{"id":53093,"date":"2025-02-23T12:15:44","date_gmt":"2025-02-23T12:15:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/president-kagame-flags-off-17th-edition-of-tour-du-rwanda-photos\/"},"modified":"2025-02-24T16:30:07","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T16:30:07","slug":"president-kagame-flags-off-17th-edition-of-tour-du-rwanda-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/president-kagame-flags-off-17th-edition-of-tour-du-rwanda-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"President Kagame flags off 17th edition of Tour du Rwanda (Photos)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Spectators gathered in anticipation at the grand opening ceremony of the Tour du Rwanda, filling the BK Arena with an electric energy. <\/p>\n<p>The prestigious cycling event, which has gained international recognition, brings together top cyclists from Africa and beyond.<\/p>\n<p>The honour of being the first rider to set off went to Nzafashwanayo Jean Claude, representing the Centre Mondial Cyclisme team. He is one of 16 Rwandan cyclists participating in this year\u2019s competition, which features a total of 14 teams and 69 riders. <\/p>\n<p>The opening day\u2019s race will cover a 3.4-kilometre individual time trial, where each rider competes against the clock to set the best time.<\/p>\n<p>The 2025 Tour du Rwanda is scheduled to run from February 23 to March 2, traversing all four provinces of Rwanda as well as the City of Kigali. <\/p>\n<p>The race, renowned for its challenging mountainous routes, continues to grow in prominence as one of Africa\u2019s most demanding and thrilling cycling events.<\/p>\n<p>First held in 1988 as a regional competition, the Tour du Rwanda became part of the UCI Africa Tour in 2009. It is currently classified as a 2.1 category race, attracting elite professional teams from around the world. <\/p>\n<p>The race has become a key event on the international cycling calendar, drawing some of the best riders to compete on Rwanda\u2019s scenic but grueling terrain.<\/p>\n<p>The 2024 edition saw Joe Blackmore of Israel &#8211; Premier Tech claim victory in a memorable fashion. Not only did he celebrate his 21st birthday during the race, but he also took the race lead on that day and secured his triumph with a solo win in the final stage in Kigali. <\/p>\n<p>The victory marked his first UCI race win, making it an especially significant milestone in his career.<\/p>\n<p>{{Beyond cycling<br \/>\n}}<\/p>\n<p>The Tour du Rwanda is more than just a race; it serves as a platform to showcase Rwanda\u2019s breathtaking landscapes and vibrant culture. <\/p>\n<p>The event plays a crucial role in promoting tourism and economic growth, drawing visitors from around the globe and uniting Rwandans who passionately line the race routes to cheer for their favourite riders.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82131 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16218_25022311413739821.jpg\" alt=\"President Paul Kagame and  International Cycling Union President David Lappartient officially flagged off the 17th edition of the Tour du Rwanda on Sunday morning. \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82138 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16214_25022311570512893.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82129 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16218_25022311413712398.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82130 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16218_25022311413729138.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82128 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16218_25022311413739182.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82122 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16220_25022311533591823.jpg\" alt=\"The honour of being the first rider to set off went to Nzafashwanayo Jean Claude, representing the Centre Mondial Cyclisme team. \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82121 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16220_25022311533589231.jpg\" alt=\"Claude is one of 16 Rwandan cyclists participating in this year\u2019s competition, which features a total of 14 teams and 69 riders. \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82126 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16218_25022311413791382.jpg\" alt=\"Spectators gathered in anticipation at the grand opening ceremony of the Tour du Rwanda, filling the BK Arena with an electric energy. \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82124 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16218_25022311413719328.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82125 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16218_25022311413738912.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82120 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16220_25022311533531928.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82118 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16220_25022311533538921.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82117 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16220_25022311533538129.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82119 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16220_25022311533592381.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82137 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16227_25022312362628193.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82136 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16220_25022311533598123.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82135 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16227_25022312362693821.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82134 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16227_25022312362639812.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-82133 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/field_16227_25022312362683921.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Paul Kagame and International Cycling Union President David Lappartient officially flagged off the 17th edition of the Tour du Rwanda at BK Arena on Sunday morning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":2000082132,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[75],"byline":[192],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-53093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-homenews","byline-wycliffe-nyamasege"],"bylines":[{"id":192,"name":"Wycliffe Nyamasege","slug":"wycliffe-nyamasege","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":131}],"contributors":[{"id":192,"name":"Wycliffe Nyamasege","slug":"wycliffe-nyamasege","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default 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