Amis Sportifs Rwamagana rider Joseph Haleluya has hailed the support he got from his teammates on his way to winning the Kivu Cycling Race on Saturday.

The 19-year old covered the 138 kilometres race that started from Muhanga and ended in Rubavu, in 3 hours, 47 minutes and 49 seconds. He beat off a very strong field that included the core of senior Team Rwanda riders, among the reigning Tour du Rwanda champion, Valens Ndayisenga.

Aleluya acknowledge that his teammates, including Ndayisenga, Jean Claude Uwizeyimana, Ephraim Ndayishimiye and Omar Uwizeyimana, played a vital role for him in the one-day event.

"My win was a result of team effort from my team, we organized ourselves to win the event and I am happy we did.

This is a big moment for me because I needed this victory and I am looking forward to improve my career,” he stated after notching his first senior win.

He added, "We did our best to win the race and we managed to do that, and we hope to continue to work even harder because this is not the end as we have big races ahead of us.”

The inaugural ‘Rwanda Cycling Cup’ which is comprised of up to ten races, is sponsored by Skol and Cogebanque. It will end on October 25, less than three weeks before the start of Tour du Rwanda. The next competition is set for May 7, the ‘Race to remember’ from Kigali to Rwamagana. On June 27, there will be the National championship race at ITT/Kicukiro, and then the National championship will continue with the Road Race from Kigali to Huye.

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