Latest news with #UCIRoadWorldChampionships
The Star
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Cycling-Italy's Bussi betters own hour world record
FILE PHOTO: Cycling - UCI Road World Championships - Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy - September 24, 2020 Italy's Vittoria Bussi in action during the Women's Elite Individual Time Trial REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini/File Photo (Reuters) - Italy's Vittoria Bussi broke her own hour world record when she covered 50.455 km at the Velodromo Bicentenario in Aguascalientes, Mexico, on Saturday, cycling's world governing body the UCI, said in a statement. Bussi held the women's hour record from 2018-2021 and became the first woman to break the 50-km barrier in October 2023 when she reclaimed the record from Ellen van Dijk of the Netherlands, covering 50.267 km. The 38-year-old mathematics PhD attempted to better her own record on Friday but stopped after the halfway mark, before achieving the feat in a fresh attempt the following day. "This record has always been really special to me as an athlete and as a person," Bussi said in a statement released by the UCI. "The hour taught me that one of the most important things in life is to understand the preciousness of time in every single instant of our life." (Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
The Star
01-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Cycling-Italy's Bussi plots new Hour attempt
FILE PHOTO: Cycling - UCI Road World Championships - Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy - September 24, 2020 Italy's Vittoria Bussi in action during the Women's Elite Individual Time Trial REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini/File Photo (Reuters) -Italy's Vittoria Bussi will attempt to break her own Hour record later this month having already become the first woman to cover more than 50km in 60 minutes around a track. The 38-year-old mathematics PhD will make the attempt on May 9 at the Velodromo Bicentenario in Aguascalientes, Mexico. A week later she will also try to lower the women's 4km individual pursuit record, which was set by Britain's Anna Morris in Manchester earlier this year. "I can say that I started my real cycling career with this record, so it will be the perfect dream to finish it with another record," Bussi said in a statement from cycling's world governing body the UCI. She held the women's Hour record from 2018-2021 with 48.007km and took it again in 2023 by smashing through the 50km barrier. "It will be the most challenging Hour of my career as it has been prepared together with the individual pursuit, my other love. I think it would be a beautiful historical moment for women's cycling to be able to hold both the records at the same time, so I am honoured to try!" Bussi added. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rwanda's multimillion-dollar tourism industry is under threat over DR Congo conflict
Rwanda's booming $640 million tourism industry is threatened by its backing of M23 rebels in neighboring DR Congo, experts told Semafor, as Kigali comes under growing international pressure over its role in the conflict. This week the UK joined Belgium in suspending aid to Rwanda over what they say is its support for M23 — an allegation Kigali has repeatedly denied — while the US last week sanctioned a government minister who is a key ally of Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Kigali's ability to strike deals with global sports federations and brands — which have helped drive tourism revenue — is at risk, multiple sports marketing executives told Semafor. They said Rwanda's high-profile bid to host a Formula 1 grand prix was in particular jeopardy. 'Rwanda's momentum could be slowed or worse yet, cease altogether,' said Chris Miles, a global sports marketing executive and founder of Indianapolis-based Starting Grid, which works to increase diversity in motorsports. For global brands like F1 that are mulling bringing a grand prix to Kigali, he argued, 'the risk far outweighs the reward,' referring to geopolitical risks and safety concerns for event participants, fans, and other staff. That in turn could hamper Rwanda's critical tourism revenue and the local economy. Last week the EU Parliament called for the cancellation of the road cycling world championships that Kigali is set to host in September, bringing the importance of sporting events to the country firmly into the spotlight. Michael Hart, CEO of motorsport-focused sponsorships firm The CarMichael Group, said the diplomatic pressure could be a 'red flag' for companies considering engaging with Rwanda, and that the cancellation of existing deals or scheduled sporting events could have a knock-on effect on other negotiations such as Kigali's F1 bid. The Union Cycliste Internationale, the world governing body of cycling, told Semafor it was 'closely monitoring developments in the eastern region of the