Team Rwanda Cycling still wants to improve after winning two consecutive Tour du Rwanda titles for the first time since the annual competition became an International Cycling Union (UCI) 2.2 category race in 2009.

One year after registering the first triumph through Valens Ndayisenga, who became the first Rwandan rider to win the Tour du Rwanda since it was added on to the UCI calendar, everyone was wondering if the 20-year old would go on and successfully retain his title – but Rwanda produced another hero in Jean-Bosco Nsengimana.

The results of 2014 were the consequence of the investment by the Rwanda Cycling Federation and the hard work of the Team Rwanda Technical Director Jonathan Boyer and his team that works with the riders at the Musanze Training Centre on the foot of the volcanoes.

With the success of 2014 and 2015, Rwandan riders now keenly follow major cycling nations like Eritrea, Morocco and South Africa.

Covering a distance of over 928 kilometres and seven stages to a height difference of 19,684 metres, the riders were made to work hard in the Land of a Thousand Hills.

But it was the beginning of a 3.5km ITT prologue around Amahoro National Stadium where Nsengimana took the lead in the long-week event after registering a new course record of 3 minutes and 52 seconds.

After Hadi Janvier won the prologue in the previous two years, Nsengimana won it this time round, making a bold statement early on. The 22-year old Team Rwanda Karisimbi rider broke the course held since 2012 by Canadian Rémi Pelletier-Roy by a staggering eleven seconds.

He was closely followed by his compatriots Ndayisenga and Janvier Hadi. Nsengimana said, "It was a great satisfaction to put me on the top of the podium and that laid the foundation for (Team Rwanda) winning the Tour du Rwanda for the second time.”

Winning the 2015 Tour confirms the progress of the Rwandan riders, trained by Boyer, 60, a former professional cyclist who, in 1981, became the first American to participate in the Tour de France.

From Day One, Team Rwanda riders proved they were ready to shine on the country’s roads during the seven stages.

French former professional Jérémy Bescond, the only non-Rwandan to finish the first day in top five (fourth).

Eritrean Mekseb Debesay, winner of the Trophy for Best African Cyclist 2014, finished in 7th and looked ready to actually go on and win the race. The leader of the German Team Bike Aid was widely tipped to ultimately win the General Classification of the race that started with 69 riders from 14 countries.

The following morning, on November 16, the riders started the first stage from Rwamagana through Nyagatare, the first time the route had been used in Tour du Rwanda.

As he had announced before the start of this year’s Tour du Rwanda, Debesay was ready to compete with the domestic riders for the title, and indeed the Eritrean won the first stage in a sprint finish, ahead of Nsengimana.

Debesay was able to demonstrate that he was in a very great condition while the national team of Eritrea had previously tried to blow up the pack. But all the best riders of the peloton arrived together on the final circuit for the final sprint.

Debesay, winner of the continental classification UCI Africa Tour in 2014 and subsequent Best African cyclist of the Year, is well known in Rwandan cycling circles. In 2014, he suffered several falls that had prevented him from winning Tour du Rwanda.

Throughout the entire race, Rwandan riders surrounded the yellow jersey man, compatriot Nsengimana.

The second stage took the riders from Kigali to Huye, a winding route up and down the famous hills of Rwanda.On the very first day, Jelinic Zvonimir of Team Novo Nordisk Development became the first rider to pull out of the race.

Rwandans impress

In the aftermath of Debesay’s victory in the first stage, Emile Bintunimana of Team Rwanda Muhabura reassured thousands of fans that Rwanda would retain the title –that after his sprint finish in Huye.

By winning the stage, Bintunimana sprinted ahead the French Julien Liponne of the Team Haute-Savoie - Rhône-Alpes and another Rwandan, Abraham Ruhumuriza of Team Rwanda Akagera. He proved that Rwandan riders knew how to react at the right time.

Former professional cyclist Jérémy Bescond, eventually 4th in the overall classification, escaped at Muhanga with Kenyan Suleiman Kangangi before the peloton, that included six Rwandans, regained control with 33km to go.

At Rubona, which is about 10km to the finish line, Bintunimana broke clear from the peloton to approach the tape with a head sprint finish, and afterwards, he said, "It is my strongest point; I knew I had a good chance of success. That was the first time I won a stage of the Tour du Rwanda, it is a great joy.”

It was the 8th stage victory by a Rwandan since 2009, with Bintunimana becoming the 5th rider to enter his name in history books after Valens Ndayisenga (2 times), Janvier Hadi (twice), Joseph Biziyaremye (twice) and JB Nsengimana (the prologue of November 15, 2005 ).

With its advantage of the breakaway 24 seconds, he was second on the general classification only two seconds behind the yellow jersey man.

The third stage saw riders compete from the capital Kigali to Musanze with Ndayisenga, winner of this particular stage in the previous two years, still the favourite as the riders entered Musanze.

But it was Nsengimana who pulled away to win the most grueling stage of Tour du Rwanda. Eight cyclists dropped out at this stage.

