With a few weeks left to the start of Tour du Rwanda 2025, local teams are working hard to make sure they are ready for the much anticipated event which will run from February 23 to March 2.

Rwandan teams are already in training camps, working on fitness, technique as well as learning the routes that will be used.

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Tour du Rwanda features a diverse field of teams, including national teams, continental teams, and professional teams.

The training sessions, which run until February 20, will see riders check out five of the eight stages of this year’s cycling race.

How the teams are preparing

Team Rwanda

Since November last year, Team Rwanda riders started a two-month training camp ahead of the much-anticipated Tour du Rwanda 2025.

Team Rwanda Riders in camp include Moise Mugisha, Vainqueur Masengesho, Paul Uwiduhaye, Eric Nkundabera, Didier Munyaneza, Jean Claude Nzafashwanayo, Shadrack Ufitimana and Jean Claude Manizabayo.

Since 2014, Rwandans had dominated the annual competition until 2018 when the race went to level of 2.1, where they have so far failed to impress.

During this year’s Tour du Rwanda, Moise Mugisha might be Team Rwanda’s rider to watch. The 28-year-old is a previous winner of the Grand Prix Chantal Biya (in 2020) and the Tour du Cameroun winner (2022).

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In 2022, he made history by winning stage eight of Tour du Rwanda, becoming the first Rwandan cyclist to claim a stage since the race was granted 2.1 status by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) in 2019.

Java Inovotec

Java Inovotec started their preparations late last year in Nyagatare before shifting to Musanze on January 11.

The team appointed legendary rider Joseph Areruya as head coach to train its top riders who include Patrick Byukusenge and Eric Manizabayo, and more.

Their rider to watch might be Eric ‘Karadiyo’ Manizabayo. During the previous edition of the competition, he scooped the Best Rwandan Rider award when he was riding for Team Rwanda.

This was as a result of his 15th-place finish overall, five minutes and 13 seconds behind the leader.

Java Inovotec’s roster includes Eric Manizabayo, Patrick Buukusenge, Shemu Ngengiyumva, Bernabe Gahemba, Shafik Mugalu (Ugandan), Etienne Tuyizere, Emmanuel Iradukunda, Oswaibu Kagibwami and Hashim Tuyizere.

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Maystar

Maystar launched their participation in Tour du Rwanda in 2023.

They have been training in Kigali city in preparation of this year’s Tour du Rwanda.

Based in Kigali, the club is a product of a partnership between Ferwacy and Maystar, a group of Eritreans who have dedicated their passion in the cycling game.

The club was founded with the aim of unearthing talents and developing a new generation of professional cyclists.

It is hard to mention one big name on the team, as they brought some rising riders as well as those from outside the country.

Maystar's cycling team:

Geremie Ngendahayo, Aime Ruhumuriza, Aimable Hakizimana, Alexandro Gainza Rodriguez, Gasparini Alesio and David Dusingizimana.