The Belgian Cycling Federation delegation has postponed its familiarization trip to Rwanda, the venue for the World Championships, due to security concerns, as an armed conflict intensifies in neighboring the Democratic Republic of Congo.
"We have many questions, and we are not alone," said Belgian federation official Nathalie Clauwaert. "There were already several doubts about the quality of accommodation, but currently, other circumstances are causing us concern. The most important thing is to ensure the safety of the cyclists and their support staff."
The closest border to the Goma region, where the main battles between rebels and government forces are taking place, is 150 km from Rwanda's capital, Kigali. According to news reports, Rwandan political leaders are linked to supporting the rebels.
Before the World Championships in September, the Tour of Rwanda will take place from February 23 to March 2, with one stage very close to Goma. Soudal-QuickStep and Lotto intend to participate in the Tour of Rwanda with their development teams, but team representatives have stated that they are closely monitoring the situation in the DRC.
At the Cyclo-cross World Championships last weekend, Belgians met with UCI representatives, who believe there is no reason for concern. "The current conflict is taking place on the territory of the DRC, and Rwanda is safe for business travel and tourism in its entirety. We hope for a peaceful resolution to the situation, and the UCI hopes that sport will be a strong ambassador for peace, friendship, and solidarity," read a statement from the international federation.
However, the Belgian media reports that the UCI has a backup plan in case the situation in Central Africa escalates.
