Kimberly Coats in a TOUR interview: "The continent is ready"

Interview with Kimberly Coats

TOUR: Is it a good idea to hold the UCI Cycling World Championships in Rwanda?

Kimberly Coats: Hosting the UCI Cycling World Championships on the African continent is a great achievement. It is an honour and shows how far we have come in the development of cycling on the continent. When Jock Boyer started working in Rwanda in 2007, the country had no functioning national team, no points for the UCI Tour of Africa and no proper equipment or training. Now Rwanda is hosting the UCI World Championships. This speaks to the quality of cyclists on the continent, the growth of the sport and the nations commitment to promoting the sport and attracting professional and recreational cyclists who want to experience the country.

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TOUR: The European Parliament calls for the World Cup to be cancelled due to the conflict in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo ...

Kimberly Coats: I have no political opinion. Rwanda has the right to protect its people and its border. I lived near the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda for eight years and always felt safe. That's what it should ultimately be about: Is the country safe and can it host the World Championships in a safe environment? I believe the answer is a resounding yes. To link this event to the current political situation is to destroy the dreams of many young African cyclists. This race is their race. This race is their chance to show the world the continent's burgeoning talent. If this race is cancelled due to the actions of the European Parliament, this decision will hit the cyclists the hardest.

Ten years ago, the continent was not yet ready. Today it is ready.

TOUR: Will the World Championships help African cycling or would the money be better invested in projects to promote African cycling talent and races?

Kimberly Coats: If the World Championships had been held in Rwanda ten years ago, I would say that the money would have been better invested in grassroots work. Ten years ago, the continent was not ready. Today it is ready. There will come a point when the world will have to make up its own mind about the talent and the landscape from which this talent comes. In 2025, that time has come.