Rwandan cyclists put up a typical show on the opening day of the Cape Epic Mountain Bike race in South Africa on Saturday.

Rwanda was represented by  two teams; A and B. Team A included Abraham Ruhumuriza and Nyandwi Uwase while team B had  Jean de Dieu Rafiki and Tom Ritchey, who also the team’s coach.

Abraham Ruhumuriza and Nyandwi Uwase came in the 55 place after clocking 53 minutes and 44 seconds, while Rafiki Uwimana and Tom Ritchey finished in the 62nd position after clocking 54 minutes and 28 seconds.

Meanwhile, the pair of Adrien Niyonshuti and Nathan Byukusenge representing MTN Rwanda at the event finished 20th and 26th respectively.

Niyonshuti clocked 47 minutes and 3 seconds while Byukusenge clocked 51 minutes and 45 seconds.

Day one winners were Burry Stander (South Africa) and Christoph Sauser (Switzerland) after clocking 40 minutes and 58 seconds.

Over 1200 riders from 46 countries are taking part in the eight day race which covers 685 km.

The Absa Cape Epic is an annual 8-stage (9-day) mountain bike team race through South Africa’s Western Cape. Each participating team consists of two riders.

The Cape Epic is the largest full-service mountain bike stage race in the world and the most televised mountain bike race of all time. A new route is designed each year and the race is entirely off-road.

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