2018 Tour de l’Ain

Today Stage 1: Saint-Vulbas – Montrevel-en-Bresse (166.5km)

Saturday Stage 2: Saint-Trivier-de Courtes – Arbent (150.9km)

Sunday Stage 3: Lélex Monts-Jura – Col de la Faucille (133.3km)

Five days after his debut at the 43rd Vuelta a Aragón in Spain, star cyclist Joseph Areruya and his new French club Delko Marseille Provence KTM start quest for Tour de l’Ain this afternoon.

The 30th edition of the annual French race starts today and run through May 20. The 3-stage cycling event will cover a distance of 450km, and has attracted 17 teams.

This will be Areruya’s third competition since joining the French UCI Professional Continental cycling team last month after a stellar 2017 season and early 2018 with UCI Continental team of Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka where he won Tour du Rwanda, La Tropicale Amissa Bongo in Gabon, Tour de l’Espoir in Cameroun and a stage at Giro d’Italia Under-23 race in Italy.

Tour de l’Ain, also known as the Prix de l’Amitié, is an annual late season professional cycling stage race that is UCI Europe Tour 2.1 type that has been held since 1989.

The 2018 edition is comprised of three stages, with today’s opening stage setting off from Saint-Vulbas to Montrevel-en-Bresse, covering 166.6km.

Stage two, tomorrow, will see riders racing to a distance of 150.9km, from Saint-Trivier-de Courtes to Arbent, before Sunday’s third and last stage from Lélex Monts-Jura to Col de la Faucille where cyclists will tackle 133.3km.

Areruya, 22, is part of a 6-rider roster to compete in the 3-day race that also includes Delio Fernández Cruz, Angel Madrazo, Javi Moreno, Luri Filosi and Przemyslaw Kasperkiewicz.

Speaking to Times Sport in a recent interview, Areruya relished the chance to get involved in many competitions with his new club, explaining that it will provide him with vast experience and composure to start competing for podium finishes with world’s elites in the near future.

"I am exactly where I need to be to become a better cyclist every day. I will raise my game through competitions, and with my new club, I have now a chance to get many competitions. In due time, I believe I will start competing for podium finishes,” he said.

In his first race, Areruya participated in the 2018 Rhône-Alpes Isère Tour, a 2.2 UCI Europe Tour race, and finished in the 68th position on the general classification, and 24th on the youth classification.

At the Vuelta a Aragón, his second race with Delko Marseille Provence KTM, he finished in the 89th position on the overall classification, and 21st in youth classification.

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