If you asked anyone randomly which sporting discipline was the most outstanding in Rwanda in 2014, the answer would almost certainly be cycling. And rightly so.

Whoever has been closely following the sport in Rwanda for the last decade or so will tell you of veterans like Abraham Ruhumuriza, Obed Ruvogera, Nathan Byukusenge and Adrien Niyonshuti. However, the last two years have seen the emergence of a new kid on the block.

In this issue, we profile Valens Ndayisenga, who at only 20 years of age became not only the youngest but the first Rwandan to win the Tour du Rwanda since it became an International Cycling Union-sanctioned race in 2009.

Saturday Sport magazine caught up with the Rwamagana-born rider upon his return from Tour of Egypt with Team Rwandaa earlier this week, where he finished in the 22nd position out of 49 riders who made it to the final classification in the five-day competition. At the beginning of the race, Ndayisenga had dramatically won the prologue stage.

From humble beginnings to meeting and shaking hands with the President of the Republic, Ndayisenga’s life has taken a drastic turn. He attributes it to determination and hard work.

Early days

Ndayisenga never dreamt that at one point in his life he could become an iconic figure in the country, much less the kind of fame that followed his historic triumph at last year’s Tour du Rwanda. As a kid, he used to play football during his primary school days.

Later on, struggles of life forced Ndayisenga to drop out of school at an early age and went into bicycle taxi business, a job he did for nearly two years – from 2010 to 2011 – until when he was picked among the young promising riders to train at Team Rwanda Cycling Center in Musanze in early 2012.

"Before joining the cycling centre, I competed in a couple of races using unprofessional bicycles, that is when I caught the attention of Team Rwanda agents, I was selected to join the Team Rwanda camp,” Ndayisenga recalls.

He added, "I owe a lot to John Rugambwa, my first coach in professional cycling, he contributed a lot in my growth as a young rider. He helped me tremendously in my early days as a rookie, he saw the potential in me when no one else cared.”

Team Rwanda career

Since joining the Musanze-based Team Rwanda cycling centre for his maiden training camp three years ago, Ndayisenga has never missed a single call-up. Since 2012, the 20-year old has represented the country in several international competitions and featured in and won  local competitions.

"I was and am still previlaged to represent my country in different international competitions in and outside Africa, there is nothing in life like serving your nation at a young age,” says Ndayisenga.

Ndayisenga was in the provisional list of riders to compete in the 2012 Tour du Rwanda but didn’t make it to the final squad as preference was given to senior riders.  Yet it didn’t discourage him; to the contrary, he kept working harder and it paid off.

Two months later, he was part of the six-man  Team Rwanda that competed at the 8th edition of La Tropicale Amissa Bongo in 2013; unfortunately he didn’t perform well there neither did any of his compatriots.

Few weeks later, he along with the rest of the Team Rwanda members went to South Africa for South African Men’s road race championships. Again, he didn’t perform as expected due to a minor injury he had picked from Gabon (Amissa Bongo).

Early glimpses

In November 2013, while making his debut in Tour du Rwanda, Ndayisenga, then just 19, claimed stage two of the category 2.2 international race, becoming the youngest ever rider to grab a stage in the history of the competition. That was a strong indication that he had potential to go all the way, even as at the end of the day he didn’t make the top ten in the general classification.

"Winning stage two of Tour du Rwanda 2013 was a huge motivation, it boosted my self-belief, since then I maintain a tough training regime like never before,” Ndayisenga told this newspaper. His dramatic victory in the early stages of the competition did not go unnoticed; it provided early glimpses of a star in the making.

2014, a miraculous year

Ndayisenga would later go on to claim major competitions, the biggest being last year’s Tour du Rwanda, the annual event that attracts top riders from around the world that’s increasingly becoming popular in the world of cycling. 

 "Obviously 2014 was full of good memories; winning the national championship in June, then Tour du Rwanda in November, featuring in the Commonwealth Games, and then U-23 UCI World championships among others.”

Yet the youngster did not start 2014 season well, finishing 68th at the 9th edition of La Tropicale Amissa Bongo. But he worked it out to finish the season on high, becoming the first Rwandan to win Tour du Rwanda since becoming the annual race became an internationally recognized event in 2009.

In 2014, he competed at the 2014 U-23 UCI world championships in Spain in September, finishing in a distant 120th position and also represented the country at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland where he finished 23rd out of 56 riders.

2015 and future ambitions

Ndayisenga says he now feels confident and his focus is now set on impressing during the forthcoming African championships scheduled for February 9-14, 2015 in South African and at La Tropicale Amissa Bongo 2015, slated for February 16-22.

The reigning Tour du Rwanda champion is fresh from competing in the Tour of Egypt where won the prologue but finished the race in 22nd.

He says he hopes to do better in the next two events.

"My dream is to compete and perform well at the Tour de France, in the Olympics and to feature at the highest professional UCI World championships.”

How Ferwacy sees him..

Rwanda Cycling Federation (Ferwacy) president Aimable Bayingana told Saturday Sport that Ndayisenga is a courageous and disciplined athlete who is always eager to learn and improve day in day out. "He will go places.”

What teammates say about him…

Nathan Byukusenge, Ndayisenga’s Team Rwanda teammate since 2012, said,”Ndayisenga is obedient, dedicated and determined in his business. I strongly believe he will be one of the best athletes the country has ever known, not only in cycling but in all sports.”

Note of thanks

Team Rwanda star Ndayisenga thanks all the people including his family, friends, colleagues, coaches, the media and the nation for standing by him from the time he started competing in cycling.

But, in particular, he thanks Ferwacy president Bayingana, Team Rwanda director Jonathan Boyer and Tour du Rwanda 2008 winner Adrien Niyonshuti, who he said used to provide him shoes, kit and bikes.

Who is Ndayisenga?

Ndayisenga was born on May 21, 1994 in Rwamagana District, Eastern Province to Emmanuel Niyoyita and Annonciata Murekatete. He is from a family of seven children – four boys and three girls.

Ndayisenga, 20, went to Rwamagana primary school but dropped out of school when in primary four so he could help fend for his siblings and family.

"Going to school was not promising at the time; there were a lot of things in my family to worry about than my schooling. I wish I had another option rather than dropping out but there was none at the time,” Ndayisenga told Saturday Sport.

The former bicycle taxi operator is also a football fan; he supports Rayon Sports and English Premier League giants Arsenal.

The soft-spoken Ndayisenga is single and says he intends to keep it that way while he concentrates on his career in the foreseeable future.