DR Congo and their potential impact on the organisation of the UCI Road World Championships.' F1 did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rwanda has sealed global tourism promotion partnerships with top-flight European clubs in recent years including Arsenal, Paris St-Germain, and Bayern Munich. It has also attracted international sporting events including the NBA's Basketball Africa League. In December, Kigali hosted F1 drivers including Redbull's four-time championship winner Max Verstappen, McLaren's Lando Norris, and Ferrari's Charles LeClerc at the International Automobile Federation's annual prize-giving ceremony, highlighting its push to host a grand prix. A successful bid would require Rwanda to spend more than $200 million on creating the necessary infrastructure, including a new track and media facilities. Hosting the event would not only cement its reputation as a global sporting hub but allow Rwanda to tap into an F1 audience of more than 70 million viewers worldwide. It would also inject substantial revenue into the economy from ticket sales to sponsorships, hosting fees, and an influx of international visitors spending on local food, accommodation, transportation and more. Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe told Semafor in December that sporting events in 2023 had helped drive a 36% increase in tourism revenues — hitting $636 million — up from $445 million the previous year. Tourism revenue for the first nine months of 2024 stood at $448 million, officials said at the time. Rwanda's tourism sector has appeared resilient so far this year. The country has staged several conferences and events despite the ongoing conflict in neighboring DR Congo. But some high-profile attendees have come under public pressure to boycott the country on account of the war. Human rights groups and activists called for acclaimed US singer John Legend to pull out of this week's Move Afrika concert in Kigali. He pressed ahead, saying he 'didn't believe that we should punish the people of Rwanda… when we disagree with their leaders.' But Nigerian Grammy-winning singer Tems took a different stance and pulled out of the concert, saying she would 'never, ever intend to be insensitive to real-world issues.' Other events such as the Inclusive FinTech Forum, attended by regional tech leaders, went ahead as planned this week. Kinshasa, the UN, and multiple Western countries have accused Rwanda of backing M23 with arms and troops. The rebels have seized swaths of eastern DR Congo since the start of the year, including the key cities of Goma and Bukavu, and have said they are targeting the country's capital. Rwandan officials have denied that Rwanda's troops are directly supporting M23. But they have repeatedly emphasized that Rwanda needs to protect itself against armed groups in the country such as the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), which it considers a threat to national security. 'Rwanda's economic interests, including our tourism sector, are better served by peace, not by conflict,' a Rwanda government spokesperson told Semafor. 'We have built a thriving tourism industry based on our hard-earned reputation for stability and safety, which is precisely why Rwanda continues to advocate for a political solution to the crisis in eastern DRC.' While established global sports brands may be more reluctant to partner with Rwanda under the current circumstances, the diversification of the country's tourism industry is likely to cushion it against any short-term impacts. The country's vibrant Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector contributed $95 million to tourism revenues in 2023, when it hosted 160 events, representing a 52% jump from $62 million the previous year. Several major conferences are lined up for Rwanda in 2025, including the Mobile World Congress in Kigali in October. David Adeleke, founder of pan-African creative economy publication Communiqué, argued that Rwanda would keep attracting tourists due to its smart investments in the sector, including high-quality event facilities and supporting infrastructure. He noted that intra-African travel could also offer a boost, as Kigali's offering of visa-free access to citizens of African countries makes it an attractive event destination despite the ongoing conflict. 'People will keep going to Rwanda,' he said. 'It's about value, and Rwanda still presents real value.' Some Arsenal fans have questioned the sponsorship deal between the club and Visit Rwanda, Kigali's tourism promotion campaign, in light of the DR Congo conflict: 'I've contacted the club several times over it and didn't even get one of those bland PR responses. Which tells me they can't defend it,' wrote one fan on a club community forum. 'Weird how such a progressive club would have such an association,' posted than 7,000 people have died in eastern DR Congo since January, Al Jazeera reported, and tens of thousands displaced.
