Rwanda cycling national team ‘Team Rwanda’ will compete in four international Cycling races as they prepare for the 2017 Tour du Rwanda which is slated for 12-19 November 2017.

The four races include the International Road World Championships which will be held in Bergen in Norway from September, 17-24, they will also compete in the Tour Meles Zenawi for Green Development from August 28 to September 2.

Others races are Tour de la Reconciliation in Ivory Coast that is slated on September, 10-16 and Grand Prix Cycliste Chantal Biya which will be held in Cameroun on October, 11-15.

Aimable Bayingana, President of Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY) believes that such elite international races will give Rwandan riders the necessary sharpness and experience ahead of the country’s biggest cycling race.

"These four races will help our riders get experience and also gauge their ability to win the Tour du Rwanda. We will send different teams to the competitions so that all of them gain from that,” Bayingana said.

Meanwhile the 9th edition of the Tour du Rwanda will see the peloton tackling a challenging 819 kilometer course that combines climbs and stunning scenery of Rwanda’s most terrain from 12-19 November 2017.

Tour du Rwanda will also be upgraded by the International Cycling Union (UCI) to 2.1 from 2.2 in 2019. This will make it the second biggest road race on the continent after the Gabon’s La Tropicale Amissa Bongo.

For a road race to be considered a 2.1 race category, it has to attract a certain number of UCI World Tour Teams and UCI Professional Continental teams as well as national teams and increasing the prize money too.

Prologue and seven stages:Prologue: Sunday, Nov 12 – KigaliStage 1: Monday, Nov 13 – Kigali-HuyeStage 2: Tuesday, Nov 14 – Nyanza- RubavuStage 3: Wednesday, Nov 15 – Rubavu- MusanzeStage 4: Thursday, Nov 16 – Musanze- NyamataStage 5: Friday, Nov 17 – Nyamata- RwamaganaStage 6: Saturday, Nov 18 – Kayonza to KigaliStage 7: Sunday, Nov19 – Kigali