With or without Coronavirus, Rwanda is ready for the show as the 13th Tour du Rwanda gets underway on Sunday, May 2.

The race starts with Stage 1, a 115.6km distance from Kigali Arena to Rwamagana, in the Eastern Province.

Widely considered as the biggest UCI 2.1 cycling race in Africa, this year’s edition has attracted 75 riders competing under 15 teams that will ride eight stages, including four dedicated to climbers, two for sprinters, one for punchers and a time trial for a total of 913 kilometers to cover with an impressive drop of almost 16,400 meters.

Organisers have calculated everything for the best possible scenario on a spectacular and inimitable course, with 29 climbs over all eight stages.

Unpredictable as the cycling race might seem, Tour du Rwanda normally features plenty of climbing and the fact that riders tussle it out in high altitude landscapes makes the race even harder.

The riders start the race on an easy run with today’s opening stage – 1,300 meters of elevation – and the second stage of 120 kilometers, including 2,411 meters of elevation.

On paper, the third stage is the most challenging with a distance of 171.6 kilometers and 3,280 meters of climbing.

Stages four to eight are quite similar, offering a good chance for climbers and punchers, except the seventh stage where a punishing individual time trial will head to the infamous ‘Wall of Kigali’.

The race was initially scheduled in February, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was postponed to May following a spike in new infections and deaths.