Fly Cycling Club head coach Jordan Lewis Mathes has hailed his riders for the great work done during their maiden trip to Belgium last month.
Mathes labeled the trip and series of races they participated in Europe as ‘enormous success’ while speaking to Times Sport upon the team’s landing at Kigali International Airport yesterday.
Fly Cycling Club’s six youngsters had been in Belgium since July 5 where they featured in a eleven races in what was their maiden trip to Europe – sponsored by Skol Brewery Limited.
According to the coach, the overall objective of the trip was to give the young talents exposure and experience to race on international scene.
"The trip was enormous success; it’s a stepping stone for the young riders going forward – they got to learn how to race in different (terrain and weather) conditions. It was very tough at the beginning, with some riders failing to finish some races, but we progressively gained confidence and started registering some top-ten finishes – and all riders finishing the races,” Mathes said.
The six teen riders included; Jean Eric Habimana (Fly), Felicien Hakizimana (Fly), Jean Bapitiste Nsabimana (Fly), Jean Claude Nzafashwanayo (Club Benediction), Yves Nkurunziza (Club Benediction) and Bernabe Gahemba Uhorananingoga (Les Amis Sportifs).
Hakizimana was the first youngster to grab a top ten finish during the third, out of eleven, race Dentergrem (84.5km) that was staged on July 14 – finishing in eighth position – before Nkurunziza finished seventh at Zottegem-Strijpen (88km) on July 16.
Six days later, Habimana rose to the spotlight to complete top ten at Tielt (84km) race.
"The guys have learnt a lot technically, and matured a lot tactically. They can now comfortably race in strong winds and tackle sharp corners with ease. If we happen to host the World Championships (in 2025) since Rwanda is considering bidding for it, I believe from these boys we can get good riders for the event,” he added.
This was the first time for a Rwandan junior team to compete outside the country for such a long time on a private company’s sponsorship.
In 2016, the national team (Team Rwanda) was invited to take part in the illustrious Ride London Classic, Britain’s greatest one-day bike race, which was the team’s first UK tour.
The then four U23 riders that took part went on to race professionally, and these include 2015 Tour du Rwanda winner Jean Bosco Nsengimana, who was later signed by Germany’s UCI continental team Stradalli Bike Aid Germany, and Samuel Mugisha, who is currently with Italy-based South Africa’s Dimension Data for Qhubeka.
Others are Jean Claude Uwizeye, now with French Club Pays Olonne Cycliste Côte de Lumière (POCCL), and Joseph Areruya, who plies his trade at French UCI continental professional club Delko–Marseille Provence KTM.
Areruya is the reigning Tour du Rwanda and Gabon’s La Tropicale Amissa Bongo champion.
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