Nov. 12: Prologue: 3.3kmNov. 13: Stage 1 Kigali-Huye 120.3kmNov. 14: Stage 2 Nyanza- Rubavu 180kmNov. 15: Stage 3 Rubavu-Musanze 95kmNov. 16: Stage 4 Musanze-Nyamata 121kmNov. 17: Stage 5 Nyamata-Rwamagana 93.1kmNov. 18: Stage 6 Kayonza-Kigali 86.3kmNov. 19: Stage 7 Kigali-Kigali 120km

RWANDA Cycling Federation (FERWACY) has revealed the teams that will compete in this year’s 9th Tour du Rwanda, which is scheduled to run from November 12-19. According to a statement from the local cycling governing body released on Saturday, 17 teams will take part in the 819-kilometre race. Rwanda will field three teams, including a select national team and two club teams.

Among the 17 teams, six of them will be making their debut in the annual race. They include Dukla Banska Bystrica (Slovakia), Interpro Cycling Academy, Team Illuminate, Kenya Riders Safaricom, Mauritius and Valens Ndayisenga’s Tirol Cycling Team.

Currently classified as a UCI 2.2 category race, Tour du Rwanda is set to be upgraded to 2.1 category in 2019. This year’s edition will cover all the five provinces of the country as organisers aim at giving a chance to as many Rwandans as possible to enjoy what is arguably the most exciting sporting event of the year in the country.

This year, the race will have seven stages in addition to the Prologue on day one, November 12.

Riders will cover a total of 819 kilometres over the 8 days of the intense competition across the country. Three new stages have been added to this year’s race, and for the first time, it will head to Nyamata in Bugesera district, Eastern Province.

Stage 2, on November 13, is one of the new stages and will be the longest and most grueling stage with a total of six climbs which will test the riders’ stamina and endurance—this stage (covering 180km) will start from Nyanza town in Southern Province and head to the lakeside town of Rubavu.

Rwandan cyclists have dominated the Tour du Rwanda since it became an international race in 2009. Valens Ndayisenga made history by becoming the first Rwandan to win it in 2014, Jean Bosco Nsengimana claimed the 7th edition in 2015 before Ndayisenga won it again last year hence becoming, again, the first rider to claim in more than once.

Full list of teams:

Other national teams1. Rwanda 1. Mauritius 2. Ethiopia 3. Eritrea 4. Morocco 5. Algeria

UCI Continental teams 1. Dimension Data For Qhubeka (South-Africa) 2. Tirol Cycling Team (Austria)3. Team Bike Aid (Germany)4. Team Illuminate (USA)5. Dukla Banska Bystrica (Slovakia)6. Interpro Cycling Academy (Japan)

Club teams2. Club Benediction de Rubavu (Rwanda)3. Club Les Amis Sportifs de Rwamagama (Rwanda)1. Team Lowestrates.com (Canada) 2. Team Haute-Savoie/Auvergne (France)3. Team Kenya Riders Safaricom (Kenya)

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