For the second year running, the national cycling team (Team Rwanda Cycling) will return to the Colorado Classic race in the United States. The 2.HC UCI race is slated for August 16-19. Same as last year during the inaugural edition, Team Rwanda will be the only African and sole national team at the four-day bicycle racing event that is expected to attract a total 15 teams. According to the organizers, the fifteen-team lineup includes four UCI World Tour teams, five UCI Professional Continental squads, five UCI Continental teams and features the comeback of Team Rwanda as the only African and national team. This year’s edition will be held just three days after the conclusion of the 2018 Tour du Rwanda. Speaking to Times Sport on Tuesday, Team Rwanda head coach confirmed the invitation back to Colorado Classic before noting that this year, the country will only be represented by elite riders, highlighting that it would be ‘a little too much’ for Under-23 cyclists to race Tour du Rwanda and Colorado Classic in two consecutive weeks. “We are sending riders that are a little bit senior, no U23 team member. This also means they are too old for most development teams and their chances of making it through to the world tour is low, hence the special treatment,” said Magnell “Since Colorado Classic combines continental and world tour teams, shining there could land an opportunity to race on a team in the U.S or a mid-level team. It’s about the biggest kind of race they will have the opportunity to do at this point in their careers,” he added The Colorado Classic is sanctioned by Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and designated as a 2.HC race, the highest category outside of World Tour races. It is also part of the USA Cycling Pro Road Tour, which showcases the premier domestic road events in the United States. The 2018 men’s race will total 395 kilometres of racing, with over 4,700 metres of climbing. Last year Team Rwanda finished in the 15th position out of the 16 teams that participated. Jean Claude Uwizeye was Rwanda’s best rider in the 47th spot out of 84 riders who finished the race. Manuel Senni who rides for UCI World Tour side, BMC Racing, won the race. Full 15-team peloton for the race UCI World Tour Teams: Team EF Education First-Drapac P/B Cannondale (USA), Trek-Segafredo (USA), Mitchelton-Scott (AUS) and Team LottoNL-Jumbo (NED) UCI Professional Continental Teams: Hagens Berman Axeon (USA), Holowesko|Citadel P/B, Arapahoe Resources (USA), Israel Cycling Academy (ISR), UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team (USA) and Rally Cycling (USA) UCI Continental Teams: Aevolo (USA), Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling (USA), Jelly Belly P/B Maxxis (USA), Silber Pro Cycling (CAN) and 303 Project (USA) National Teams: Team Rwanda Cycling (RWA) editorial@newtimes.co.rw
