Today at 2pm

Men’s elite

Nyamata to Ramira to Nyamata - 38km

Junior

Nyamata to Biryogo to Nyamata – 25km

Amis Sportifs and Benediction clubs will go into today’s National Cycling Championships in Nyamata as clear favourites to win the crown ahead of the other four clubs considering their riders’ massive experience.

Benediction boasts of the bulk of the national cycling team with undisputable experience and a wealth of knowledge and it is these attributes that are expected to come into play in today’s individual time trial in Bugesera. The men’s elite category will start from Nyamata through Ramira and back to Nyamata, covering a total distance of 38km which Benediction coach Felix Sempoma is wary about considering the challenges on the course.

"I have several sprinters on my team like Janvier Hadi and Patrick Byukusenge and usually, they do well on a flat course but this one is rather long, 38km is very long for Hadi who has won short races of 3.5km recently,” explained Sempoma.

His team will have to dig deep to stop the reigning national champion Valens Ndayisenga who is expected to make light work of the challenge at hand.

Sempoma, who also doubles as part of the national team coaching staff, is wary of Ndayisenga.

He said, "I expect Valens will do well on this course. There is no doubt about this. He has the endurance and has speed. We shall find a challenge in the individual time trial but we shall be looking at winning the road race on Sunday (tomorrow).”

Ndayisenga who spends the most part of the year training at the Africa Rising Cycling Centre in Musanze on national team duty alongside other riders like Janvier Hadi, Joseph Biziyaremye, Jean Bosco Nsengimana and Camera Hakuzimana, will be up against the quartet who also boast of the veteran experienced duo of Nathan Byukusenge and GasoreHategeka.

In the junior category, Samuel Mugisha is a clear favourite in the men’s junior category but he will face a challenge from Rene Ukiniwabo (Amis Sportifs) and Make Gatarayiha (Cine Elmay).

Rwanda’s only professional cyclist Adrien Niyonshuti will compete under his club MTN Qhubeka and not under Amis Sportifs as had earlier been reported.

Meanwhile, the women’s competition was cancelled following a low turn up of female riders who were up to four in total, all from Rwamagana-based Amis Sportifs in.

All the six clubs have confirmed participation in today’s competition with Benediction presenting the biggest number – 17 while Cine Elmay has 12 and the rest including Amis Sportifs have eight, Fly with six, Cycling for All have six and Kiramuruzi have four riders.