Stage 1: 136km Stage 2:164km Stage 3:158km Stage 4: 157km Stage 5:174km Stage 6:108km Stage 7:112km Stage 8:121km Team Rwanda have picked a six-man roster that will participate in this year’s Tour du Cameroun which gets underway on June 1-9. The roster that was announced on Monday by the Rwanda Cycling Federation (Ferwacy) is led by defending champion Bonaventure Uwizeyimana. Others are Eric Manizabayo, Jean Claude Nzafashwanayo, Jean Damascene Ruberwa, Moise Mugisha and Patrick Byukusenge. The 26-year-old clocked the least time of 21 hours, 53 minutes and 20 seconds, to claim the nine-day race, while his closest competitor Martin Haring from Slovakia’s Dukla Banská Bystrica posted 21:56:58, followed by teammate Martin Mahdar (21:57:21) in the third place. Not only was it Uwizeyimana’s historic first professional triumph in a UCI sanctioned race, it was also Team Rwanda’s maiden win at the 8-stage race in the West African country since marking his first appearance in 2010. The team will be coached by Felix Sempoma, with Theonetse Karasira serving as mechanic and Obed Ruvogera the soigneur. The Rwandan riders are currently in a training camp at Africa Rising Cycling Center (ARCC) in Musanze District. Organisers of the International Cycling Tour of Cameroun unveiled the stages of the 2019 edition, eight in all, covering 1140 kilometres. The first stage will start from Akonolinga to Mbang via Abong, covering over 136km, while the last will start from Bafia through Yaounde (121 km). The longest stage of the 2019 edition is stage 5, a 174km distance from Kribi to Douala, while the shortest is the 7th, from Loum to Dschang, covering 112km. editor@newtimesrwanda.com
