Today

Men Elites & U23: Kayonza-Muhanga, 120km Juniors’ Men: Ntunga-Muhanga, 92km Women: Ntunga-Muhanga, 92km

After dominating the first race of this year’s Rwanda Cycling Cup two months ago, Club Benediction will be aiming to stretch their lead in today’s Farmers’ Circuit.

The Rubavu-based cycling club displayed their ‘power of pack’ to take a lion’s share at the second Lambert Byemayire Memorial race in March.

Farmers’ Circuit is the second race on the series of the annual Rwanda Cycling Cup. Today’s race sets off from Kayonza, in Eastern Province, through Kigali towards, the finish-line in Muhanga, in Southern Province.

Initially, the multi-category event’s itinerary was supposed to start from Kayonza and end in Gicumbi but the local cycling governing body changed the course following a breakdown of the road in Gicumbi amid recent heavy downpours.

Today’s race will be contested by 83 riders in elite men & U23, juniors and women categories, representing nine cycling clubs, namely Club Benediction, Les Amis Sportifs, Nyabihu Cycling Club, Muhazi Cycling Generation, Cine Elmay, Fly Cycling Club, Karongi Vision Sport Centre, Kigali Cycling Club, and Cycling Club for All.

Following the emphatic start of the season with Lambert Byemayire Memorial, Club Benediction, led by its roster of experienced riders, are keen to stretch their dominance and supremacy over archrivals of Rwamagana-based Les Amis Sportifs.

During the race, Club Benediction scooped the first three positions of 158km in the men elites & U23, with 20-year-old Didier Munyaneza winning the race, followed by teammates Bonaventure Uwizeyimana and Patrick Byukusenge.

Two-time Tour du Rwanda champion Valens Ndayisenga, then riding for Les Amis Sportifs, finished in the fourth place. The 24-year-old now rides for France’s Pays Olonne Cycliste.

"The boys are in good shape and we hope to keep the rhythm, our focus is mainly to see our riders get time to compete and stay fit since most of them are part of the national team. As a team, our aim is competing in as many races as possible, which would lead to winning the Rwanda Cycling Cup,” Club Benediction head coach Félix Sempoma told Saturday Sport on Friday.

In today’s race, star-studded Sempoma’s side is comprised of the 2015 Tour du Rwanda winner Jean-Bosco Nsengimana, 2015 All African Games gold medalist Janvier Hadi, cycling cup title holder Patrick Byukusenge, and fast-rising Didier Munyaneza.

The elite men’s category will be a 44-rider peloton, covering a distance of 120km from Kayonza to Muhanga, while the juniors’ category, with 25 riders, will start from Ntunga in Rwamagana to Muhanga, covering 92km, the same distance that 14 female riders will cover.

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