Rwanda national cycling team (Team Rwanda) has started intensive training ahead of a busy 2015 season that will kick off with the La Tropicale Amiss Bongo, the first race on the UCI Africa Tour calendar scheduled for January 18-14 in Gabon.

Six riders including team captain Janvier Hadi, Joseph Haleluya, Joseph Biziyaremye, Camera Hakuzimana, Jeremie Karegeye and Patrick Byukusenge are training in Musanze district, the home of Team Rwanda Cycling.

Head coach Jonathan Boyer will be aiming to see his team improve this year compare to last year. The American trainer wants his riders to have good preparations for the first UCI Africa Tour championship of the season.

Fifteen teams will participate in the 11th edition of the Tropicale Amissa Bongo race. 

They include; Direct Energie (France), Fortuneo-Vital Concept (France), Funvic Soul Cycles-Carrefour (Brazil), Skydive Dubai (UAE), Bike Aid (Germany), Team Rwanda Cycling, Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Last year, Team Rwanda finished in third position behind Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team and Team Europcar.

Team Rwanda was the best African team. Rwandan rider, Bonaventure Uwizeyimana finished in sixth position over all and the best in the U23 category.

Meanwhile, Hadi, 24 who finished 2015 in 9th place and overall, will compete in this year’s Olympic Games which will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Last year, Rwanda finished 5th in the Elite Road ranking and a first ever 2nd place ranking in the Under 23 category.

Hadi stated, "It is very important for me to represent Rwanda. I want the world to know Rwanda is a strong country in cycling. I also want them to know it is safe and has good roads.”

In Rio, Hadi will be joined by teammate, Nathan Byukusenge, who qualified for the Olympics Mountain Bike. This is the first time Rwanda has qualified two cyclists for the same Olympic Games.

In 2012, Adrien Niyonshuti became the first Rwandan cyclist to finish an Olympic cycling event. His historic moment came in the Cross Country Olympic (XCO) race in Hadleigh Farm, England at the London Olympics.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw