‘It is our time to show them what we can do’ – World Championships make history in Rwanda but UCI can still do far more to develop African cycling

It’s been more than a century since the inaugural UCI Road World Championships, with the majority of them having been held across Europe and on rare occasions reaching North America, South America, Asia and Oceania. However, this edition of the sport’s centrepiece event has finally reached Africa in what has become a landmark moment that will undoubtedly be remembered as among the first steps toward the long-time promise of a truly global sport that is for everyone.

Television footage and photography have showcased a vibrant atmosphere and massive crowds lining the streets of Kigali. There is singing, cheering and waving of the flags of roughly 108 nations; 36 of those from Africa, and none more prominent than the blue, yellow, and green of Rwanda.