while a stage winner receives USD1,400.

Rwanda Cycling Cup postponed

Meanwhile, the 2020 Rwanda Cycling Cup has been indefinitely postponed amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Rwanda Cycling Cup, a year-round series of local races, was inaugurated in 2015 with the objective of unearthing and giving exposure to young talents as well as preparing elite riders for international competitions.

This year’s edition was supposed to get underway last weekend but the competitive action has since been delayed due to the recent upsurge in new coronavirus infections in the country.