Niyonshuti eyes podium finish

African Road Cycling ChampsTodayIndividual Time Trial (36km) Adrien Niyonshuti will be Rwanda’s only representative in the elite category of the Individual Time Trial this morning in the African Continental Road Cycling Championship taking place in Asmara-Eritrea. The 24-year-old, who described his preparations for the continental championship as ‘near perfect’ will come up against some of the best riders on the continent, who include last year’s winner Daniel Teklehaymanot of Eritrea. National cycling federation president Aimable Bayingana, who travelled with the team to Asmara, told Times Sport yesterday, that using Niyonshuti as the only representative for team Rwanda was a tactical strategy by coach Jonathan Boyer. “We are reserving the other riders for Sunday’s grueling 54km race. We used this method last year and it worked. We want the other riders to have good positions, that is why we decided to rest them for tomorrow’s (today) race,” Bayingana said by phone from Asmara. Last year, Niyonshuti, Rwanda’s top rider, finished in the eighth position though his bike got mechanical problems which led to losing several precious minutes. Team Rwanda finished in sixth place in the 36km Team Time Trial category on Wednesday. Team Rwanda is represented by Niyonshuti, Gasore Hategeka, Nicodem Habiyambere, Nathan Byukusenge and Joseph Bizumuremyi. Ends

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Niyonshuti eyes podium finish