A good evening to you all.

I am very pleased to be with you tonight.

To begin, I wish to recognize my friend, Prince Albert II of Monaco, and welcome him to Kigali.

Thank you for your support for the sport of cycling, and Africa’s future in this wonderful sport.

David Lappartient, I congratulate you on your re-election as president of UCI. It is fully deserved.

I also thank you very much for these special gifts presented to me. For me, I won’t be necessarily having to participate in the competition. I have more or less already won. Thank you for that gift.

To everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, please know that your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Thank you very much.

Since day one, UCI has brought excitement and positive energy to the streets of Kigali.

The chants, the crowds, and the smiles, are a true testament of the unifying power of sports.

We continue to witness some of the world’s most talented athletes perform at the highest level.

For our young and talented people, this is an inspiration for them to follow their own dreams, with a spirit of sacrifice and endurance, like true champions.

To a large extent, that is also the story of Africa as a whole, and Rwanda in particular.

Investing in sports on the continent, is also about investing in what Africa’s youth needs, which is access to the right opportunities and training.

It all comes down to giving everyone a fair chance, not out of sympathy, but because everyone has something good to give back, and because the sport is stronger for it.

Today, we stand here, because the leadership at UCI put their trust in our country and our people, to provide you with the best possible experience.

Rwanda is proud to be contributing to such an important moment in cycling history, and we are happy to be sharing it with you all, as one team.

You all have a home in Rwanda, and we will always welcome you back, with open arms.

I wish you a wonderful evening of celebration, and an exciting conclusion to the championships tomorrow.

We will be there, cheering you on.

I thank you and God bless you.