"Is there no one who sees what is going to happen there?" - Aike Visbeek furious at Rwanda World Championships route

The 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda were expected to be a landmark moment for cycling in Africa, but much of the discussion so far has been dominated by negativity. Concerns over the event’s route and participation have been raised, and Aike Visbeek is among those voicing strong criticism.

Speaking to De Rode Lantaarn, Visbeek expressed disappointment with the course, echoing concerns raised by Belgian national coach Serge Pauwels, who recently told Sporza that he understands why 2023 world champion Mathieu van der Poel has chosen not to travel to Rwanda.

Visbeek did not hold back in his assessment, "Politically, but also in terms of the course. The course ensures that you get a very stripped-down field of participants. It already costs a lot of money to go there, and then the course is also a shame. We have seen it coming for three years. Especially when the news came in about the course."

He believes the World Championships in Rwanda had the potential to be spectacular but argues that the route design limits the competition.

"You can organise a fantastic World Championship in Rwanda. The same story for Montréal in 2026: remove a climb there and you get a great race where forty riders can become world champions. A Tadej Pogacar and Van der Poel, but maybe even Philipsen."

According to Visbeek, the route should have been more open and balanced, allowing different types of riders to compete:

"They should have done that in Rwanda too," he stated. "That a Pogacar would be in front, but then with a Van der Poel there. And a Biniam Girmay in super form. That would have been a dream scenario, but yes, I don't know what forces are at play."

The mention of Biniam Girmay is particularly relevant. In 2024, the Eritrean rider made history by becoming the first African to win a jersey at the Tour de France, claiming the green jersey as the race’s best sprinter. However, Visbeek isn’t even sure if Girmay will start in Rwanda.

"I do not know whether he will start," he admitted. "We are not going to make that decision for him, because he will have to do that himself. It is just a shame, because it could have made the circle complete."

Ultimately, Visbeek fears that the Rwanda World Championships could suffer from a lack of competition, leaving a small group of riders fighting for victory too early.

"I do think: is there no one who sees what is going to happen there? Maybe I will be proven wrong, but it could very well be that you still have thirty men in the race for the last fifty kilometres. Like at the World Championships in Colombia in 1995."