Former Tour de France stage winner takes on gravel challenge to raise funds for education in Rwanda: “This will be my first kilometres on a bike on the African continent”

Jan Bakelants, the 38-year-old Belgian who won a Tour de France stage in 2013, is set to take on a new challenge over the next few weeks. Next year, the UCI World Championships will take place in Rwanda, making it the first time the championships have been held in Africa. To honour this, Bakelants will take part in a seven-day gravel bike ride in Rwanda to raise funds for youth education in the country.

Bakelants will be riding alongside two dozen other participants in a 431km journey with 7,253 metres of elevation gain, supported by Vélo Afrique and Plan International Belgium. Bakelants caught up with Cyclingnews to discuss this challenge, and this monumental moment, bringing the world championships to Africa.

"This will be my first kilometres on a bike on the African continent. It is quite exciting. I have no idea what to expect, how good is the infrastructure, how challenging are the gravel roads, how testing is the climate? All in all, it will give me great insight into how hard the 2025 Worlds will be for the pros."

It’s been a massive year for African cycling, after Biniam Girmay became the first black African to win a Tour de France stage, and then the first African to win a jersey, as he secured the green jersey as the best sprinter in the Tour.

Bakelants' moving gesture is focusing on improving educational opportunities, particularly for girls, and supporting the construction of a new school. "With the World Championships coming in 2025, we want to raise awareness for the still vulnerable situation in which girls live in this country. We know the key to solve this is proper education. The funds raised through the participants should help the construction of a new school," Bakelants explained.

Reflecting on the upcoming trip, Bakelants noted its broader significance. "Organising this World Championships is a big event for Rwanda to showcase itself to the world. It can also create awareness for things we can help them improve with," he said.

Bakelants' shift to gravel racing came after his 15-year professional road career ended in 2022. Since then, he has made his mark with finishes like 14th place at Unbound Gravel in 2023, but this event is about far more than just competing, it’s about helping cycling on its journey to becoming a true worldwide sport. It’s got a long way to go, but cycling is certainly heading in the right direction.