2017 StagesMarch 11: Stage 1 – Yaoundé › Bafia (121km)March 12: Stage 2 – Bafoussam › Bafoussam (101km)March 13: Stage 3 – Mbanga › Limbé (101km)March 14: Stage 4 – Limbé › Kumba (98km)March 15: Stage 5 – Douala › Douala (108km)March 16: Stage 6 – Douala › Kribi (157km)

Rest dayMarch 18: Stage 7 – Boumnyebel › Mbalmayo (119km)March 19: Stage 8 – Ebolowa › Yaoundé (151.7km)

Valens Ndayisenga is keen on becoming the first Rwandan rider to win Tour of Cameroon, a UCI Africa category 2.2 road race.

This year’s edition is set for March 11-19 and Ndayisenga is one of the Rwandan riders that will take part in the competition.

The Tour du Rwanda champion led the Team Rwanda side that flew out of the country en route to Yaoundé on Wednesday afternoon aboard a RwandAir flight, ahead of start of the 8th edition of the annual 956.7km race.

The team, under the guidance of national team assistant coach Felix Sempoma, comprises six riders that include Ndayisenga, Jean Bosco Nsengiyumva (2015 Tour du Rwanda winner) as well as 2016 African Continental Championships U-23 silver medalist Jean Claude Uwizeye.

Others are; former Dimension Data for Qhubeka rider Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, and Rene Jean Paul Ukiniwabo, who are both fresh from competing at this year’s Gabon’s La Tropicale Amissa Bongo; as well as Ephrem Tuyishimire.

Ndayisenga, 23, who will be making his first appearance at the Tour of Cameroon, revealed to Times Sport before the team’s departure that his target is to make history on his debut.

"This will be my first time at Tour of Cameroon but I believe we are among the best teams that will be competing there; most of my teammates have been there and won medals and this is further motivation to do even better,” said Ndayisenga.

He added: "The overall objective is to win the competition as a team but at, a personal level, I also feel confident about my chances to becoming the first Rwandan to win the Yellow Jersey at the competition. Besides, I believe Tour du Rwanda is more difficult to win.”

This will be Ndayisenga’s last competition in Team Rwanda’s jersey before heading to Austria to join up with his new UCI Team Tirol Cycling team. The former Dimension Data (South Africa) rider signed a one-year contract with the Austrian side until the end of the year.

During last year’s Tour of Cameroon edition, Team Rwanda finished in the third place, behind Morocco and Dukla Banska Bystrica of Slovakia. Errafai Mohamed of Morocco is the defending champion.

The best performance from our local riders at this particular competition was winning bronze medals courtesy of Camera Hakuzimana (2016) and Emile Bintunimana (2015).

editorial@newtimes.co.rw