The 2018 Colorado Classic (2.HC race)

Today

Stage one: Vail (Circuit) (103.2km) Aug 17 Stage two: Vail (TTT) (15.88km) Aug 18 Stage three: Denver (161.9km) Aug 19 Stage four: Denver (114.8km)

elite riders of The national cycling team, Team Rwanda, will today begin their chase for their first ever 2.HC race category medal at this year’s second edition of the Colorado Classic race in the United States of America.

The four-stage race starts today and will run until August 19 in Denver.

Team Rwanda, which is competing at the prestigious event for the second consecutive time, faces rather an uphill task as all the six riders enter the race 72 hours after competing at the just concluded 2018 Tour du Rwanda.

The six-man Team Rwanda roster, led by national team assistant coach Felix Sempoma, is comprised of two-time Tour du Rwanda winner Valens Ndayisenga, Jean Claude Uwizeye, the 2015 Tour du Rwanda winner Jean Bosco Nsengimana, Tour of Cameroun reigning champion Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, the 2015 All Africa Games road race gold medalist Janvier Hadi, and the reigning Rwanda Cycling Cup champion Patrick Byukusenge.

Today’s Stage One sets off at the Mountain Plaza in Picturesque Vail Village (8,150 feet above sea level). The course is 8.8 miles (14.2 kilometers) and will remind fans of the tight, twisty roads typically found in European races.

The riders will race eight laps for a total of 64.1 miles (103.2k) and 4,390 feet of climbing.

The technically challenging route goes east along Frontage Road, up a dirt climb on Mill Creek Road to a King and Queen of the Mountain, out to West Vail and back.

Meanwhile, like last year during the inaugural edition of the annual race, Team Rwanda will be the only African team at the four-stage cycling event and the sole national team in the fifteen-team peloton contesting for the top honors.

The fifteen-team lineup includes four UCI World Tour teams, five UCI Professional Continental squads, five UCI Continental teams and one national team – Team Rwanda Cycling.

Last year, Team Rwanda finished in 15th position out of the 16 teams that participated.

Uwizeye was Rwanda’s best performer in the 47th spot out of 84 riders who managed to finish the race.

The 2018 men’s race total 395 kilometres of racing, with over 4,700 metres of climbing.

Manuel Senni, who rides for UCI World Tour side, BMC Racing, won last year’s race.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw