The 2018 Tour du Rwanda stages August 5 (Stage 1) Rwamagana –Rwamagana (104km) August 6 (Stage 2) Kigali –Huye (120.3km) August 7 (Stage 3) Huye –Musanze (195.3km) August 8 (Stage 4) Musanze –Karongi (135.8km) August 9 (Stage 5) Karongi –Rubavu (95.1km) August 10 (Stage 6) Rubavu –Kinigi (Volcanoes National Park) 108.5km August 11 (Stage 7) Musanze –Kigali (107.4km) August 12 (Stage 8) Kigali –Kigali (82.2km) The long-awaited 10th Tour du Rwanda gets underway in four days time and local riders have vowed to stretch their dominance of the tour to five years running. Tour du Rwanda’s last edition as a 2.2 UCI Africa Tour race will start on Sunday and last for eight days – with no rest day – covering a total distance of 948.6 kilometers and reaching all the four provinces of the country, and the City of Kigali. The tour’s most decorated rider Valens Ndayisenga has come out early to make his position clear; that he will be vying for a record-extending third title. But he also acknowledges that it is going to be daunting to pull off. The 24-year old former Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka rider is the only rider to have won Tour du Rwanda twice since it was incorporated into UCI Africa Tour in 2009. Following five years during which Rwandan riders had remained minnows on home soil, Ndayisenga defied odds in 2014, writing history to become the first Rwandan to win the race. The triumph opened a door for Rwandan riders to be masters of their own race, and no foreign rider has since been able to win Tour du Rwanda. Home riders went on to claim the next three subsequent editions including another triumph by Ndayisenga in 2016 – which made him the sole cyclist with two titles of the annual race. At this year’s edition, the former Austria’s Tirol Cycling Team rider will be featuring for France’s Pays Olonne Cycliste Côte de Lumière (POCCL) along with compatriot Jean Claude Uwizeye, and is optimistic to register another milestone. “I am ready for the race. I am thrilled and a bit nervous, waiting to see what it brings. I have been here for almost a week in intensive training, I am fit and in form to give it my best shot,” Ndayisenga said during an exclusive interview with Times Sport on Tuesday. The France-based duo of Ndayisenga and Uwizeye jetted in early last week and are expected to be joined by their teammates today ahead of Tour du Rwanda’s flag-off in Rwamagana district this Sunday. “I have to say I’m keeping my expectations low because I know what it takes to win Tour du Rwanda, it’s one of the toughest races. Individual quality alone is not enough, you also need to have a strong and supportive team,” he added. “I have seen the routes and this year will absolutely be more grueling, but, I and my teammates are ready to fight for victory. And definitely we are capable,” he insisted. The cycling sensation also holds the joint record of most stage wins (5) he won in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017. Only Eritrean international Eyob Metkel has the same number of stage victories. Last year, Ndayisenga – while riding for Tirol Cycling Team – finished sixth on the general classification. He also won the race’s final stage in Kigali. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
