Should we be worried about the Road World Championships? The event is set to take place in Africa for the first time this year, specifically in Rwanda, from September 21 to 28. The neighboring DRC, however, is plagued by violence. The M23 armed group is said to have taken control of the city of Goma, with the support of Rwandan forces. According to La Dernière Heure, the International Cycling Union (UCI) is considering to relocate the World Championships in Martigny, Switzerland, if security conditions were not met next September. However, the authority dismissed this hypothesis in a press release. "The ongoing conflict is confined to the DRC, and Rwanda remains completely safe for tourism and business, it writes. We hope for a rapid and peaceful resolution of the situation. The UCI wishes to stress that sport, and cycling in particular, are powerful ambassadors of peace, friendship and solidarity." Furthermore, following the spread of rumours on this subject, the UCI specifies that "there are no plans to move the 2025 Road World Championships from Rwanda to Switzerland or any other location at this time." However, developments in the region will be closely monitored in the coming months.
