Tour du Rwanda routes

Prologue stage, Nov. 15:   Around Amahoro Stadium (3.5km)

Stage 1, Nov. 16:             Nyagatare-Rwamagana (135km)

Stage 2, Nov. 17:             Kigali-Huye (120km)

Stage 3, Nov. 18:             Kigali-Musanze (95km)

Stage 4, Nov. 19:             Musanze-Nyanza (160km)

Stage 5, Nov. 20:             Muhanga-Rubavu (140km)

Stage 6, Nov. 21:             Rubavu-Kigali (165km)

Stage 7, Nov. 22:             Kigali-Kigali (120km)

Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY) has confirmed a record 17 teams for this year’s Tour du Rwanda including debutants Team Scoddy Downunder from Australia. The event will run from November 15-22

The annual cycling event will include 85 riders, five for each of the 17 sides, a new record for the 2.2 UCI Africa competition. Last year, the event had 16 teams and a total of 80 riders.

Rwanda will maintain three teams including Akagera, Karisimbi and Muhabura with the home side eyeing title defense having won last year’s edition, as Valens Ndayisenga became the first Rwandan rider to win the Tour du Rwanda since its inception on the UCI Africa calendar in 2009.

"With the increase in the number of teams, we expect a more competitive race than last year’s, even our riders to do even better because they have earned more competition experience since last year’s (Tour du Rwanda),” said FERWACY permanent secretary, Emmanuel Murenzi.

 Six professional teams have been included on the list of competitors including four European-based sides like Bike Aid (Germany), Team Loup Sport (Switzerland), Global cycling team (Netherlands) and Haute-Savoie Rhone-Alpes (France).

 Debutants Scoddy Downunder from Australia and Novo Nordisk Development from the USA complete the international list of professional sides.

 Eight national teams including Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Morocco and South Africa will also be competing for honours.

 Tour du Rwanda is the last event on the UCI Africa calendar and the top two sides on the continental standings will be looking for a last chance to impress and earn points for Rio 2016 Olympic games.

The eight-day event will have two new routes including stage one from Nyagatare to Rwamagana, a total distance of 135km and the biggest cycling event in Rwanda returns to Huye with stage two from Kigali (Nyabugogo) to Huye, a distance of 120km.

Stage three begins from Kigali (Kicukiro) to Musanze, a total distance of 95km, stage four from Musanze to Nyanza (160km), Muhanga to Rubavu (140km) and Rubavu to Kigali (165km) presenting the toughest tests for the riders who will have to endure the numerous hilly challenges on these routes.

Meanwhile, Team Rwanda Cycling departed on Monday for the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville.

Full team:

Joseph Aleluya, Joseph Biziyaremye, Hadi Janvier, Camera Hakuzimana, Jeremie Karegeya, Valens Ndayisenga, Jean Bosco Nsengimana and Jean Claude Uwizeye while Jeanne D’arc Girubuntu will compete in the women’s Individual Time Trial and Road Race.