Prince Albert II attends first World Cycling Championships held in Africa
SWpix - Carlos Takam Academy
Prince Albert II travelled to Kigali on Saturday 27 October for the World Road Cycling Championships, a historic first on the African continent.
A historic edition in Rwanda
At the end of September, the Road World Championships were held in Africa for the first time, representing a significant advance for world cycling. The Rwandan capital hosted the elite men’s and women’s races with a number of international figures in attendance, including David Lappartient, President of the UCI, and Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda.
Medal ceremony and official start
On the Saturday, Prince Albert II attended the women’s race ceremony, and was invited by the UCI to present the medals on the podium. Canada’s Magdeleine Vallières won the gold medal, taking the favourites by surprise. The Sovereign started the men’s race off the next day, with Monegasque cyclist Victor Langellotti taking part © SWpix – Carlos Takam Academy Only 30 riders crossed the finish line of an extremely demanding 267-kilometre race with over 6,000 metres of elevation gain.
Slovenia’s Tadej Pogačar dominated the race after making a break with 104 kilometres to go, winning solo to retain his world title. Prince Albert II watched him win, along with President Kagame and David Lappartient, before taking part in the official medals ceremony in front of thousands of spectators. The Sovereign also attended the official launch of the Carlos Takam Academy in Kigali, a centre dedicated to sports and educational training for young Africans. The academy, founded by former boxing champion Carlos Takam, who has close ties with the Principality, is part of a drive to develop sport on the continent.