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| Tour de Congo cycling event begins in Matadi | Tour de Congo cycling event begins in Matadi |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The first cycling tour of the Democratic Republic of Congo has begun in the west of the country in Matadi, a port city on the Congo River. | The first cycling tour of the Democratic Republic of Congo has begun in the west of the country in Matadi, a port city on the Congo River. |
| Cyclists from France and across Africa are taking part in the nearly 900km (600-mile) Tour de Congo. | Cyclists from France and across Africa are taking part in the nearly 900km (600-mile) Tour de Congo. |
| Competitors will ride nine stages over 12 days but will not travel to the volatile east of DR Congo, which is the size of Western Europe. | Competitors will ride nine stages over 12 days but will not travel to the volatile east of DR Congo, which is the size of Western Europe. |
| It was expected to start on Tuesday, but was delayed for 24 hours. | It was expected to start on Tuesday, but was delayed for 24 hours. |
| The BBC's Maud Jullien in Kinshasa says organisers postponed the race by a day as they wanted the tour to end in the capital city on 30 June, DR Congo's independence day. | The BBC's Maud Jullien in Kinshasa says organisers postponed the race by a day as they wanted the tour to end in the capital city on 30 June, DR Congo's independence day. |
| According to the UN's Radio Okapi, Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo saw off about 60 cyclists. | |
| There are 34 foreigners competing from eight African countries and France, the radio station reports. | There are 34 foreigners competing from eight African countries and France, the radio station reports. |
| One of the African teams is from Rwanda, which has had a fractious relationship with its neighbour since the 1994 genocide when many Hutu fighters fled to DR Congo. | One of the African teams is from Rwanda, which has had a fractious relationship with its neighbour since the 1994 genocide when many Hutu fighters fled to DR Congo. |
| Rwanda denies UN accusations that it backs rebel forces in DR Congo. | Rwanda denies UN accusations that it backs rebel forces in DR Congo. |
| The other African teams come from Benin, Burkina Faso, neighbouring Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda. | The other African teams come from Benin, Burkina Faso, neighbouring Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda. |
| President of the Congolese Cycling Federation, Sylvestre Mutayo, says cycling has always been an important sport in DR Congo | President of the Congolese Cycling Federation, Sylvestre Mutayo, says cycling has always been an important sport in DR Congo |
| Historically it was the most popular sport after football, but because of economic difficulties it lost the "second place" in the last decade, he said. | Historically it was the most popular sport after football, but because of economic difficulties it lost the "second place" in the last decade, he said. |
| The course - which goes to the more central city of Kikwit before heading west again to Kinshasa - will demonstrate to people that conflict does not affect the whole country, he said. | The course - which goes to the more central city of Kikwit before heading west again to Kinshasa - will demonstrate to people that conflict does not affect the whole country, he said. |
| "The tour will show people that we have infrastructure, and that people are friendly and hospitable, open to tourism," he told the BBC. | "The tour will show people that we have infrastructure, and that people are friendly and hospitable, open to tourism," he told the BBC. |
| Our reporter says the event has been largely financed by the government with help from private sponsors and will be filmed from the air by a media company using drones. | Our reporter says the event has been largely financed by the government with help from private sponsors and will be filmed from the air by a media company using drones. |
| Despite DR Congo's size, transport infrastructure is very poor and it is estimated that of about 153,000km of roads, less than 3,000m are paved. | Despite DR Congo's size, transport infrastructure is very poor and it is estimated that of about 153,000km of roads, less than 3,000m are paved. |