With the 2022 Rwandan Epic mountain bike race edging closer, team details are currently being released.

Rwandan rider Jean Eric Habimana will team up with five-time national champion of Lesotho, Tumelo Makae, ahead of the forthcoming Rwandan Epic 2022 race slated for November 1-2.

The rider is the reigning champion of the annual race and, with his Lesotho counterpart, will be looking to defend the title he won in March.

Tumelo said teaming up with Habimana is a timely reunion. The duo previously trained together at the UCI Centre in Switzerland.

"I personally know Eric when we spent time together at the UCI Center and trained with him on the road there. He is a great guy and I am looking forward to racing alongside him on the mountain bike (MTB),” he said.

"I’ve never been to the central African region but I am looking forward to being there at the Rwandan Epic especially racing alongside the person who will be defending the title. We will surely leave everything out there,” he added.

The duo will face stiff competition from top European mountain bike riders including Belgian duo Jens Schuermans and Frans Claes who are currently ranked among the top 10 mountain bike riders.

Unlike road cycling or Olympic Mountain biking, in stage races the competition is a contest of teams of two riders.

Habimana is at the Africa Rising Cycling Centre (ARCC) with Team Rwanda where he is combining training for road cycling and mountain biking to keep his pace up ahead of the race.

Rwandan Epic will be contested in five stages:

November 1: Mount Kigali

November 2: Shyorongi to Musanze Stadium

November 3: ARCC - Twin Lakes - ARCC

November 4: Kinigi (Kwita Izina grounds)

November 5: Mukamira-Rubavu Bralirwa

The final stage on November 5 is open for all amateur cyclists.