Tour du Rwanda preparation races

Today

Karongi – Rubavu (95.1km)

Saturday

Musanze – Karongi (135.8k)

Top five

1. Jean Bosco Nsengimana (Club Benediction) 3h43’00”

2. Didier Munyaneza (Club Benediction) 3h43’00”

3. Eric Nduwayo (Nyabihu cycling club) 3h43’10”

4. Eric Manizabayo (Nyabihu cycling club) 3h43’10”

5. Samuel Hakiruwizeye (Cycling Club for All) 3h47’26”

2015 Tour du Rwanda winner Jean Bosco Nsengimana has sent an early warning to both compatriots and foreign teams set to compete at the upcoming 10th edition of Tour du Rwanda after winning yesterday’s Musanze-Karongi preparatory race which will be the longest stage for this year’s event.

The race is one of the two races that were organized by Rwanda Cycling Federation (Ferwacy) ahead of the highly anticipated 2018 Tour du Rwanda scheduled for August 5-12 to give the riders a feel of two, out of five, new stage routes this year, to the 20 local riders that are in residential training camp at Africa Rising Cycling Center (ARCC) in Musanze district.

The Musanze-Karongi route will be stage four in this year’s edition and this was the first time that the local riders were experiencing the grueling steep hills of the country’s most mountainous district  that passes via Giswati forest and Congo-Nile trail. Nsengimana bossed the whole race after using 3 hours and 43 minutes.

Nsengimana along with Jean Claude Mfitumukiza, Eric Manizabayo and Eric Nduwayo successfully made a breakaway just 30 kilometers from Musanze to lead the race and after 58 kilometers, the quartet were joined by reigning national champion Didier Munyaneza.

Just 15 kilometres to the finish-line, Nsengimana and Munyaneza escaped in a two-rider sprint to reach Karongi town together before the former claimed the race in a sprint photo finish -- both clocking 3h43’00”.

Eric Nduwayo came ten seconds later to claim the third spot same time as Eric Manizabayo who finished fourth while Samuel Hakiruwizeye finished in 5th position.

"Well, the race was too folded, it was tough because it’s the first time that we were racing in this route  and it’s dangerous because it has a lot of challenging turns. On the other side, it is a stage like no other and I think this preparatory race is very essential,” said Nsengimana

"Winning it is a big motivation and I believe I can win it even during the Tour du Rwanda. We have been training pretty well and without any doubt I believe we can again win this year’s title,” he added.

Meanwhile, action resumes today with riders competing in the Karongi – Rubavu route, a 95.1-kilometer long course that will also be used during Stage 5 come August 9.

Among the 20 riders that were supposed to participate in these two preparatoty races, Les Amis Sportifs’ Rene Jean Paul Ukiniwabo is the only one who missed out due to illness.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw