Following his dismal run of results in Rwanda Cycling Cup over the last two years, Jean Bosco Nsengimana has said that he is ready to fight for his declining career.

The 25-year old, champion of the 2015 Tour du Rwanda, will be looking to upset the odds when he leads his team Benediction Excel Energy into this year’s Lambert Byemayire Criterium in Huye District on Saturday.

Nsengimana was the winner of the race’s inaugural edition in April 2017, and he has never registered a single victory since.

Speaking to Saturday Sport on Friday, Nsengimana admitted the slump of his performance was concerning, but he felt strong and in good health to fight and turn things around.

"I feel strong now than I have ever felt in the past two years. I want to fight and make my presence felt again,” said the former Stradalli Bike-Aid rider.

"This weekend’s race should be a turning point. It would help me to put the past behind and focus on the present and future.”

The multi-category race is organised in memory of late Lambert Byemayire, the former vice-president of Rwanda Cycling Federation (Ferwacy) who died in November 2016.

In the elite men’s section, the riders will ride a 112km distance, which will be 20 laps in Huye Town. The men’s junior category will do 84 kilometres whereas women will be battling it out on a distance of 67.2 kilometres.

Nsengimana further stressed: "I want to be at the top again. I have won this race before, so I am well-familiar with the route.”

Besides being Ferwacy vice president, Byemayire was also president of Huye-based Cycling Club for All.

Byemayire Criterium is the fifth competition on this year’s Rwanda Cycling Cup, a year-round championship that provides benchmark training for competitive male and female riders through single-day road races.

Rwanda Cycling Cup was established in 2015, and has since kept Skol and Cogebanque as its main sponsors. Nsengimana claimed the inaugural edition.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com