Top riders set for national cycling race

TodayRace against Clock: Nyamata SundayRoad Race: Muhanga – Huye Top cyclists are gearing up for the National Cycling Championship scheduled for this weekend, with the Individual Time Trial (ITT) on Saturday in Nyamata, and the road race from Muhanga to Huye on Sunday. The Individual Time Trial will involve four categories namely; women, junior, U23 and elite: The women will ride from Nyamata to Mayange and back to Nyamata, covering total distance of 22.8 km, same as the juniors while the U23 and elite riders will compete from Nyamatato Ramiro and back to Nyamata- a total of 40.6 km. The professional riders who registered for the two-day race include Adrien Niyonshuti, Valens Ndayisenga, Bonaventure Uwizeyimana (Team Dimension Data-South Africa) and Janvier Hadi (Bike Aid-Germany). The road race on Sunday will start from Muhanga to Huye District. The women will compete from Muhanga to Huye covering a distance of 78.3km distance while juniors will start from the same point but will add 2 laps in Huye, to take their total distance covered to 89.3km. For the U23 and elite men’s category, they will start from Muhanga to Huye + a Circuit (6 laps), which will be a total distance of 111.3km. The Circuit will cover Huye Stadium-Giraffe Motel-Iposita-Hotel Ibis-Isoko rya Huye- Butare Hospital-Barthos Hotel-Hotel Credo-Inzu Mberabyombi. Last year, the Individual Time Trial was won by Ndayisenga while Joseph Biziyaremye won the Road Race. The other top national team riders including; Jean-Bosco Nsengimana, Joseph Areruya, Jean Claude Uwizeye, Camera Hakuzimana, Patrick Byukusenge and Samuel Mugisha will miss the weekend race as they are representing Rwanda at the Vuelta a Colombia (Tour of Colombia), June 13 to 26. The National Cycling Championships race will attract riders from different cycling clubs under the Federation of Cycling in Rwanda. The clubs include Benediction Club, Les Amis Sportifs, Cine Elmay, Fly Cycling Club, Huye Cycling Club for All and Kiramuruzi Cycling Club. Rwanda Cycling Cup is made of 10 races which were organized by FERWACY in collaboration with Skol and Cogebanque in a bid to promote cycling and scout new talents. The riders will earn points from each race and after all races; there will be an overall national champion. Last year’s Tour du Rwanda winner, Nsengimana, who currently rides for Germany-based Bike Aid, is the reigning national champion. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Top riders set for national cycling race