Today

Stage 5 Mbanga – Bafang (121.5 km)

The National Cycling Team, Team Rwanda, will resume the hunt for their first stage victory this afternoon with Stage 5 race at the ongoing 15th edition of Tour du Cameroun.

Riders had a break on Wednesday following the completion of the four stages, of the total nine comprising the UCI 2.2 category race which returns with Stage five from Mbanga to Bafanga. The cyclists will be tested to a 121.5-Kilomètre ride.

Going into today’s stage, Felix Sempoma’s six riders will be seeking to add on their tally of seven stage wins since 2010 when Team Rwanda was first invited in the annual edition.

So far at this year’s event, Team Rwanda have lightly fallen short of a stage win twice, both from Patrick Byukusenge who finished second in Stage 1 last Saturday before taking the same position in Stage 4 on Tuesday.

"The race is still open and everything is still possible. We had a good rest time today (Wednesday), we hope to improve in the remaining stages. We are not going to give up until the last stage,” Team Rwanda coach Felix Sempoma told Times Sport in a telephone interview from Cameroun in Wednesday afternoon.

After four stages, French cyclist Noél Richet (10:27:47) still holds onto the yellow jersey while Byukusenge is in fourth spot, 63 seconds behind Ricket, as the best Rwandan rider.

Despite ranking in the 21st position, Team Rwanda’s Jean Bosco Nsengimana still holds the polka dots jersey since Stage 1 as the King of the Mountains.

In team classification, Team Rwanda are in third position behind Swiss side Martigues Sport Cyclisime and Dukla Banska Bystrica of Slovakia.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw