RWANDA CYCLING federation president Aimable Bayingana believes the experience gained by three of Team Rwanda riders from the 2014 UCI World Championships in Spain will be handy in the upcoming Tour du Rwanda.

Rwanda was represented by Valens Ndayisenga, who finished the U23 men’s 182 km road race on 120th position while Jean Bosco Nsengimana and Bonaventure Uwizeyimana did not finish the race.

Despite the trio not doing well on their maiden appearance in the world championships, Bayingana thinks the experience the riders gained would put them in good stead for next month’s Tour du Rwanda international race.

"They didn’t have the best first outing in the world championship but it was very good experience for them, and I believe it will make them better riders in future competitions, starting with this year’s Tour du Rwanda,” Bayingana said.

The 2014 Tour du Rwanda, which became a UCI-Africa race in 2009, will have seven stages and one prologue, and will cover a total distance of 911.6 kilometers.

It will start on November 16 to 23 with 16 teams confirmed to participate. Each of the 16 teams from different countries will comprise of five riders.

Hosts Rwanda will enter three teams namely; Team Akagera, Team Karisimbi and Team Muhabura.

The tour is expected to see competitors from South Africa, Kenya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Algerie, Morocco, Cameroon, Gabon, the USA (Novo Nordisk Development Team), France (Haute Savoie) and Germany (Team Bike Aid).

It will begin with the Individual Time Trial at Amahoro stadium (3.5 km).  Stage one, Amahoro Stadium - Kibungo (94 km), second stage, Rwamagana – Musanze (151.5 km), third stage, Musanze to Muhanga (123.3 km).

Stage four, Muhanga - Rubavu (126.4 km), stage five, Rubavu - Nyanza (173 km), stage six, Huye - Kigali Regional Stadium, (125.7 km) and stage seven, Kigali – Kigali - Amahoro Stadium (114.2 km).

South African Dylan Girdlestone won last year’s Tour du Rwanda while Jean Bosco Nsengimana, who was riding for Team Karisimbi finished sixth overall. Adrien Niyonshuti, riding for South Africa-based MTN-Qhubeka was ninth.

Nineteen-year-old Ndayisenga (Team Akagera) became the youngest stage winner in the Tour history when he took stage two and went on to finish 11th overall, winning himself the most promising rider award.