Africa Rising Cycling Center
The Africa Rising Cycling Center ( ARCC ) is a cycling training center in Rwanda . It opened on June 15, 2014.
The project was created in collaboration between the Rwanda Cycling team , the Rwandan Cycling Federation (FERWACY) and the Ministry of Sport and Culture of Rwanda, with the support of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). The initiator of the center is Jock Boyer , former American professional cyclist and today's head of the Rwanda Cycling team and Rwandan national coach.
The center is located in a northern district of Rwanda, Musanze , at an altitude of 2000 meters. It consists of 16 buildings, a service department, a BMX course, a training center, an organic garden and other facilities. It should not only serve the education and training of African cyclists, but also teams from other countries. B. can perform altitude training. Courses for African trainers, commissioners and mechanics are also offered.
Parts of the training are yoga , lessons in English and in “life skills”. Some of the talented African athletes have only attended school for a few years and are illiterate . Jock Boyer:
“An athlete from Eritrea who goes to Europe already has six to ten things working against him. He needs a visa, he doesn't have a credit card, and he can't call home for money or help because he's the one supporting his family. "
“Six to ten things work against an athlete from Eritrea who goes to Europe. He needs a visa, he doesn't have a credit card, and he can't call home to get money because he's the one looking after the family. "
He sees it as the task of the ARCC to support these athletes.
The ARCC is also the training base for the Africa Rising team , which was created from the merger of the national teams from Rwanda, Ethiopia and Eritrea . The aim of this team is to be the first team to take part in the Tour de France with black African athletes .
A collaboration with the tourism industry is planned: the ARCC is located near the volcano national park , and the tourists who want to visit it pass the cycling center. Tourists can stay in the center, which also has a café, and rent bicycles.
Web links
- Africa Rising Cycling Center: Next chapter in Rwanda's cycling story. In: uci.org. June 5, 2014, accessed June 12, 2020 .
- What is Team Africa Rising? Team Rwanda, archived from the original on September 8, 2014 ; Retrieved July 29, 2014 .