Four members of Team Rwanda Cycling are set to take part in the national team’s first ever UK racing tour which will be in the form of 12 elite road races and criteriums in four weeks across the country.

The quartet, part of Team Rwanda’s U-23 setup, left for the UK on Wednesday.

The team is led by Team Rwanda’s Head Coach Sterling Magnell, with four of the country’s strongest young talents, 2015 Tour of Rwanda champion Jean Bosco Nsengimana , Joseph Areruya, Jean Claude Uwizeye and Samuel Mugisha, according to a statement announcing the tour.

"The team arrives in good shape after a strong showing at the recent Vuelta a Colombia,” it added.

Magnell sees the tour as "a vital element in the continued development of these young cyclists”.

"We are heading to the UK to face the challenge of turning our best young Rwandan talent who possess world class pedal power into cornering and close quarters racing masters. This is the biggest gap in our riders’ cycling education,” he’s quoted in the statement as saying.

"I hope that the skills gained in the UK will translate into their power being better utilized in the high level international events where they can prove their panache to the world and get on the radar of professional teams,” he added.

Team Rwanda have also "partnered with Dassi Bikes, the UK’s only handmade carbon bike manufacturer to complement our riders’ raw talent”.

Dassi CEO Stuart Abbott said:"We are proud to support such an inspirational team who echo the values of our very British brand; Passion, performance and excellence and I am personally excited to see how the team perform against riders from the UK.”

"Team Rwanda-Dassi is taking on the cream of UK cycling in several Motorpoint sponsored elite races in July, including: two rounds of the British Cycling Grand Prix Series – the Ryedale Grand Prix and the Grand Prix of Wales; two rounds of the British Cycling Elite Circuit Series – The Wales Open Criterium and the Chepstow Grand Prix (both key elements of the famous Abergavenny Festival of Cycling),” the statement says.

"These are all elite races in some of the UK’s most dramatic and beautiful scenery and our riders are excited to show the talent that Rwanda’s cycling programme is producing. We are also looking forward to racing several circuit races at the Dulwich Paragon Crit Series and Lee Valley Summer Circuit League as well as the London Dynamo Summer Road Race.”

The President of British Cycling Bob Howden said: "While it is always great to see international teams competing in British races, I am particularly thrilled to see a team from Africa on our roads. Team Rwanda-Dassi deserve great support – not only for the endeavours of their riders but also because of their mission to develop cycling in their own country – and I trust British cycling fans will give them a royal welcome.”

The UK tour is also being supported by exclusive performance clothing company X-Bionic, cycling component manufacturer 3T and vacuum bike mount specialist SeaSucker. "These tour partners supplement the world-class componentry and kit being supplied by long-term Team Rwanda sponsors’ Campagnolo, Garneau, Vittoria, Jagwire, LOOK, SIDI, DeFeet, CLIF and Oakley”.

Race Schedule

July 10: The Ryedale Grand Prix (Ampleforth, Yorkshire)

July 13: The Chepstow Grand Prix (Abergavenny Festival of Cycling, Wales)

July 15: Wales Open Criterium (Abergavenny Festival of Cycling, Wales)

July 17: The Grand Prix of Wales (Abergavenny Festival of Cycling, Wales)

July 20: The Sheffield Hallam University Grand Prix (Sheffield)

July 24: London Dynamo Summer Race (Sussex)

July 26: Dulwich Paragon CC Criterium Series (Crystal Palace, London)

July 27: Lee Valley Summer Circuit League (Lee Valley VeloPark, Stratford)

Aug 2: Dulwich Paragon CC Criterium Series (Crystal Palace, London)

Aug 3: Lee Valley Summer Circuit League (Lee Valley VeloPark, Stratford)

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