The riders whose Tour ended prematurely in stage three include include Ihlenfeld Stefan (South Africa), Mini Emanuel, Dacal Brais, Saidov Ulugbek of Novo Nordisk Development, Mohamed Elewa Yusuf, Mohamed Idriss Abdullah, El Sayed Ahmed Mohamed, Ayman Elsayed Mohamed from Egypt.

The good shot of Nsengimana

Musanze can easily be referred to as the heartbeat of Rwandan cycling as it is and home to the country’s best cycling training facility.

On the third day of the event, in front of thousands of adoring supporters, the man in the yellow jersey, Nsengimana, who trains every day on these roads, won the stage that all Rwandan riders dream of winning. 

Thus he consolidated his leading position in the overall classification increasing the gap between him and anyone else to at least a minute. On that, he was truly imposing—and from that day, all eyes were on him as the Rwandan rider likely to win the coveted crown. 

Rwandans occupied the first four places in the general classification after that stage with Patrick Byukusenge (Karisimbi), Joseph Areruya (Akagera) and Ndayisenga (Karisimbi) following Nsengimana in that order.

"That was a great day in the world of cycling for my country. We saw that we were only growing stronger,” the eventual Tour du Rwanda champion said.

Nsengimana brilliantly kept his greatest rivals Eritreans Debesay and Meron Teshome and Frenchmen Julien Liponne and Jérémy Bescond in check.

The fourth stage took the riders from Musanze to Nyanza with six climbs, including the first four classes to near 2.500 metres.

Debesay ties record

With his third stage victory on the second day during the first stage, from Nyagatare to Rwamagana, Debesay reached the record number of four stage wins at the Tour du Rwanda which her shares with the American Keil Reijnen.

"It's not over, I still have three days to be the only record holder, I feel really good in this Tour du Rwanda, and the hard work begins from now," he said mid way through the race.

The Eritrean German Team Bike Aid did the strong sprint in the last metres of the stage to try his luck in the sprint in Nyanza, one of his specialties. Ndayisenga was the only Rwandan among the top ten. Unfortunately, he suffered pain in the chest and dropped out of the competition.

The last three stages were going to be defining moments for the 7th edition of the Tour du Rwanda with long and challenging climbs, to over 2,000 metres. Everything was to begin with the 5th stage that would lead the riders from Muhanga to Rubavu on the shores of Lake Kivu in the Western Province.

By this time riders Poli Umberto of Novo Nordisk Development, Muffat Adrien Clavel Sylvain - Haute-Savoie/Rhone-Alpes and Gathurima Kinoti Ayub of Kenya National Team were out of the competition.

Unlucky during the prologue in which he finished last after missing his departure, Meron Teshome won the fifth stage, a prestigious victory on the shores of Lake Kivu on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Eritrean was the leader of the national team of Eritrea here in the 7th Tour of Rwanda. "I had to forget my disappointment (on the prologue). The whole team has worked for me and I also had to win the stage for my teammates."

Nsengimana came in second in the fifth stage, during which top riders such as Eritrean Debretsion Aron and Moroccan rider El Abdia Anass bowed out.

The 6th stage saw the cyclists ride from Rubavu to Kigali.

Last stage

The penultimate stage of the 7th Tour du Rwanda confirmed the great domination of Nsengimana.

Leader of the race since the first day at the prologue, the 22 year-old won the sixth stage, his third victory – coming on the heights of the Kigali Regional Stadium with a cobbles climb that presented a big challenge to the riders.

Rwandans had managed throughout the stage to control the race until the last kilometre to launch their leader in the last climb.

In front of thousands of enthusiastic fans, Nsengimana took responsibility to assert his leadership in the absence of the 2014 winner, Ndayisenga, who abandoned the race midway through the competition.

With a lead of 1'45' ahead of second-placed Areruya, another compatriot, and more than two minutes ahead of the other rivals, the Rwandan had sufficient margin going into the final stage.Nsengimana succeeds Ndayisenga

After Ndayisenga’s historic win in 2014, the Rwandan public has found a new champion in Nsengimana.

The young rider, who hails from Rubavu, made history by winning three stages in a single Tour du Rwanda edition and wearing the yellow jersey from first to last day with over tens of thousands of spectators around Amahoro Stadium relishing and celebrating his victory.

Nsengimana was celebrated like a hero in a festive atmosphere in front of the Amahoro stadium after the final stage which was won in sprint by the Eritrean Metkel Eyob.

Rwandans, whether by virtue of home advantage or just sheer brilliance, dominated the race from Day I, leaving no chance to their opponents.

"This is a great moment for me but it is also the result of the work of the whole team. I worked hard to succeed in this Tour and I am happy we have won it," said a triumphant Nsengimana.

Other riders who didn’t reach the finish line include Team Muhabura’s Ephrem Tuyishimire, Ekiru Samuel of Kenya, Woestenberg Peter of Dutch Global Cycling Team and Mekseb of bike Aid.

Since 2009, 23 stages were won by riders who have since become pros.

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