Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome has confirmed that he will participate at the much-anticipated Tour du Rwanda 2023 race slated for February 19-26.

The Briton, 36, will be riding for Israel Premier Tech, one of the 20 teams that confirmed their participation at this year’s race.

"I am really excited to announce that I will be racing in the Tour du Rwanda in February. It will be my first time back in Africa for a while and it will be a good experience. I am going to see a cycling race in real life," Froome said.

Froome’s Israel-Premier Tech Cycling team has been mobilizing funds in excess of Euro 300,000 (Approx Rwf320 million) to build an ultra-modern cycling academy in Bugesera District, Eastern Province.

The academy is being built on a 16-hectare of land in the area and it will have a BMX track and a velodrome. The rider, who has been leading the campaign, is expected to visit the academy site to examine the progress of the construction project

"I have never been to Rwanda before and it sounds like it is going to be an amazing race and it is going to be a good chance to check out and fulfill the dream project that the team has been building,” he added.

Born in Kenya, the veteran established himself as a seasoned world class rider who rose to quick success, winning every possible world cycling race including Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Tour of Spain.