Rwamagana-based cycling team Les Amis Sportif emerged the overall winners of the Kivu belt race yesterday to kick off their final preparations for this year’s Tour de Rwanda.

The 115.6km race from Karongi to Rusizi attracted three teams that will represent Rwanda at the forthcoming Tour de Rwanda 2016 namely Les Amis Sportif, Team Rwanda and Benediction Club plus ‘Team Mixte’ comprised of other top riders and those affiliated to other foreign clubs.

Each club featured five riders and clubs were ranked according to the performance of the top four riders in each team.

Les Ami Sportif led by 2015 Tour de Rwanda runner up Joseph Areruya 3h23’44’’, Mathieu Twizerane3h23’49’’, Jean Claude Uwizeye and Samuel Hakiruwizeye3h30’18’’ dominated the race hence finishing top with a total time of 10h15’:02’’.

They beat Team Rwanda that finished second with a difference of over 12 minutes after clocking a total time of 10h27’55’’while Benediction finished in the third place with a time of 10h 28’24’’ with Team mixte finishing bottom posting 10h37’19’’.

The mixed team comprises of Tour de Rwanda reigning champion Jean Bosco Nsengimana who finished first on individual rankings after using 3h19’54’’ beating Joseph Areruya that came second clocking   3h23’44’’.

Les Amis Sportif was rewarded a cash prize money of Rwf0.2m, second runner up Team Rwanda bagged Rwf166,000 while third placed Benediction took Rwf124,500.

This year’s rankings were based on team performance basically to encourage team work that will be essential in the main event slated for November 13-20.

Meanwhile today, riders will takeoff from Rusizi via Nyungwe to Huye town a 140.7km race (Nyungwe Challenge) which will be the final preparation race before Tour de Rwanda.

Kivu belt and Nyungwe challenge are the new two routes of this year’s event with the Kivu-belt on stage three while Nyungwe Challenge on stage 4.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw