Chris Froome hopes Road World Championships in Rwanda will unlock 'massive potential' in Africa

Chris Froome believes the first Road World Championships on African soil could be a turning point for the sport, saying the historic event in Rwanda could unlock the continent’s "massive potential".

Speaking exclusively on Cycling Africa - a new documentary airing on TNT Sports and discovery+ at 17:15 BST on Sunday, July 20 - Froome explained what staging the Worlds in Kigali means for the sport’s future.

The 2025 Road World Championships take place in the Rwandan capital from September 21-28, marking a landmark moment for a region that has long been rich in endurance talent but has yet to truly break through on the road.

Froome, born in Kenya in 1985 to British parents, spent his formative years in East Africa before moving to South Africa to complete his education. It was there that he first glimpsed cycling as a sport, rather than simply a means of getting around.

"Anyone visiting Kenya will see people on bikes, but they're commuting. It's not a sport, it's a transport," said Froome.

"There really wasn't much to get involved with at the time that I was there. And I'm not sure that it's changed too much over the years.

"When I went down to school in South Africa as a teenager, there were many more events. It was the first time I was exposed to the competitive side of cycling and real racing."

Encouraged by his late mother, Froome left university to pursue cycling full-time in Italy. He later switched allegiance to Great Britain and went on to win four Tour de France titles, two Olympic bronze medals and all three Grand Tours during a golden spell from 2011 to 2018.

Now 40, Froome is still racing and still hoping. His focus is no longer just personal glory - he wants the sport to finally ignite across Africa, starting with the Worlds in Rwanda, which already hosts the continent’s biggest annual race in the Tour du Rwanda.

"I really hope the World Championships this year will be a catalyst for more development from African cycling in the future," said Froome.

"I think it's a pivotal moment in the sport. Having the world championships in Africa, I think it's going to really turn a lot of heads, and I'm hoping we'll see a lot more investment in African cycling."

It’s unlikely an African rider will win on home soil this year - the men's road race route in Kigali features more than 6,000m of climbing, which doesn’t suit the continent’s biggest current hope, Eritrean sprinter Biniam Girmay.

Still, Girmay has already made history. He became the first Black African to win a Tour de France stage last year - one of three stage wins he claimed in that race, along with the green jersey. His success has lit a path, but there are still significant barriers.

Froome believes that with the right support and infrastructure, African cyclists could flourish in the same way as their long-distance running counterparts.

"I think Africa has got so much to offer in terms of talent, maybe even more talent than we've seen in Europe," he said.

"You only need to look at the marathon runners to understand, as an endurance sport, Africa really has a massive, massive potential, which has largely remained untapped until now."

But talent isn’t the problem - access is. Froome is candid about the economic and logistical obstacles that prevent cycling taking root more widely on the continent.

"Cycling is still very much a sport that has some very difficult barriers of entry," he said.

"Obviously, it's very expensive to buy a bike and all the equipment. There are not so many events for people to take part in. There's more than when I was growing up, but it still hasn't taken off the way I'd like to see it."

Froome’s own career was dramatically reshaped by a horror crash in 2019.

At the time, he was chasing a fifth Tour de France title that would have put him level with Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.

He never truly returned to his peak, but still boasts one of the most decorated careers in cycling history - including a famous run up Mont Ventoux in 2016 after a crash.

Now, he hopes his story can inspire others from Africa to make the leap.

"I would like to think that some young Africans may have at least looked at what I was able to achieve and where I came from to see that it too is possible for them," he said.

"I'd like to think that at least my achievements on the bike have been able to show young African cyclists that it is possible to make it over to Europe. It's not a sport that's only meant for Europeans.

"It's possible to make it. And I think the talent that Africa has to offer, I think it's a long time coming that there's a real big movement in African cycling, making it over onto the European continent."

And as for being the continent’s first Tour de France champion?

"I could consider myself the first person from Africa to have won it," Froome added. "But I'll leave that title of first African to someone else."

- - -

For the first time in history, the UCI Road World Championships are coming to African soil - and it’s more than just a race. It’s a turning point.

As Rwanda prepares to host the Championships - a historic first for Africa - a cycling revolution is gaining momentum across the continent. Cycling Africa follows the rise of a new generation of riders, from grassroots clubs to the global stage: Nantume Miria, a determined young cyclist from Uganda chasing her pro dream; Biniam Girmay, the Eritrean hero rewriting cycling history; and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, a South African champion confronting doubt for one final shot at the rainbow jersey.

Alongside them, we meet pioneers, coaches, and communities fighting for visibility, equity, and a lasting legacy. Filmed across Africa and Europe, the documentary captures the sweat, setbacks, and symbolic power of cycling.

This is not just about crossing the finish line. It’s about breaking barriers, building champions, and riding into history.