TodayMen’s road race – 150km Team Rwanda is eyeing more honours today when they take the course in the men’s road race, a total distance of 150km in 12 laps at the All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville. Up against a field of continental giants in Eritrea, South Africa and Tunisia, the Rwandan outfit will be hoping their determination and recent experience pays off once again in a repeat of Thursday’s display that saw them clinch bronze in the men’s team time trial “It will be a very difficult race considering the course. It is very flat but we are confident because we trained well. We want to be on the podium and gold would really please us,” said Felix Sempoma, the coach of Team Rwanda Cycling. The Rwandan side will feature Janvier Hadi, Valens Ndayisenga, Jean Bosco Nsengimana, Joseph Biziyaremye, Jean Claude Uwizeye, Camera Hakuzimana, Joseph Aleluya and Jeremie Karegeya. The octet that boasts of rich talent is expected to rely on Hadi, Karegeya and Aleluya to mastermind a breakaway with Biziyaremye poised to engage in a sprint finish if necessary. South Africa will be relying on Gustav Basson and Hendrik Kruger while Algeria’s Abderrahmane Bechelaghem, Abderrahmane, Adil Barbari and Nassim Saidi present a strong threat to Rwanda’s search for a podium finish. Meanwhile, Jeanne d’Arc Girubuntu finished 13th in the women’s road race yesterday in a spectacular performance that saw her cross the finish line in the peloton that had 15 riders all posting 1:45:10 after 62.5km. Le Court De Billot Kimberly (Mauritius), Gladys Gripka Tombrapa (Nigeria) and Lise Olivier of South Africa walked away with gold, silver and bronze respectively.
