Team Rwanda head coach Félix Sempoma has named a six-man squad for the upcoming Tour of Sharjah, scheduled to take place from January 23 to 27 in the United Arab Emirates. The selected riders will depart Kigali for Sharjah City on Tuesday, January 20, and will compete in the men’s elite category, which features a combination of road races and individual time trials. The race will also serve as a key evaluation platform for Sempoma as he fine-tunes his squad ahead of the 2026 Tour du Rwanda, slated for February 22 to March 1. The final Team Rwanda roster for the Tour of Sharjah comprises Eric Manizabayo, Shadrack Ufitimana, Moïse Mugisha, Shemu Nsengiyumva, Samuel Niyonkuru and Eric Nkundabera. The riders were selected from a pool of 10 cyclists who took part in the final training camp held at the Africa Rising Cycling Centre in Musanze. ALSO READ: Sempoma drops duo from Team Rwanda roster ahead of UAE race Rwanda is among seven national teams confirmed for the 11th edition of the Tour of Sharjah, alongside the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Bahrain, Morocco, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. The event will also feature a competitive lineup of UCI Continental, regional and club teams. Confirmed UCI Continental teams include UAE Team Emirates Gen Z, Istanbul Büyükşehir Belediye Spor, Terengganu Cycling Team, Roojai Insurance, Kinan Racing Team, Li Ning Star, Universe Cycling Team, Factor Racing and Óbidos Cycling Team. Team Haute-Savoie will participate as a regional team, while several club teams are also expected to line up, including Abu Dhabi Cycling Club, Shabab Al Ahli, Airwerks Racing Team, Dubai Residence Cycling Club, Dubai Police, Khorfakkan Cycling Club, Al Nasr and Qatar Pro Team.
