The European Parliament urged cancellation of the upcoming cycling World Championships in Rwanda unless the country's stance regarding regional conflicts improved. Despite safety concerns leading team Quick-Step to withdraw, the 2025 Tour du Rwanda proceeded without major incidents. Bad weather ultimately forced the cancellation of the final stage, but overall, the event showcased Rwanda's rich cycling heritage. Team Bike Aid's Schnapka emphasized the importance of looking beyond media portrayals of countries, asserting that perceptions often don't reflect the daily realities of the people and communities.
"The impression you get from a place is often only through one report, but you can't forget this is just one small representation of a huge country where millions of people live and thousands of things are happening every day."
"We’re always cycling in dangerous places. In 2014, we were in Kyiv three weeks after the Maidan Uprising. I'm not being reckless when I say this..."
"Matthias Schnapka, Bike Aid owner, noted the week was almost optimal from a sporting perspective, despite the unfortunate cancellation of the final stage due to weather."
"The Tour du Rwanda, with its historic roots since 1988, ran smoothly overall and showcased the determination of the competitors despite heightened safety concerns."
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