GASORE Hategeka is set to become the first rider to win the coveted Rwanda Cycling Cup title more than once when the 2018 edition of the year-long championship concludes at Amahoro Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The 31-year old tleads the standings with 149 points, over 30 points ahead of second-placed Didier Munyaneza and third-placed Patrick Byukusenge, who both ride for newly registered UCI Continental Team – Benediction Club. The former, a record nine-time Tour du Rwanda participant, plies his trade with Nyabihu Cycling Club. “I considerably stepped up my game this year, I would not be wrong to say that I deserve to win the title,” Gasore told Saturday Sport on Friday. The season-ending race will start at Amahoro Stadium at 9am, with the riders in men’s elite and U23 category racing to a total 159.3km while their junior and female counterparts will cover 105.4 kilometres. The men’s elite & U23 peloton will set off from Amahoro Stadium towards Sonatubes-Nyamata-Ramiro-Nemba-Nyamata and make a U-turn back to Amahoro Stadium before doing three circuit laps in Kigali. The race route, for the laps, in Kigali starts from Amahoro Stadium-Controle Techinique-Kimironko-Kibagabaga-Nyarutarama-RDB and back to Amahoro Stadium. The juniors and female riders will race the course but will be spared of the three laps in the capital. According to Rwanda Cycling Federation, eight clubs – namely; Fly, Benediction, CCA, Karongi, Muhazi, Nyabihu, Les Amis Sportifs and Kigali CC – will be represented in the race. In the men’s elite category, which is the main race of the competition, Jean Bosco Nsengimana won the inaugural edition in 2015 and was dethroned by Gasore in 2016 before Byukusenge powered to the reign last year. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
