Friday Stage 1: Team Time Trial (7km)

TEAM Rwanda riders are optimistic to launch a strong bid for the 2019 Tour du Faso victory when the race gets underway with individual time trial (ITT) on Friday.

The opening 7km Team Time Trial (TTT) will be followed by Stage 2 on Saturday, a distance of 150.5km from Nagréongo to Tenkodogo.

The ten-stage race will see the riders – a total of 90 – from 15 teams competing over a combined distance of 1,074.5 kilometres across Burkina Faso.

Speaking to Times Sport in a telephone interview on Thursday, Coach Felix Sempoma backed his youthful riders to be among the challengers for the race’s coveted yellow jersey.

"All the riders have a healthy level of confidence and determination to fight together as a team,” said Sempoma. "I know that we have to work very hard, but I also think I would not be wrong to say that we are among challengers for the title. We are here to win the race.”

Led by the 2018 Tour du Rwanda champion, Samuel Mugisha, the six-man team also comprises Seth Hakizimana, Moise Mugisha, Didier Munyaneza, Jean-Claude Uwizeye and Jean-Claude Nzafashwanayo.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com