Drama in the Finale of Africa’s Biggest Cycling Race
What a dramatic ending at the Tour du Rwanda! Just one second separated Oliver Mattheis from success or defeat ahead of the final stage. It was set to be a real showdown – but the race took an unexpected turn.
Over eight intense days, the Tour du Rwanda led the riders through the majestic mountains of East Africa. A total distance of 839.9 kilometers had to be covered – and it’s exactly this kind of challenge that makes professional cycling so thrilling: Despite countless climbs, crashes, and attacks, it’s often fractions of a second that decide victory or defeat.
The Battle for Seconds
Before the final stage, Oliver Mattheis was just 11 seconds behind the leader in the general classification – and his lead over fourth place was only one second. The mental and physical pressure of avoiding even the slightest mistake in such a tough race is almost indescribable. Over eight days, a professional cyclist cannot afford a single moment of inattention, a crash, or a sign of weakness – or everything is lost.
Team Performance at the Highest Level
Day by day, the team’s confidence grew. At times, Vinzent Dorn wore the King of the Mountains jersey, Yoel Habteab secured an impressive second place on the third stage, and BIKE AID repeatedly fought its way to the lead in the team classification.
On the final stage, it was all about attack. At the beginning of the last lap, Dawit Yemane was in a promising breakaway group, working together with another rider and looking like a strong contender for the stage win. But then everything changed: A storm and heavy rain set in, making the roads so slippery that the race had to be neutralized for safety reasons.
A Strong Statement at the Season’s Start
As a result, the general classification remained as it was the day before – a podium finish for Oliver Mattheis and a well-deserved team classification victory for BIKE AID. A strong statement at the very start of the season in the first race. Professional cycling from the Saarland, visible and successful worldwide.
“We couldn’t have wished for a better start to the season. Our team played a key role in the race over eight days and impressively pushed to the forefront. The team classification once again confirms that our strength doesn’t rely on a single superstar but on the entire team performing at a high level. The fact that we’re continuing right where we left off at the end of the 2024 season, with podium finishes and classification jerseys, gives the whole team an incredible motivational boost,” said Matthias Schnapka.
Cycling Enthusiasm and Perspectives
Above all, the intense impressions of the cycling enthusiasm in Rwanda will carry us with excitement into the upcoming races. The unique atmosphere of this tour shows why Africa also deserves a permanent place in international cycling – for the local people and for the many talented athletes hoping for their chance to finally be seen.
We are a cycling team, successful and passionate in competition. We do not wish to take a one-sided political stance and do not claim comprehensive expertise in such complex matters. Nevertheless, we would like to attempt to add some further perspectives to the current discussion without claiming completeness.
Due to the conflict in eastern Congo, the upcoming first-ever cycling world championship on the African continent has been questioned by Western media. Yet, the perspectives of local people are rarely asked, and the background and causes of the conflict are often only superficially addressed – even though we bear historical and current responsibility.
The colonial powers of Germany and Belgium once deepened existing social divides in Rwanda, playing groups against each other and fueling conflicts that ultimately culminated in the horrific Rwandan genocide. Despite clear warning signs before this tragic event, they were ignored by Western governments. After the genocide, some of the perpetrators fled across the border into eastern Congo – armed and sometimes with the support of Western states. There, they infiltrated refugee camps and have since pursued their goal of reclaiming power in Rwanda, continuing to commit atrocities and sometimes collaborating with the Congolese military.
The situation in eastern Congo has been unstable for decades. More than 100 different rebel groups fight in a region beyond the control of the government in Kinshasa. There is a lack of stable power structures, the rule of law, and functioning infrastructure – yet the region possesses valuable natural resources crucial to the economic growth of our industrialized nations.
For neighboring countries, including Rwanda, this situation presents an ongoing challenge. Geographically, eastern Congo is cut off from the rest of the country – mountains, rivers, and dense jungle form natural barriers, and transport routes are scarce. As a result, border crossings into Rwanda and Uganda have long been essential economic lifelines, given the relative political stability these countries offer.
A Call for Differentiation and Understanding
Given these complex circumstances, we should be cautious with hasty judgments or one-sided attributions of who is “good” or “bad” in this conflict.
Above all, we are once again making the mistake of branding the entire African continent as dangerous – solely from our Western perspective. So far, there have been 97 cycling world championships. Throughout all these years, African athletes and federations have faced the far greater challenge of often unaffordable travel costs or failed due to the hurdles of obtaining visas.
Now, however, it is seen as a legitimate objection when Western sports federations from the wealthiest industrialized nations complain about unreasonable travel costs because they would have to travel to Africa for the first time in nearly 100 years.
Those who dare to visit an African country, who are willing to experience daily life without prejudice and see the world from the local people’s perspective, will have their worldview profoundly changed.
In Rwanda, efforts are being made to overcome ethnic divisions. Considering the not-so-distant history, this is a remarkable undertaking. The Tour du Rwanda, as we’ve learned, plays an important role in this. People come together to celebrate a sporting event, cheering for their national team’s athletes. It’s a unifying moment for the country and a joyful occasion shared with athletes from around the world.
At the very least, with the images of Rwanda’s cycling enthusiasm, we hope to share this spirit, inspire reflection, and encourage understanding.
