The Tour du Rwanda has concluded and attracted a lot of attention. More than the race itself, the eyes of the curious were focused on the fact that the African country will host the next cycling world championships. Many rumours have been circulating regarding the world championship race, from the fact that there was no race for safety reasons to the denials of recent days. Our curiosity, however, was linked to this stage race and the environment that surrounds it.One of the two Italians present on the roads of Rwanda was Enea Sambinello, Athlete I have to team up of the UAE Team Emirates-XRGFor him this was the seventh round of the season after the six races between Spain and Portugal (photo Tour du Rwanda at the top).
Ailments aside
A journey lasting five of the seven planned stages through the settings that will host the 2025 World Championship. To get to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, Sambinello took eight and a half hours by plane from ParisHis return, which took place last night, brought him back to the French capital. From there, Sambinello will fly to Nice and then move on to the Laigueglia Trophy.
"These were a few days," he says while still in a hotel in Kigali, "due to a virus that weakened me. I did not take part in the last two stages, those taking place along the route of the next World Cup. We still haven't figured out what caused the virus, but the important thing is that it's gone. Between Friday and Saturday I didn't sleep a wink, in the morning I was exhaustedThe team doctor, who looked after us for the trip, gave me an antibiotic and I recovered quite quickly."
How did things go in Rwanda?
I suffered from the heat and the altitude. Especially the high temperatures which have always been very highIt was between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius. I didn't perform as well as I would have liked; everyone reacts differently.
What altitude were you at?
It depends a bit on the area of the country. In Kigali, we slept around 2.000 meters. In some stages we reached altitudes above 2.600 metres. And many times we've climbed hills above 2.000 meters. I've never made great efforts at altitude, and that's something I miss.Last year, to prepare for the World Championships in Zurich, I went to Livigno but we have always worked at relative intensity.
Al Tour of Rwanda were the rhythms high?
It was a very different race than what I've been used to so far. Here the big teams all had a reference sprinter and therefore tended to slow down the pace. Only us and the boys of the I have to team up At Picnic PostNL we tried to liven things up. The numbers on the computer were low, obviously it's a matter of altitude. The only two stages where we were really strong were the fourth and fifth.
A challenging race in terms of altitude?
Definitely the one with the highest elevation gain I've ever done in my entire life. With the same difference in altitude we noticed it a little less than when we run in EuropeThis is because there isn't much flat land, so you either go up or down. On average, we climbed between 2.000 and 2.500 meters. The queen stage had 3.700. All this with fairly low mileage, always between 120 and 150 kilometres.
What are the climbs like?
We must start from the assumption that the roads are all state roads with wide carriageways and perfect asphalt. This detail also reduces the perception of the fatigue. When you find yourself pedaling on sections with an 8 percent gradient but with favorable asphalt, things are different. Here, on the contrary, you find yourself on a narrow and poorly maintained road and this makes a lot of difference.
Was there a big crowd?
A lot. Different from what we're used to seeing because they're not cycling enthusiasts, but curious. It's a particular landscape, in which you cross a forest and every two or three kilometers you find a village full of people on the roads. Especially children. I'll tell you an anecdote.
Tell us.
It doesn't concern me directly but a masseur on the team. The evening after the stage he went for a run and many children were following himAt a certain point he noticed that one of them had shoes on his feet, he was the only one. But they were untied, when he tied the knot, the child looked at him in admiration and as soon as he did it he didn't stop thanking himOn the one hand, it's a gesture that might even make you smile, but it leaves something inside you.
You come into contact with a totally different world…
And values change too. These days I've often seen people, children, who smile enormously at you for an empty water bottle. For them it has a very high value, but not because they are fans, but because of the meaning this match represents for them. And' something new, something that intrigues themAfter an experience like that, your perception of what's important changes a little.
What is Rwanda like outside of the capital, Kigali?
Green, very green indeed. Then there are places immersed in pristine nature. During the fifth stage we passed through a natural park and there were places that between one effort and another I looked up and was left speechless. In the cities there was a lot of diversity compared to the hotels we were in which were still of a very good standard.There's a lot of poverty in the surrounding cities, though, which is less common in Kigali. Still, it's a life experience worth having, and I'm glad I came.
