Racing Around Rwanda with Hannah Ghazi

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TEXT: Pedaled with Hannah

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IMAGES: Pjamesbusbyimages; yuhi_the_great;
ryan_le_garrec; m_ismael20

TEXT: Pedaled with Hannah

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Racing Around Rwanda with Hannah Ghazi

Following a year of big challenges and individual setbacks, PEdALED rider Hannah Ghazi was ready for a fresh start heading into the 2026 ultra season. And that’s exactly what she got, taking on the Race Around Rwanda for the first time on unfamiliar roads—completing the 1,000-kilometer race as the first women’s finisher with an official time of 101 hours and 13 minutes. We caught up with Hannah shortly after the race to learn more about her experience.

After all the challenges of last season, how did it feel to start this year with a big win?

Just to start another ultra race at all, and actually finish it, felt like a huge relief. I am really happy that I had fun on the bike again. I felt safe and confident in my ability to deal with problems, mechanicals, and to be physically and mentally able to handle this kind of challenge. My head worked the way I knew it should: calm and focused, no spiraling. I was able to enjoy the whole adventure with all its ups and downs. Being the first woman to finish was, of course, nice, but that wasn’t what mattered to me. I was just grateful to feel like myself again on the bike.

What was your strategy heading into the race? How did it evolve throughout your journey?

My initial plan was pretty simple. The week before the race, I checked the conditions a bit and decided to bring a lot of my own food (around 3–4 kg of Maurten gels, carb powder, bars, and Haribos—I can absolutely live solely from sweet things). Then, just riding every day as long as my legs felt good and sleeping in hotels whenever they appeared and I felt like stopping.

On the first afternoon, after Checkpoint 1, I started into the next longer gravel section at dusk. But I quickly realized that, even though Rwanda is generally very safe, riding alone as a woman at night is still not ideal. Drunk men are kind of a global thing, unfortunately. After a few uncomfortable encounters that night, I changed my sleep strategy and avoided being outside in the late afternoon and evenings, especially on remote gravel sections.

From then on, as soon as it got dark, I stopped at the next hotel, slept around six hours, and then started riding again around 2am, when everything was quiet. Surprisingly, getting up that early wasn’t that hard. And those quiet, cool morning hours were incredibly beautiful and actually perfect for finding my rhythm and getting ready for the long days with all those super-excited screaming kids along the road.

What were the three best moments of the race? The biggest challenges?

The best moments were definitely the kids along the road, so excited and curious. They would run next to me and ask questions like “what’s your name?” and “how old are you?” On the last gravel section before the finish, three boys around 12 years old ran with me for a while and told me they wanted to become doctors. When I said that I am one, they looked a bit confused and asked, “What are you doing here then?” That made me laugh.

At the end, when I took a sip from my bottle, they asked if they could try some. I ended up giving them both of my bottles, and they were so happy. Simon said they would probably use them for the next five years, haha.

The checkpoints were also amazing. You arrive and people welcome you. There’s proper food at the buffet; you can sit down for a moment, charge your electronics, and just breathe. After the hectic roads, that felt like pure luxury.

The biggest challenges? Definitely the lack of privacy. The first two days were Sunday and a public holiday, so everyone was outside. All of us “muzungos” with our huge sunglasses on futuristic bikes were basically a moving attraction. And in Rwanda, if something is interesting, people will just openly stare… for a very long time. There was constant shouting from kids, and the second you stopped, a crowd formed around you. No real quiet, no personal space. Combined with almost no sanitary facilities, that can be quite challenging as a woman.

Another challenge was refueling. It’s nothing like Europe. No supermarkets, no gas stations. Most shops were tiny huts with a few bottled drinks and almost no real food. After the first night, I was hesitant to stop alone, as the shops were mostly run by men. So I mainly lived off my own sweets, only bought water when absolutely necessary, and had proper meals at checkpoints and hotels. On day four, I finally bought some cookies for the first time. And even though we rode through so many coffee plantations, I didn’t drink a single coffee during the race—shame on me!

How would you describe the landscapes of Rwanda? Does it live up to its nickname: the Land of 1,000 Hills?

Absolutely. It’s up and down all the time—exactly how I like it. The landscapes are incredibly diverse. Wide, fast red gravel roads through rolling hills, volcanic areas, tea plantations that felt almost like Asia, and green hills with cows that reminded me of Switzerland.

My favorite section was the rainforest in the south. I rode through it at sunrise. The sound of insects everywhere, the light coming through the trees. And then there was a monkey sitting on the road just a few meters from me, and we were looking at each other. That was unreal.

You stopped to help a fellow rider near the finish. What inspired you to assist Felix? Were you worried about losing your lead?

Honestly, no race is so important that you leave someone alone in the middle of nowhere with a broken bike. It costs nothing to be kind, and just a few seconds to check if you can help. And why else do I carry an electric mini pump and three spare tubes if not to give them when someone actually needs them?

Also, Felix and I had been leapfrogging since day three. He had a series of flats, so it almost became a little ritual: I would lend him my pump, and a few hours later he would catch me again. That same evening, when I had to fix my own tire in a village with around 30 very curious people slowly moving closer to see what strange thing I was doing there, covered in tubeless sealant and dust, he stopped and kept the kids at a bit of a distance so I could focus. I can also highly recommend double-checking that you packed the correct inner tubes—I didn’t. In the end, a third rider stopped and saved me by giving me one of his.

Of course, I want to show what I can do. But I would never leave someone in need without making sure they’re okay—whether that means a spare part or just a few encouraging words.

What particular PEdALED garment did you find the most helpful?

Unexpectedly, the Desert Cap. With the altitude in Rwanda, the humidity and the sun, the heat really comes from everywhere. Sunscreen was basically sweated off within minutes. That cap, with its long flaps, literally kept my head cool and protected my neck and face from the sun.

And the Odyssey rain kit. Tropical storms can turn the heat into a full waterfall experience within seconds. With these items, I was perfectly prepared for both extremes, from burning sun to heavy tropical rain.