Cycling legends Abraham Ruhumuriza and Nathan Byukusenge have tipped young upcoming Rwandan cyclists to take up the mantle and go on to break records. Ruhumuriza and Byukusenge called time on their highly decorated careers at the end of the just concluded 2016 Tour du Rwanda.

The 2016 Tour du Rwanda exposed enormous potential of six young riders while others put up a blistering start to their careers, and the duo (Ruhumuriza and Byukusenge) believe these are the country’s future stars of the sport.

"The 2016 Tour du Rwanda was extraordinary in a way that it was my last edition as a rider, but the most important thing that I got excited about was to see young, self-motivated and real talents making their debut and putting up amazing performances,” said Ruhumuriza in an interview with Times Sport

He further asserted, "It is a great inspiration to see such development and such ambition among these boys, I feel very excited that after retirement there are young riders who look up to me that I am very sure will even reach greater achievements than us.”

In a separate interview with Byukusenge, he echoed Ruhumuriza’s statements saying, "There is no doubt that we (Rwandan) will soon be on top of cycling in Africa, for us we have retired, but there are more promising riders that will definitely surpass what we did.”

"My advice to them is to maintain that passion, learn teamwork and, above all, be disciplined, with that they will definitely achieve their dreams,” he said

The duo is set to join the technical department of the national cycling team (Team Rwanda’s mechanical staff) after undergoing a one-year training course at Africa Rising Cycling Center in Musanze District.

Ruhumuriza, 37, the five-time winner of Tour du Rwanda before it became part of UCI Africa tour, finished in the 15th place in 2016 Tour du Rwanda using a total time of 21 hours 24 minutes and 26 seconds.

Byukusenge, 36, Rwanda’s 2016 Olympic flag bearer in mountain biking, finished in the 18th place posting 21 hours 29 minutes and 52 seconds.

Besides winning Tour du Rwanda for a staggering five times, Ruhumuriza won the 2012 Kwita Izina Cycling Tour, two stages at the 2010 Tour du Cameroon, finished in the fifth place in Tour du Rwanda twice (2009 and 2011) and finished 12th at the 2012 La Tropicale Amissa Bongo.

Byukusenge finished sixth at the 2011 African Continental Championship before finishing fourth at the 2011 Tour du Rwanda.

In 2016, he finished second in stage 3 of 16th Grand Prix Chantal Biya before carrying Rwanda’s flag at the Olympic Games that took place in Brazil in mountain biking.

Meanwhile among the six debutants was 18-year-old Samuel Mugisha, who was riding for Club Benediction and won the competition’s best climbers’ award.

Mugisha beat closest rival Hailay Kibrom Giday, from Ethiopia, by 60 points, while his teammate and captain Patrick Byukusenge, was the second runner-up having collected only 20 points.

The five other debutants included Eric Nduwayo (Team Rwanda), Jean Ruberwa and Alex Nizeyimana (Club Benediction), while Mathieu Twizerane and Samuel Hakiruwizeye featured for Les Amis Sportifs de Rwamagana.

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