Former Tour du Rwanda stage winner Timothy Rugg has relished the opportunity to race Tour du Rwanda for a second time at its upcoming 10th edition come August 5-12.

At this year’s race, the last edition with a UCI 2.2 category badge, Rugg will be riding for Germany’s Team Embrace the World – which will be making its debut appearance in Rwanda.

The 32-year old America rider made his debut to the annual UCI Africa Tour race in 2016 together with Canada-based Team LowestRates that was also making their debut, astonishingly claiming the opening prologue race and one more stage (Stage 3) to his name.

He finished 11th on the general classification, and fourth in the mountain classification.

While revealing his return to Tour du Rwanda on Wednesday, the former Bike Aid rider could not hide his excitement via his official Instagram handle, "Two stage wins, a yellow jersey, new friends, adventure, and an incredible business opportunity still developing since my participation in Tour du Rwanda two years ago,” he wrote

"Against my better judgment knowing that it is unlikely that I could have another tour as magical as I did in 2016, I’m going back in one month!”

"I have the honor to race with Embrace the World Cycling after having a great introduction to the team, riders, and mission in Algeria earlier this season by Benjamin Stauder and getting to race on a team with Dan Craven and others,” part of the statement further reads.

During the 8th Tour du Rwanda, in 2016, Rugg won the 3.3km prologue race after posting 4 minutes and 25 microseconds before claiming Stage 3 (Kivu-belt race), a 115.9 km ride between Karongi and Rusizi districts in 3 hours, 18 minutes and 16 seconds.

Team Embrace the World is among the seven debutant teams on the 16-team peloton at this year’s Tour du Rwanda as confirmed by Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY) last month.

The other six newcomers include; Algeria’s Groupement Sportif Petrolier, Angola’s Bai Sicasal, Marc Pro Gym One and Team Novo Nordisk Pro cycling of the United States, South Africa’s Team Sampada as well as France’s Pays des Olonnes Cycliste Côte de Lumière.

Also confirmed to take part of the eight-stage race are; Team Rwanda, Club Benediction and Les Amis Sportifs (both Rwanda), Kenyan Riders Safaricom, South Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Swiss side Team Loup Suisse Romandie and Team Haute-Savoie Rhone-Alpes of France.

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