France, Sept. 27 -- Elite women and men cyclists are this weekend vying for glory in the final races of the UCI road world championships in Rwanda's capital Kigali. As the event wraps up, organisers are reflecting on the positive impact of bringing such a competition to the African continent for the first time.

During his address to the thousands packed into the BK Arena in Kigali for the opening ceremony last Sunday, David Lappartient, the boss of the Union Cycliste International (UCI)basked in the moment of history.

"What a pleasure to be here in Kigali," he beamed. "When I was running for the presidency of the UCI in 2017, it was our collective dream to bring our pinnacle event to Africa and it is in Africa, in Rwanda in Kigali."

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