The national cycling team (Team Rwanda) head coach, Sterling Magnell, has urged local riders to embark on learning strategic racing if the country is to end a continuous jinx in international competitions.

Magnell made the remarks after last week’s Team Rwanda performance at the just-concluded 14th edition of Tour of Eritrea that was won by Eritrean Solomon Zemenfes.

Team Rwanda registered mixed results at the annual event where their top sprinter Jean Claude Uwizeye finished second in the General Classification with only 38 seconds behind Zemenfes, to register Rwanda’s best performance so far at the 2.2 UCI Africa tour.

On the other hand, of the six riders that Magnell had travelled with to Eritrea, only three managed to finish the five-day event while the other three pulled out during the race. 

The Tour of Eritrea was the third international competition that Team Rwanda has participated in this year. Apart from winning three bronze medals at the African Continental Championships that were held in Luxor, Egypt, Team Rwanda returned empty handed from the preceding Gabon’s La Tropicale Amissa Bongo and Tour of Cameroon.

Despite being the masters of their own Tour du Rwanda that they have won for the past three consecutive years, local riders are yet to win any foreign international race with the best current performance by a Rwandan rider outside the country being held by retired Janvier Hadi who won a gold medal in men’s road race at the 2015 All Africa Games that were held in Republic of Congo.

"I believe we can win international races. What we are lacking is a greater commitment to racing smart and following tactics. For instance, at Tour of Eritrea, Uwizeye and Nsengimana followed my instructions 90%, if they had followed 100%, we had a chance to win but we will continue learning and I am committed to their development,” said Magnell in an interview with Times Sport

"But, on the other hand, we also need new riders and more depth in the team. With some riders leaving to join professional clubs, it has left our national team with fewer top riders to give us strategic strength in races,” he added.

The other two riders that completed the race include 2015 Tour du Rwanda champion, Jean Bosco Nsengimana, who finished in the 23rd place, 52 minutes and 59 seconds behind the winner. Former Dimension Data for Qhubeka rider Bonaventure Uwizeyimana finished in a distant 33rd position, 53 minutes and 20 seconds behind Zemenfes.

The three others that did not finish include debutant Didier Munyaneza, Eric Nduwayo and Rene Jean Paul Ukiniwabo.

"I believe this lack of tactical game stems from lack of context because Africa Tour races are less tactical than Europe plus the fact that our riders haven’t had a consistent exposure to these ideas, however I am raising the bar and I have made them understand that whoever doesn’t progress, his time on the team is limited,” Magnell further revealed.

The team is expected to arrive in the country from Eritrea on Thursday.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw