STERLING Magnell, the national cycling team head coach, has summoned elite riders to start training ahead of the 2020 season, which they will start with the 15th La Tropicale Amissa Bongo.

The 12-man team is based at the Musanze-based Africa Rising Cycling Centre (ARCC), also known as the home of Team Rwanda.

The Gabonese race, for a long regarded as Africa’s biggest cycling competition, is due February 20-26. Rwanda will be one of the eight African national teams in the 7-stage race.

Star rider Joseph Areruya is part of the team in camp, which was called on Thursday, and it is likely that he will lead Team Rwanda in Gabon, although the final 6-man roster will not be announced until a few days to the team’s departure mid-January.

Should he make it to the team, Areruya, 23, will be bidding for a second Amissa Bongo title following his historic 2018 victory.

Also part of the team is Samuel Mugisha, winner of the 2018 Tour du Rwanda, and the reigning Tour du Sénégal champion, Didier Munyaneza. 

Full list of riders in training:

Samuel Mugisha, Moise Mugisha, Barnabe Gahembe, Renus Uhirwe, Jean-Eric Habimana, Jean-Claude Uwizeye, Patrick Byukusenge, Jean-Claude Nzafashwanayo, Eric Manizabayo, Didier Munyaneza, Yves Nkurunziza and Janvier Rugamba.