European training bases boost team Rwanda riders

Training alongside some of the world’s best riders in Europe has equipped Team Rwanda Cycling with skills and massive experience that has vividly placed them a notch higher in their careers, according to their revelations in a recent interview with Times Sport. The reigning Tour du Rwanda champion Valens Ndayisenga and defending women’s national champion Jeanne d’Arc Girubuntu are currently training at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland. While the quartet of Janvier Hadi, Joseph Biziyaremye, Jean Bosco Nsengimana and youngster Camera Hakuzimana are at the USA national team training facility in Limburg, Netherlands. Ndayisenga, who trained in Aigle last year under the renowned Jean-Jacques Henry, returned home having mastered the art of downhill descending and combined with his mountain climbing ability and endurance managed to hold onto the yellow jersey remarkably winning stage 2 from his hometown Rwamagana to Team Rwanda’s hometown Musanze, a stage characterized with numerous hills and sections of descent that challenge many a rider. However, before heading to Aigle last year, the 21-year-Ndayisenga struggled with descending but weeks of riding in the Alps helped him to overcome his fear, a factor he reveals played a role in conquering the rolling adulating hills of Rwanda in the eight-day Tour du Rwanda competition. With the same hunger for success on the continent, Ndayisenga won the prologue stage at the Tour of Egypt in Hurghada in January, beating Francisco Mancebo of Skydive Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, a Spanish professional rider who finished fourth at the 2004 Tour de France and sixth in the 2005 Tour de France. Ndayisenga’s confidence has since increased and it was no surprise that he won silver in the men’s U-23 individual time trial at the African Continental Cycling Championships in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa in February. On his second return to Aigle this April, Ndayisenga said, “Every other day I learn something new in every aspect of cycling and right now, I am glad that I have completely overcome my fear of descending. It was very tough in the beginning but now I am very confident.” Ndayisenga is eyeing his national title defence when the Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY) hosts the national championships on the weekend of June 27-28 in Kigali and believes he will be in position to replicate everything he has been able to learn. “Going into the national championships from Switzerland will definitely help me to be in top form and that will honestly help me to try and defend the national title I won last year,” explained the optimistic Ndayisenga. In his footsteps learning closely albeit from the USA training facility in Netherlands is the 22-year-old Camera Hakuzimana, who finished 13th in the Nieuwrode race in Belgium a week ago. The soft-spoken Hakuzimana has greatly improved after placing in the top 15 in a strong field of 87 riders mostly from Belgium, France and the UK to impose his improvement, a feat he said is just the beginning of more success in the future. “I am obviously pleased with my recent performances and it gives me joy that we are here in Europe because when we go for races as Team Rwanda, we shall be on another level. We have really improved technically and continue to learn more about cycling at this level,” mentioned Hakuzimana. Ndayisenga struggled with descending but weeks of riding in the Alps helped him to overcome his fear. (Courtesy) His teammate Hadi was full of praise after the Nieuwrode feat and speaking from an experienced point of view said Hakuzimana has a bright future ahead of him. Hadi has attended several trainings including at the World Cycling Centre in Potchefstroom, South Africa and was a guest rider with Team Quebecor at last year’s Tour of Alberta in Canada, winning the most aggressive rider of stage 4. It is these training opportunities that have seen him embrace the bigger picture of cycling at the international level and continue to dream of signing for a professional club in Europe or beyond. In an earlier interview, Hadi admitted that it is every rider’s dream to ride professionally for a team in Europe or beyond and that Adrien Niyonshuti who plies his trade for South Africa’s Team Qhubeka has been an inspiration in showing them that it is possible to make it to the top. Another rider Bonaventure Uwizeyimana who rode with Vendee-U, the feeder team of Europcar last year has since become a core member of Team Rwanda Cycling, renowned for becoming the first Black African rider to win a stage at the coveted La Tropicale Amissa Bongo in Gabon. Jeanne dArc Girubuntu Just like the male riders, Girubuntu who became the first Rwandan female cyclist to train in Aigle having earlier trained in Potchefstroom, is also eyeing a professional career in Europe and with her power and ever-improving descending and cornering skills, she is poised for the big stage. Team Rwanda Cycling head of marketing and logistics Kimberly Coats said, “Ultimately, our goal is to get her on a professional team. She has the talent and we believe she can make it on the international scene.” On return to Rwanda, the six riders are expected to pass on their skills and share their experiences with the other riders as they continue to prepare for upcoming continental races including the All Africa Games and most importantly the Tour du Rwanda set for November 15-22. Team Rwanda Cycling head coach Jonathan ‘Jock’ Boyer said, “This helps us immensely because these riders will be able to come back to Rwanda and to teach the younger riders how serious they need to be and how hard they need to train and how hard it will be for them.” Title defence will be very important to the home side, who will face their toughest opposition as teams from across the continent will be seeking qualification to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. The top two sides on the UCI Africa Tour will make the mark.

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European training bases boost team Rwanda riders