AFTER the failure to impress by Rwandan riders in the just concluded 2022 Tour du Rwanda, the Rwanda Cycling Federation (Ferwacy) has pledged to turn focus on promoting young riders ahead of the 2023 edition and other future competitions.

According to the federation chairman Abdallah Murenzi, plans are already underway to start preparing for the next Tour du Rwanda and among other competitions where the country will be seeking to do well.

"We all know where the problem lies so we need to start with youth programs and by mid next year, we want to have enough riders to pick from to compete at the international level,” Murenzi told Times Sport.

No Rwandan rider has won the Tour du Rwanda since it was upgraded on the International Cycling Union calendar in 2019, and the subsequent appearances have given no sign that the trend is about to change anytime soon.

Murenzi said, "We have started to work on youth programs by organizing many competitions starting this month, as we want to have the best riders to prepare for the future. We’re looking forward to building on the knowledge and experience these young riders”

Rwandan national Moise Mugisha, who rides for South Africa’s ProTouch, won stage 8 of the Tour and was also crowned the best climber in the competition.

He added, "We are going to put everything together to make sure no stone is left unturned when preparing not only for the next Tour du Rwanda but also other international competitions like UCI Road World Championships in 2025.”

The 14th Tour du Rwanda covered a total distance of 937 kilometers, with 19 teams competing in eight stages across the country.

Rwanda will become the first African nation to host the UCI Road World Championships in 2025.