Let π: X → ℙn be the d-cyclic covering branched along a smooth hypersurface Y ⊂ ℙn of degree d, 3 ≤ d ≤ n. We identify the minimal rational curves on X with d-tangent lines of Y and describe the scheme structure of the variety of minimal rational tangents 𝒞x ⊂ ℙTx(X) at a general point x ∈ X. We also show that the projective isomorphism type of 𝒞x varies in a maximal way as x moves over general points of X.