Home HOME Tour du Rwanda 2017 officials release names and numbers of riders

5I0A1468 — The 20 year old Mugisha speaks to the media after reaching the finish during the race to prepare Tour du Rwanda 2017. He won the 120 km race , that started from Nyanza to Rubavu last month.

Tour du Rwanda 2017 officials release names and numbers of riders

November 8, 2017

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Riders from different countries during Tour du Rwanda 2015 .

Rwanda Cycling Federation has released names of local and international riders who will start Tour du Rwanda on 12 November in Kigali.

With just two days left to the start of the 2017 Tour du Rwanda edition, Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY) has confirmed the start list of riders who will be competing in the most exciting UCI 2.2 event which starts on November 12 until 19, 2017.

The Tour du Rwanda start list of 79 riders representing six national teams and eleven professional clubs has official race numbers, with defending champion Rwandan Ndayisenga Valens, currently with Austria’s Tirol Cycling team, taking the number one position.

Ndayisenga’s team mates Gamper Patrick, Knapp Daniel and Vermeulen Moran occupy the remaining top three starting slots.

Other teams to watch during this year’s edition include Dimension Data for Qhubeka which will be led by Eritrean Eyob Metkel alongside Rwandan dup of Areruya Joseph and Mugisha Samuel, Weldu Hafetab and South African De Bod Stefan.

Other teams to watch include Team Rwanda composed of Nsengimana Jean Bosco, Uwizeye Jean Claude, Byukusenge Patrick, Ukiniwabo Jean Paul Rene and Munyaneza Didier; Benediction club which will be composed of Hategeka Gasore, Nduwayo Eric, Ruberwa Jean, Nizeyimana Alexis and Uwizeyimana Bonaventure among others.

Since 2014, Rwandans have dominated the annual competition. In 2014, Valens Ndayisenga, who then was riding for Team Rwanda Kalisimbi, made history becoming the first Rwandan to win the annual race since it became part of UCI Africa 2.2 tour and in 2015, Jean Bosco Nsengimana, also riding for Kalisimbi claimed it.

Last year, Ndayisenga, riding for South Africa’s Dimension Data for Qhubeka, triumphed and in the process, became the first rider to win it more than once since it became an international race in 2009.

For this year, the Rwamagana-born rider will be racing for Austria’s Tirol Cycling team. Other Rwandan professional riders tipped to shine are; Samuel Mugisha and Joseph Areruya, who are contracted to Dimension Data for Qhubeka.

The big names that will likely race for local teams include; Nsengimana, Jean Claude Uwizeye, Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, Patrick Byukusenge and Gasore Hategeka.

The Tour du Rwanda has established itself as one of Africa’s major stage races and has helped a lot of African riders to develop themselves

1. Tirol Cycling Team