The Belgian Cycling Federation is concerned about the upcoming World Championships in Rwanda, which will take place in September. The high cost of hotel accommodation in Kigali is forcing the federation to consider alternatives, which could lead to an incomplete delegation of athletes. This mainly affects the elite women's team, including Lotte Kopecky, and the youth teams.

Key Points

• High hotel prices in Kigali are forcing the Belgian Cycling Federation to consider cheaper, inferior options.
• The Belgian team cannot go to the World Cup with a full delegation, especially not for the elite women and youth.
• The tough climbing course in Rwanda makes it difficult to put together a competitive team.

High costs and limited delegation

The Belgian Cycling Federation is under pressure due to the exorbitant cost of hotels in Kigali, where the World Championships will take place. The federation has a list of preferred hotels, but these are simply unaffordable. This has led to the need to look for cheaper options, which can affect the quality of accommodation.

General Manager Natalie Clauwaert has indicated that not all places at the World Championships will be filled. This is particularly worrying for the elite women's team and the youth teams, who may not be able to participate at their full strength. The federation is currently evaluating the athletes' performances in the run-up to the World Championships, which will also influence the final selection.

Specific challenges of the course

The course in Rwanda is particularly challenging, with a lot of climbing. This means that the Belgian team can only send the most competitive athletes. Clauwaert emphasizes that the federation does not want to take any risks by sending athletes who are not able to perform on this tough course.

Future steps

The Belgian delegation will travel to Rwanda again at the end of February to evaluate the situation and hopefully find a solution. The federation has contacted the international cycling union and local organizers to see if there are possibilities to reduce the costs.

The situation remains uncertain, but the Belgian Cycling Federation hopes for a positive outcome so that they can travel to the World Championships with a strong team. However, the stress surrounding the organization and the costs remains a major concern for the federation and the athletes.

Sources

• Expensive World Cup in Rwanda causes cycling association headaches: cheaper hotel and no full team for Lotte Kopecky? | Sport | hln.be, HLN.
• We have a candidate for world champion among the promises, but will he also get a team? A look at the headache file of the World Cup in Rwanda | Het Nieuwsblad, The Newsblad.