The 2016 Tour du Rwanda race leader and top title contender, Valens Ndayisenga, has warned that Rwandan riders may ended up failing to defend their title despite a perfect start following Eyob Metkel’s win in stage 5.

The Rwandans felt all the sensations on the arrival on Friday in Musanze, which has become somewhat the capital of Rwandan cycling. 

Jonathan Boyer, the American coach, set up there the training center (Africa Cycling Rising Center) almost ten years ago, where all the best young riders in Rwanda and from different other countries, train.

Among them Ndayisenga, the overall leader in the general classification of the ongoing Tour du Rwanda, who had already won two stages in Musanze in 2013 and 2014.

But it is one of his teammates in Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka, Eyob, who came out on top in this stage this time round ahead of Rwandans Patrick Byukusenge and Gasore Hatege as well as Ethiopian Kibrom Giday.

The win for Eyob in the 125.8km stage from Muhanga to Musanze, reduced the gap on top from one minute and 26 seconds to just 42 seconds behind the yellow jersey.

Speaking to Times Sport after stage five, Ndayisenga, who finished on 18th position, revealed that; "For me and my team we have to celebrate that we are doing a great work, however I am a Rwandan first place and now it’s a challenge for us because at any time we can lose the yellow jersey.”

"It is likely to be two tough final stages because if Eyob tries to go in front, I will not attack him since his my teammate which will require other countrymen to work hard to come first.”

The closest Rwandan is Areruya Joseph of Les Amis Sportifs de Rwamagana, who is in third place, of one minute and 16 seconds behind Ndayisenga before stage six on Saturday.

With Ndayisenga and Eyob occupying the top two places, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka are firm favourites to produce the winner in the 8th Tour du Rwanda.

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