Team Benediction set to get UCI Continental Team status
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Team Benediction, which was created in 2005, is one of the ten professional cycling teams in Rwanda. Sam Ngendahimana.

After 12 years of operations, Team Benediction Excel Energy will officially be unveiled as Rwanda’s first International Cycling Union continental cycling team on Saturday.

Félix Sempoma, the Co-Founder of Team Benediction Excel Energy, said that having a UCI continental team status will come with a chance to compete in all continents while creating strong links with other teams.

"Thanks to the work invested into our team over the last twelve years, five of our riders have joined foreign continental teams. In the last Tour du Rwanda, we entered eight riders and claimed a stage victory. In 2017, our team won nineteen times in three different age categories, and we were crowned the Rwandan squad of the season.” Sempoma said.

"We look forward to continuing racing and competing to win while maintaining our great relationships with sponsors, partners, press, and all of our fans. And with only 12 days until Tour Du Rwanda, our staff, partners and consultants have kicked into full gear.” He added.

The event will attract the club’s sponsors, partners and supporters and will take place on Saturday February 16 at Mukuza Town premise.

It will not only mark a giant step forward in the UCI accomplishment but also among others unveil the team’s riders, team jerseys, management, racing bike, and showcase racing equipment ahead of this year’s Tour of Rwanda.

Team Benediction was started in 2005 and is one of ten teams in Rwanda, initially its mission was to help youth who did not have access to schooling; including boys found running bicycle taxi operations just to survive.

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