Tough times

Tour of RwandaStage five (Huye-Kigali) 134km 1) L. Mouhcine (MOR) 3:27:15 2) J. Adil (MOR) 3:27:153) A. Erik (NED) 3:29:514) S. Abdelaati (MOR) 3:29:515) E. Tavares (FRA) 3:29:516) T. Scholz (FRA) 3:29:567) C. Tarik (MOR) 3:29:568) A. Ruhumuriza (RWA) 3:29:569) A. Niyonshuti (RWA) 3:29:5610) N. Habiyambere (RWA) 3:29:59 TEAM Rwanda’s chances of winning this year’s Tour of Rwanda continued to shrink after another indifferent run in yesterday’s fifth stage. It was the first time the team had failed to field a cyclist in the top six since Monday’s first stage. Riding from Huye to Kigali (134km), four-time champion Abraham Ruhumuriza and defending champion Adrien Niyonshuti clocked 3 hours, 29 minutes and 56 seconds to finish 8th and 9th respectively. Nicodem Habiyambere, who like Ruhumuriza and Niyonshuti is riding for Karisimbi completed the top ten slots after clocking 3 hours, 29 minutes and 59 seconds. Even though it now looks very unlikely that a Rwandan will walk away with the top cash prize of Rwf13m, Team Rwanda coach Jonathan Boyer insists that it is not all gloom for his lads. “It would be unfair to give up on the team right now. I think they have given their all but the Moroccans have been better because they are more experienced and more professional,” Boyer noted. The American also urged Rwandans not to forget that even after years of cycling; they still have only one professional cyclist in Niyonshuti. “Unlike the Moroccans who feature for top professional cycling teams, we only have one in Rwanda so the fans should have that in mind.” Early this month, Morocco came second to South Africa in the 2009 African continental road cycling championship which was held in Namibia. Morocco’s Lahsaini Mouhcine swept the stage after using 3 hours, 27 minutes and 15 seconds. Rwanda’s best chance of winning the coveted yellow jersey was thwarted on Thursday (stage four) when Obed Ruvogera, who had opened up a 5km lead from the chasing pack, broke his pedal. Ends

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Tough times