Team Rwanda rider Moise Mugisha is unfazed by the prospect of having to deal with the pressure that will, inevitably, come against his desire to make history and become the first Rwandan rider to win Tour du Rwanda 2023.
The 26-year-old finished in the 21st place during stage one from Kigali Golf Resort & Villas-Rwamagana after covering the 115,6km in 2 hours, 45 minutes and 52 seconds, trailing a few microseconds behind stage winner Ethan Vernon.
ALSO READ: Tour du Rwanda: Ethan Vernon wins stage one
After the opening, Mugisha described this year’s race as ‘definitely tough’ but remains confident that he can be the man to beat the 2023 Tour du Rwanda from Kigali to Gisagara.
"This year’s edition is definitely tough; very strong teams are here. There has been a great improvement among us (local riders) but I know what it means to win Tour du Rwanda, and I’m prepared to fight until the last stage,” he told Times Sport.
The only one stage winner in the Tour Du Rwanda since it became 2.1, Mugisha said he and his teammates have had enough preparations for the tournament as he feels he has what it takes to become a potential candidate for the yellow jersey at the end of the race.
"Preparations went pretty well and for the day we played well, everyone is ready for the competition and, personally, of course the target is obvious, I want to win it,” he said.
British Ethan Vernon became the first rider from Great Britain to win a stage in the Tour du Rwanda on Sunday. The rider of the famous Belgian team Soudal-Quick Step dominated the bunch sprint by attacking 600 meters from the finish line after a small climb.
He is already world champion on the track in the team pursuit with the colours of Great Britain from October 2022.
His teammates worked for him to catch the two breakaways Rwandan Jean-Bosco Nsengimana and New Zealander James Fouche (Bolton Equities Black Spoke) who had a maximum lead of four minutes.
They were caught on the final circuit in Rwamagana, Eastern Province, leaving the sprinters' teams Soudal-Quick Step and TotalEnergies to prepare the ground for their leaders.
Commenting on stage triumph in Rwamagana, Vernon had been confident of his strength.
"I knew that the last corner, which went up a bit, was the perfect place to anticipate the sprint. Everything went perfectly as I had planned.”
The young Briton will be the first wearer of the yellow jersey on Monday for the second stage, which could still suit him even if there are already some climbs.
Vernon was the main favourite and the fastest in the bunch sprint of the opening stage of the Rwandan race. The Briton beat TotalEnergie's Emilien Jeannière and African Continental champion Henok Mulubrhan in the sprint.
Stage One prize winners
Yellow Jersey: Ethan Vernom (Soudal Quick Step Devo Team)
Best Combative Rider: Jean Bosco Nsengimana (Team Rwanda)
Best Young Rider: Ethan Vernom jSoudal Quick Step Devo Team)
Best Sprinter of the day: James Fouche (Bolton Equities)
Stage winner: Ethan Vernom Soudal (Quick Step Devo Team)
Best Rwandan Rider: Moïse Mugisha (Team Rwanda)
Best African Rider: Henok Mulueberhan (Green Project)
Best in Breakaway: Fouche James (Bolton Equities)
Best Team: Tartu 24 Cycling Team