Soudal-Quickstep withdrew their development team from the du rwanda tour due to safety fears in the middle Constant conflict In the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The M23 Rebel group acquired all the city of the Eastern Congolese Goma, the largest city in East Dr. Kongo and Rwanda border.
The du RWANDA tour is scheduled to take place between February 23 and March 2, with its seven stages near the Dr Cong.
The competing teams for a night residence in Robavo, which are slightly more than six miles (10 km) of Goma, are scheduled between the third and fourth stages.
“We looked at the situation yesterday. The beginning and the completion in the risk area, where our hotel also is, is a little concern,” Jurgen Forse, CEO of Soudal-Qukstep, told Sportza.and external
“In the end, we made a decision not to send 20 people there if there was no absolute guarantee that this could be safely done.”
Earlier this week, Tour du Rwanda organizers issued a statementand external The saying that the race will go ahead as planned and “cyclists, teams and supporters can verify a safe and enjoyable event.”
Rwanda is scheduled to become the first African country to host the World Championship later this year, and the event is scheduled to be held in Kigali from September 21 to 28.
Kigali is 60 miles while the crow was flying from Goma, while the shortest driving between the two cities by Road is a 100 -mile road across the mountainous terrain in West Rwanda.
UCI, the World Cycling Government, said it has no plans to transfer competition away from Rwanda.
