Tuesday

Elite Men & U23 Team Time Trial

1.       Eritrea 1h:08’:42”
2.       Algeria 1h:10’:36”
3.       Rwanda 1h:12’:27”
4.        Ethiopia 1h:12’:36”
5.       Egypt 1h:12’:43”
6.       Burkina Faso 1h:17’:57”
7.       Seychelles 1h:18:00”

The national cycling team ‘Team Rwanda’ has made a flying start at the ongoing 2017 African Continental championships in Luxor; Egypt after scooping a bronze medal in the Elite Men Team Time Trial.

Team Rwanda claimed this historic medal after posting one hour, 12 minutes and twenty-seven seconds settling for a third place behind gold winners Eritrea that covered the 58.8 kilometers in 1h:08’:42 while Algeria claimed a silver medal after finishing second clocking 1h:10’:36”.

This is Rwanda’s first ever team medal at the annual event.

Team Rwanda had fielded the quartet of two-time Tour du Rwanda winner Valens Ndayisenga (2014 and 2016), 2015 champion Bosco Nsengimana and South Africa’s Dimension Data for Qhubeka duo of Samuel Mugisha and Joseph Areruya.

Despite a very unfortunate start by the local riders according to reports from Egypt that included misdirection where the police is alleged to have guided the riders into a wrong course before some crushing along the race, the quartet displayed a spectacular performance hence claiming a podium finish.

Team Rwanda finished the 57.8 kilometers distance at an average speed of 46.369km/h in a race that had attracted a total of 10 teams.

The experienced Eritrean quartet of Abraham Meron, Gebreigzabhier Amanuel, Habtom Awet, Teshome Meron successfully defended their title as Algeria settled for a silver medal for the second time in a row.

Algeria team comprised of Lagab Azzedine, Belmokhtar Abdelkader, Mansouri Abderrahmane And Benyoucef Abdallah.

Ethiopia (1h:12’:36”), host Egypt (1h:12’:43”), Burkina Faso (1h:17’:57”) and Seychelles 1h:18:00” settled for the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh places respectively.

More to follow…..