Introducing Kiya Rogora - Ethiopian youngster looking to make his mark on the Tour du Rwanda
21-year-old X-Speed rider has '40 watts more' than last year, bouncing back after injury and illness in 2024
21-year-old Ethiopian Kiya Rogora is a rising star. Formerly a part of the EF-Nippo development team, he is racing for Canadian Continental squad X-Speed United in 2025 and is about to take part in his second Tour du Rwanda as part of the Ethiopian national team.
It’s a key race for the youngster, as he hopes to show his talent and measure himself against professional opposition. It’s also a good primer for competing in the World Championships in Kigali later this year, with the race taking in some of the terrain used in the Worlds courses.
Ahead of the Tour du Rwanda, Global Peloton spoke to Rogora to learn about his move to X-Speed, what he feels he can achieve at the Tour du Rwanda and what it would mean to race an African World Championships.
Global Peloton: I think you had a difficult season last year, with some injury and illness. Tell me about your 2024 season, how did it go?
Kiya Rogora: At the end of the 2023 season I broke my collarbone. I also had some personal issues which made it a tough time. At that moment, cycling was too hard. I didn't train for almost three months. I gained a few kilos, like 9-8 kilos.
Then I had a training camp in Rwanda with the WCC (UCI World Cycling Centre) in January last year. I had to lose weight so fast which really drained my immune system and my power. When I started the Tour of Rwanda I got sick. That was not the result I wanted.
But then the All African Games went well. The preparation was not ideal but still I got the silver medal in the [under-23] TT. Coming to Italy we were doing only national racing [Rogora raced for national-level team Maltinti Lampadari-Banca Cambiano in 2024 - ed]. Still, the level is high. In Italy even the national races are sometimes harder than the UCI ones. There are quite a lot of riders also. The peloton is too big, sometimes up to 200 riders. The roads are small also in Tuscany. It makes it a bit challenging.
But also the form kept coming up. The second part of the season I started to feel really strong. Then I got some results in the national racing. At the National Champs on the road also I got sick again, so it was not ideal.
Read more: South African riders required to pay federation €1500+ to ride the Tour du Rwanda
At the World Champs I was really feeling good. Honestly [I felt] I could make top-50 which would be my best result at World Champs, but there was not any support from the federation. Me and my team-mate from Ethiopia [Amir Taha] we went paying everything by ourselves. We had to pay our ticket and we had to rent an Airbnb so we can cook food and minimise costs - Zürich hotels are super expensive.
We had no one from the federation to give us bottles. My team-mate was not doing the road race, so he was at the feed zone to give me bottles. The day was fast racing so I couldn't catch 2-3 bottles. So I rode the whole race with 3-4 bottles. So in the last 13 kilometres I just got a really bad cramp.
I started the season really bad and then started progressing quite well. Towards the end of the season I was quite happy.
GP: So if you compared this time last year to now, do you think you are stronger today?
KR: Big difference. Last year in March when I went to Italy I had 40 watts below now. So that's what I see in training now. Now 40 watts more, it feels easier even. So I think it's a big difference honestly. I think Tour du Rwanda this year will be a bit better. It will be different I hope.
GP: You've made the move back to UCI level for this year with X-Speed, what have your first impressions been of the team? What has the experience been like with them so far?
KR: The team welcomed me really nice. All the staff, the riders, my team-mates, they are all so nice. It felt like a family honestly. They have really good team spirit. Everyone is motivated there to get good things, to get experience. Everyone is giving ideas and helping each other to get the best out of it. So I think it's quite a good atmosphere.
The racing, I think we have a good calendar. We just started with Mallorca which was a really good experience. I can say it's the biggest race I have ever done. With all the WorldTour riders, it's really nice. You get to see how these pros do racing. I have also learned a lot of lessons from this race. The weather was not ideal down there. It was so terrible. But it was a really nice experience.
GP: Now, you're going to the Tour du Rwanda with the Ethiopian national team. How is your form going into the race? How has training been going?
KR: I was training back home [in Ethiopia]. I was racing a bit just to get the legs moving for Mallorca. I came to Mallorca and I was a bit sick again. Mallorca was a good training I would say for me. It was really good training. I was pushing myself to the limit. That really helped me.
When I got back to Girona [where he was staying with Tsgabu Grmay - ed] and recovered a bit, I started to feel so strong on the bike. I'm just keeping the rhythm that way, working with my coach.
I will be going back home before just to stay some days there. It's also at altitude, so I can get a better adaptation before going to Rwanda. By the time I get to Rwanda I can get fully acclimatised. The Europeans came from sea level. They might struggle a bit. Not everyone but some riders should be struggling a bit.
Overall I'm looking forward to this race with the national team. Everyone wants to take a chance. We can see which stages we can take. We can do something out there.
GP: What are your ambitions for the race? Is there a particular stage you like the look of?
KR: A stage win would be so nice. Really nice. My goal is to finish at a good place on GC and try to get some points throughout the race. That would be nice. There are also jerseys to get on the road.
For the GC also I have to be realistic. Not like first or second place, there are some strong guys out there at the moment. Still top-15 would be nice I would say. That would be really good.
Honestly my plan is to take every day like a one day race. I will see what I can do in the GC in the end. Opportunities come on the way. I want to use them to get a stage win or something like that.
GP: You did four stages of the race last year, what lessons did you learn to help you for this year?
Last year I just got sick on the first team-time-trial. From there I was suffering the whole two or three stages. I cannot say it's a really hard race because I was not 100% there. I got food poisoning and all my glycogen was wasted.
The racing is not like a European race I would say. It's not explosive. You just stay more aerobic on the race. The last part of the racing is faster. The power numbers are not so great. It's not like European racing where you go full gas all the time.
The kilometres are also shorter. The max would be like 150-160. That's really nice. The peloton is also not big.
GP: What does your race schedule look like after Rwanda?
I heard a rumour there will be African Champs in March, but it's still not confirmed. If there is, I will do it. It's one of my biggest goals for this season, especially on the TT. Also, the road is a big goal.
I have the Tour of Hellas and the Tour of Mersin with the team. I think in June I have the National Champs. Maybe between the National Champs and Mersin we can add one more race in. That's my first part of the season.
GP: You're only 21, so lots of space for improvement. Is there a particular thing that you are hoping to improve on this season?
Most of the African riders, in my opinion, struggle a lot when they come to Europe. Fuelling is not... We are not used to that back home racing. And coming here, in a lot of races in my first years, I used to bonk a lot. You just learn it the hard way. But I'm still learning a lot.
This year I'm working more on my strength training, which I found pretty helpful. Every year you just learn something to close the gap to the guys who are racing in Europe. Because the development is not the same back home and here. We just don't have the best coaches. Not the best nutrition and stuff like that when you come here. This really has a big factor on riders. It really makes it difficult to get results when you get here.
But every year has been a big lesson for me. Every year I try to improve one thing at a time. So that's really helping me. And this year, honestly, I need to get something out of it and get to a better place for next season. That's my personal goal.
GP: Earlier in your career you were supported by the UCI World Cycling Centre, how has that helped you to develop into a better rider?
I've seen a lot of riders from Ethiopia, Rwanda, going to WCC. And I've seen them going to pro teams afterwards. Most of the African guys, they dream of getting there. We all think that's the puzzle, that's the way to go into professional cycling. That's the place where you can get opportunities. You can get better training and you get something out of it. You will get a contract.
When I got the chance, I was really happy. I was sure I was going to get something out of it. Training-wise, how they teach you, it's like a school. They teach you a lot of things, starting from the bike skills, how to descend, a lot of stuff. It really helped me in my career. You get to meet people who look at you. In a race, you start racing with the best under-23 riders in the world. This also gives you more confidence and the drive to push more.
And the coaching also, when you are in WCC, the coaching never stops. Even when you go back home, they still send you training. That makes you progress more. For Africa, they have done a really huge achievement. Back in the days, they brought you some teams to sign for, which was really good. I’d really encourage them to do it also now. That would be really good, really nice.
GP: Later in the year, we've got the first World Championships to be held in Africa. What would it mean for a young African rider like you to race in Kigali?
I think I will take that forever as a happy memory. My last under-23 World Champs being in Africa, near home, it really will be nice.
The crowds are amazing in Rwanda. I think it's going to be a really great experience. It gives you 10% extra motivation. You are on the road. You are on African soil. You feel like a big part of home. That gives you really good confidence as well. I'm looking forward to it.
I've heard rumours that it's going to change. If it's going to be there, I really would love to race that one.
Come back later this week for an in-depth preview of the Tour du Rwanda
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