6 minute read
Exclusive interview with Rwandan cycling legend Adrien Niyonshuti
As Kigali prepares to be the first African city to host the UCI Road World Championships, Inzozi sat down for an exclusive interview with one of the country's cycling legends, Adrien Niyonshuti. From riding his uncle’s bike as a promising teen to becoming Rwanda’s first (and so far only) World Tour-level rider, the two-time Olympic Games athlete reveals his incredible cycling journey.
Q: A good rider has to be able to suffer. How did you manage the intense demands of professional racing?
It depends on the day. I always wanted to challenge myself. That was always my goal, and I knew suffering was a part of the process. I saw how other professional riders handled it and adapted. I worry about the next generation, though, because they have to deal with the pressures of social media. It’s a different suffering, but equally deserves to be addressed by coaches.
Q: As one of the original five Team Rwanda cyclists, what are your fondest memories of those early days?
Meeting and working with Jock Boyer [Team Rwanda founder] is probably my favourite memory. As I said in ‘Rising From Ashes’ [the 2012 award-winning film tracing Adrien’s Olympic journey], when he was about to leave after his first trip to Rwanda, I asked him if he would ever return. There had been so many Europeans and Americans who came once and once only to Rwanda. He promised me he would return, and he did. That’s when I decided to pursue my dream of having a career in cycling.
Q: What do you remember about the first Wooden Bike Classic in 2006 when you were first spotted by Jock and Team Rwanda?
It was a challenge at first Jock used technical terms cadence and power and we couldn’t figure out what he was talking about! But he was so passionate, and that passion began to rub off on me.
I later raced on a mountain bike with Jock and several famous people. I was worried because I had not raced on that kind of bike before. Thankfully, I won the race, and Jock said, “This guy has talent.”
Q: You started cycling as a teen in your hometown of Rwamagana. What attracted you to the sport?
Sometimes, we learn from what we experience. I tried many different things when I was young. Some you do OK, and some you don’t do well. In 2007, I started the Les Amis Sportifs academy with my uncle and one of my friends (who sadly passed away). Our goal was to give young cyclists the education and foundation we never had.
Q: You are now the head coach of the Benin National Cycling Team. What is the cycling scene like in Benin? How is it different to Rwanda?
Cycling is a little newer in Benin. When I first came here, they had some good coaches, but they did not have many races, so they would come to the Tour du Benin and not be in the best shape. Over the last three years, I’ve focused on training, race strategy, and professionalism; the results have been precise. They now know how to climb, sprint, and win.
I am also so impressed with the Benin Cycling Federation. It truly has a passion for cycling and has taken on board many of my changes and improvements.
In Rwanda, everyone uses bicycles from a young age, so they build cycling muscles early. In Benin, many children are ferried around on motorbikes, so this development simply isn’t happening. But the passion is strong, and the Benin Cycling Federation has embraced the changes.
Q: You have won the Tour of Rwanda twice, been Rwanda’s first pro cyclist, and the country’s first cyclist to compete at the Olympics. There is much to choose from, but what has been your proudest moment?
Becoming Rwanda’s first - and still only - World Tour rider makes me proud. Qualifying for the Olympics was my dream, and doing it twice was incredibly special.
Q: What was the idea behind setting up the Adrien Niyonshuti Cycling Academy (ANCA)?
The idea was similar to Les Amis Sportifs: to help young riders learn how to race and train properly. However, I brought the knowledge I gained from my pro career with ANCA. I was proud of it, but had to shut it down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the pandemic had passed, the opportunity to become Head Coach of Team Benin came to me, and it was too good a chance to miss.
Q: What has cycling given you?
I love cycling so much. It has given me the chance to travel, meet people from different cultures, and learn. I now split my time between Benin and Italy, learning new languages and new ways of life.
But more than that, cycling helped change the world’s perception of Rwanda. When I turned pro in 2009, people only mentioned Rwanda in the context of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi. I helped show that we are Rwandan athletes and proud of our country.
Without cycling, I wouldn’t have built a good home for my mother, I wouldn’t be living in Italy, and most importantly, I wouldn’t have the people around me today such as Jock Boyer and his wife Kim Coats who is the CEO of Africa Rising, the organisation born out of Team Rwanda that supports the growth of cycling across the continent. You can’t buy that kind of support. It’s priceless.
Q: You will be back in Rwanda for the UCI World Championships with Team Benin. What does it mean to you that your country is hosting the event?
It is impressive that the World Championships are held in Rwanda. Rwanda is the first country in Africa to host the World Championships, and cycling has been around for over 100 years. It is wonderful to see your country hosting the best event in cycling.
I hope to see strong participation from across the continent. There are 54 African countries with national cycling federations. This is our moment. Benin made its debut in Zurich last year and learned so much. Now we’re coming to Kigali with new knowledge and big dreams.
‘Rising From Ashes’ is currently available for free on YouTube.
