Organisers of Tour du Rwanda on Friday, November 29, unveiled the routes for the 17th edition of the cycling event, marking a partial rehearsal for the World Championships in September 2025, which will be hosted for the first time in history on the African continent. The race is scheduled for February 23 to March 2, 2025. The first 16 selected teams were also announced, with the last teams set to be revealed in early January. ALSO READ: Team Rwanda enters training camp ahead of Tour du Rwanda 2025 As is tradition, the Tour du Rwanda will showcase top cycling nations from the continent, including Eritrea with Biniam Girmay, Ethiopia with Tsgabu Grmay and South Africa with Louis Meintjes. All these African champions have launched their careers on the roads of the Land of a Thousand Hills. UCI continental teams under the Rwandan banner—Java-Inovotec, Mays Stars, and Amani—as well as a mixed team from the UCI World Cycling Centre, will also compete in the peloton for this 17th edition. Professional teams accustomed to the most prestigious events on the international calendar, such as the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España, will also be present. Notable entries include Israel-Premier Tech, TotalEnergies and the promising youngsters of UAE Team Emirates, Soudal-QuickStep, Lotto-Dstny, DSM-Firmenich Post-NL. Above all, we value this balance between African riders from national selections or continental teams and the major professional European structures, affirmed Freddy Kamuzinzi, the race’s Managing Director. We aim to foster healthy competition for our young African riders by exposing them to experienced professionals. The Tour du Rwanda is also here to elevate African cycling as a whole. Two of the eight stages will incorporate sections of the World Championships circuits. The prologue will offer a preview of the time trial events, while the final stage will close the week in spectacular fashion with a section of the road race circuit. This ultimate stage will give an early glimpse of the challenges awaiting riders worldwide at the end of the 2025 season. Like in previous years, the 2025 edition will feature long climbs on most stages, including the ascent of Mount Kigali, once again included in the program. With its World Championship-inspired routes, the Tour du Rwanda will remain one of the toughest races at the start of the Rwandan cycling season.
