La Tropicale Amissa Bongo 2020

Stage 1 January 20: Bitam – Ebolowa  (150 km)

Stage 2 January 21: Bitam – Oyem  (110 km)

Stage 3 January 22: Mitzic – Ndjolé  (180 km)

Stage 4 January 23: Lambaréné – Mouila  (190 km)

Stage 5 January 24: Lambaréné – Kango  (145 km)

Stage 6 January 25: Port Gentil – Port Gentil  (130 km)

Stage 7 January 26: Nkok – Libreville  (130 km)

The national cycling team – also known as Team Rwanda – has begun early preparations ahead of the upcoming Tropicale Amissa Bongo and Tour du Rwanda, both scheduled for early 2020.

The 2020 Amissa Bongo is due from January 20 to 26, with a record distance of 1,035 kilometres under 7 stages, while the Tour du Rwanda – on its second edition as a 2.1 category race – will take place in February.

Sterling Magnell, the head coach of Team Rwanda, has summoned the country’s elite riders for early training at the Africa Rising Cycling Centre (ARCC) in Musanze District with aim to win races next year after a testing 2019 season.

For the first time since 2013, the Tour du Rwanda’s Yellow Jersey went to a foreign rider this year – through Eritrean Merhawi Kudus – and neither did Team Rwanda win a race outside the country.

The riders in training at ARCC comprise two former Tour du Rwanda winners Joseph Areruya and Samuel Mugisha, and former national champion Didier Munyaneza. Others include this year’s Tour de la RD Congo winner Jean Claude Nzafashwanayo, Moise Mugisha, Jean Claude Uwizeye, Renus Byiza Uhiriwe, Yves Nkurunziza, Jean Eric Habimana and Barbane Gahemba.

Speaking to Sunday Sport on Saturday, Magnell said that La Tropicale, which will at one stage cross from Gabon to neighbouring Cameroon, will once again mark great beginnings of the new international cycling season.

"I am rebuilding a bit after the past year where (I think) we’ve lost a bit of momentum.”

editor@newtimesrwanda.com