Tour du Rwanda, my experience!
I just got back from Rwanda a couple days ago, and I'm still in this post trip nostalgia. And it's a severe case because first of all Rwanda was amazingly beautiful and warm, it was my first experience of working for a team, the team was awesome and the Tour du Rwanda is an epic race! I wanna go back asap. I'm hooked now and I really want to work more with cycling teams in the future, it is demanding and slightly stressful at moments but it is so rewarding and cool to be part of a team's successes and development.
Onto the recap now!
T - 7 days: The guys arrived in Kigali, explored the city, visited some local bike clubs and donated equipment.
T - 4 days: I arrived in Kigali and met the team. I was still in my shy mood but the guys had saved me a vegetarian burrito so it was a good first day! Also, it only took me 5 seconds to fall in love with Rwanda's vegetation.
T- 3 days: We visited the Africa Rising Cycling Center, team Rwanda's HQ. With all the riders you're introduced to in the movie Rising From Ashes, as well as Jock Boyer, the coach. We donated some more equipment and visiter the place, it is great! And they told us that you can rent one of the houses to visit around or to train. And that there are a lot of fun mtb trails around.... Sounds like a plan to me.. ;)
T - 2 days: We can finally move into the race hotel, La Palisse in Kigali. We have our first meal of white rice and green beans (and meat for some), and thats pretty much what we had all week... Then we decided to use that last free time to go and visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial. We learned a lot about the Tutsi genocide and genocides in general, some stuff I wish I didn't learn, some stuff opened our eyes, some stuff made us cry. It's not an a activity I call fun but it's a must and even if it's hard to read, we need to read about it in order to never ever let such things happen again. Also, massages started on that day, I was nervous at first, but everything went well and the guys were happy.
T - 1 day: Pretty chill day (compared to the next days!) Fred (team manager) and I went in town to collect the team's car, the accreditations and race nuumbers and chips. Shit's getting real now! During this time the guys were doing their last chill ride of the trip. After another good meal of white rice, massages and first pre-race team meeting.
Day 1: Prologue
The prologue is the opening event of the race, it is an individual time trial to introduce the riders to the crowd and to get the excitement going. The crowd was already crazy and adrenalin started pumping. I took a lot of pride in my servant role on this day, just standing near the start area making sure the boys had everything they need before the 3,3 km loop of pain. The day was a major success, with Tim winning the prologue and bringing the yellow jersey to the team, plus all the other guys in the top half of the results. That's what I call a good start.
Day 2: Stage 1, Kigali - Ngoma, 96.4km
First real stage of the Tour du Rwanda, also my first day in the caravan. This stage was so chaotic, info was blurred on the radio every 5 seconds, attack on attack on attack, feeds, dropped riders.. It was crazy for us but also very hard for the riders to figure out which move was the right one and with everyone of us on edge to try and keep the yellow jersey, it got messy and we ended having a though day. When we got back to the hotel, after a bitter commute home and consumption of a lot of carbs, massage time again. I tried to make those comforting, as I read in my massage course, they help with nervous athletes!
Day 3: Stage 2, Kigali - Karongi, 124,7km
Good day it was, Brett in the lead group and Tim climbing back into the second group after a flat tire. Add to that great weather, wonderful scenery through the whole stage and an hotel with view on Lake Kivu! The massage setup that day was on point. We installed the massage table on the patio of the third floor, with the best view ever, sunset, flower trees, birds chipping... The guys even indulged in a beer due to the awesomeness of it!
Day 4: Stage 3, Karongi - Rusizi, 115,9km
Another epic day for the team with Tim taking the big W (and the big Skol beer!) On my part, I was exhausted on that day and very much sick of not having wifi but I managed tu put that aside and help the guys recover well in between two hard, long, altitude, extreme climbing stages. I did get to wash my clothes for the first time and see tea fields, unrelated but still great stuff! ;)
Day 5: Satge 4, Rusizi - Huye, 140,7km
It was meant to be a fabulous day of riding through the jungle and sightseeing monkeys... It didn't turn out so great, from minute 1 shit started whit pouring rain ( which lasted all stage), then our car almost caught on fire, then one of our rider, Stephen, crashed real bad after getting a flat tire in one of the fast switchback descent, and then two other riders had mechanicals later in.. Being the soigneur, I rode in the ambulance to go to the hospital with broken Stephen, after 5 and a half hours, we finally got there (yes, we had to wait
being the balai car for 120km....... even with my constant annoying arguing the driver didn't want to pass the peloton..) When we got the hospital, it wasn't any better. I'll just let you imagine how things are in a little teaching hospital in a recalled town on the other side of the jungle in Rwanda... After 4 hours in there, we finally had x-rays (two broken bones..), a painful cast and got discharged (he got surgery once he was in Canada, he's now doing well).
Day 6: Stage 5, Muhanga - Musanze, 125,8km
Not the best day, but each and every day a few people are stoked and all the rest isn't.. Life goes on, rice gets eaten, beers get drank and massages get done.
Day 7: Stage 6, Musanze - Kigali, 103,9km
Surprise cold rain joined us for the start of the second to last stage, and it was a fast stage so guys were freeeeeezing. I was happy to ride in the caravan! By the end of the stage, we were back in Kigali and the crowds were unreal, like UNREAL. The finish line was a the very top of "the wall of kigali", a cobbled 12% climb, it was quite the show!
Day 8: Final stage, Kigali - Kigali, 108km
This stage was the only circuit race of the Tour du Rwanda. It was a 12km loop around the city, again surrounded by a crazy amount of people. All the guys (from pretty much every team) were drained but the show must go on, and Tim made it happen. From the very first lap, he attacked. They were there guys, then two, then just him. He rode incredibly fast for 8 laps but got caught only a couple kms from the line. I really enjoyed being outside of the caravan and in the feedzone on that day, even closer to action! Cupcakes were the celebratory treat of the day.
Thanks again to Fred Gates for giving this opportunity and to the whole team for being so nice. #theexperienceiseverything
*Photo 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 are by Ben Andrew and team picture by Tyler Darcy*
