Profiles & Route Tour du Rwanda 2023

From the 19th to the 26th of February the peloton will take on what is perhaps the top African road race of the year, the Tour du Rwanda. Throughout eight days, the riders will take on an interesting mix of stages in the country that will host the 2025 World Championships, a race that every years gains more and more reputation.

It is also one of the largest non-World Tour races of the year featuring eight straight days of racing, most of them hilly. Rwanda does not feature many flat roads and the race will see plenty opportunities for aggressive racing, where the classics specialists, puncheurs and climbers will all have several opportunities to succeed - all at high altitude.

Stage 1: Kigali Golf - Rwamagana, 115.6 kilometers 

The opening stage will start at the Kigali Golf and will head towards Rwamagana. It is a short explosive stage with a five-lap final circuit. The final 1.5 kilometers feature a slight uphill gradient, however this may be the most appealing stage for the sprinters.

Stage 2: Kigali - Gisagara, 132.9 kilometers

Stage two is also a short and explosive day, with three categorized ascents in the first hour of racing essentially. Most of the day is more gentle in terms of profile, however a small hilltop of 1Km at 7.3% is a trap for those looking for a sprint, before a flat finish in Gisagara.

Stage 3: Huye - Musanze, 199.5 kilometers

Stage three can be the first important day for the overall classification. The first half of the day is more gentle, but there will be four first category ascents in the final half. 7.1Km at 6.5% will split the field, and the hilltop finish in Musanze will feature 2.8 kilometers at 6%.

Stage 4: Musanze - Karongi, 138.5 kilometers

Stage four starts in Musanze with a long and slight ascent. It is a day that features longer but more gentle ascents, a day in which it will all depend on the racing to decide which riders can fight for the win, in terrain where attacks can succeed more easily.

Stage 5: Rusizi - Rubavu, 195.5 kilometers

The fifth day of racing features a lot of small climbing throughout the day. 11.2Km at 4.9% and 21.2Km at 2.8% ascents will be the main points of attack surely, however a 1.7Km at 6.6% ascent very close to the finish in Rubavu can further provide terrain for decisive moves.

Stage 6: Rubavu - Gicumbi, 157 kilometers

Stage six will feature some more climbing, the hardest perhaps the first of the day. There will be five climbs spread throughout the day, with more constant gradients and perhaps easier to control. 6.6Km at 6.9% climb could spoil the fun for those looking to keep it under control towards the end however, and the summit finish at Gicumbi sees 5.4 kilometers at 4.4% and can see differences created towards the end.

Stage 7: Nyamata - Mont Kigali, 115.8 kilometers

The race returns to Kigali. It is a short day, however the decisions are to happen towards the end. The riders will climb the famous cobbled Mur de Kigali, however will continue to climb towards Mont Kigali, 2 kilometers at 9.3% in which decisive differences can be created for the GC.

Stage 8: Kigali - Kigali, 75.3 kilometers

The final day of racing is only 75 kilometers long and features climbing from start to finish. It features three laps of a short circuit with 3.7Km at 5.8% and 0.5Km at 6.8% climbs in it, the latter is the Mur de Kigali which sees vicious gradients that can bring chaos in the final day of racing, and both ascents are cobbled. The race will then end in Kigali with a 5.2-kilometer ascent which has 6.5% average gradient and cobbles in the middle, an appropriate finale for such a brutal race.