Rwanda of 1884 assigned the territory to Germany as part of German East Africa, marking the beginning of the colonial era. The explorer Gustav Adolf von Götzen was the first European to significantly explore the country in 1894; he crossed from the south-east to Lake Kivu and met the king. The Germans did not significantly alter the social structure of the country, but exerted influence by supporting the king and the existing hierarchy and delegating power to local chiefs. Belgian forces took control of Rwanda and Burundi in 1916, during World War I, beginning a period of more direct colonial rule.
Sport in Rwanda of the Commonwealth has been credited with helping popularise cricket in the country, with both men and women playing it in orphanages, schools, universities and cricket clubs. Cycling has traditionally been seen largely as a mode of transport in Rwanda, but in recent times there has been a growth in cycle sport in the country. Mountain biker and road cyclist Adrien Niyonshuti became the first Rwandan to sign a professional contract with an international cycling team, joining MTN Qhubeka in 2009. A national cycling team, Team Rwanda, was established in 2007 by Americans Jock Boyer, a former professional cyclist, and