Latest news with #JurgenFore
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Team to miss Tour du Rwanda over safety concerns
Soudal-QuickStep have pulled their development team out of the Tour du Rwanda because of safety concerns amid an ongoing conflict in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. The M23 rebel group has captured almost all of the eastern Congolese city of Goma, which is the largest city in eastern DR Congo and borders Rwanda. The Tour du Rwanda is scheduled to take place between 23 February and 2 March, with some of its seven stages passing close to DR Congo. Competing teams are scheduled for an overnight stay in Rubavu, which is located just over six miles (10km) from Goma, between stages three and four. "We looked at the situation yesterday. The start and finish in the risk area, where our hotel is also located, did worry us a bit," Soudal-QuickStep chief executive Jurgen Fore told Belgian website Sporza. "In the end, we made the decision not to send 20 people there if there was no absolute guarantee that this could be done safely." Earlier this week, Tour du Rwanda organisers released a statement saying the race would go ahead as planned and "riders, teams and supporters can be assured of a safe and enjoyable event". Rwanda is set to become the first African nation to host the Road World Championships later this year, with the event scheduled to take place in Kigali from 21-28 September. Kigali is 60 miles as the crow flies from Goma, while the shortest drive between the two cities by road is a 100-mile route through western Rwanda's mountainous terrain. Cycling's world governing body, the UCI, has said it has no plans to move the competition away from Rwanda.
BBC News
08-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Team to miss Tour du Rwanda over safety concerns
Soudal-QuickStep have pulled their development team out of the Tour du Rwanda because of safety concerns amid an ongoing conflict in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of M23 rebel group has captured almost all of the eastern Congolese city of Goma, which is the largest city in eastern DR Congo and borders Tour du Rwanda is scheduled to take place between 23 February and 2 March, with some of its seven stages passing close to DR teams are scheduled for an overnight stay in Rubavu, which is located just over six miles (10km) from Goma, between stages three and four."We looked at the situation yesterday. The start and finish in the risk area, where our hotel is also located, did worry us a bit," Soudal-QuickStep chief executive Jurgen Fore told Belgian website Sporza., external"In the end, we made the decision not to send 20 people there if there was no absolute guarantee that this could be done safely."Earlier this week, Tour du Rwanda organisers released a statement, external saying the race would go ahead as planned and "riders, teams and supporters can be assured of a safe and enjoyable event".Rwanda is set to become the first African nation to host the Road World Championships later this year, with the event scheduled to take place in Kigali from 21-28 is 60 miles as the crow flies from Goma, while the shortest drive between the two cities by road is a 100-mile route through western Rwanda's mountainous world governing body, the UCI, has said it has no plans to move the competition away from Rwanda.
Reuters
08-02-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Soudal-QuickStep pull out of Tour du Rwanda due to safety concerns
Feb 8 (Reuters) - Cycling team Soudal-QuickStep have pulled out of this month's Tour du Rwanda, citing safety concerns over the conflict in neighbouring eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Some towns and cities on the seven-stage race's route are close to the country, where Rwandan-backed rebels are trying to expand their territory after capturing the key city of Goma. Organisers of the Feb. 23-March 2 race have said the fighting is unlikely to enter into Rwanda and that teams and supporters would be safe. "We looked at the situation yesterday. The start and finish in the risk area, where our hotel is also located, did worry us a bit," Soudal-QuickStep's CEO Jurgen Fore told Belgium's state-funded sports website Sporza on Friday. "In the end, we made the decision not to send 20 people there if there was no absolute guarantee that this could be done safely." Rwanda's capital Kigali is also set to host this year's Road World Championships from 21-28 September.
