The cycling governing body (FERWACY) has announced that the national cycling team will start training on January 5 ahead of the much-anticipated 13th edition of Tour du Rwanda.
The 8-stages race, which is one of the most prestigious cycling events on the continent, is slated from February 21-28.
Emmanuel Murenzi, the Cycling Federation’s Technical Director told Times Sport that the national cycling team will start training early to prepare riders as they target to go a step better at this year’s edition.
"There are things that we are working on and, if all goes according to plan, the national team will start training on January 5,” Murenzi said in a telephone interview.
No Rwandan rider has won the competition since it was upgraded to the UCI 2.1 category in 2019. Eritreans Merhawi Kudus and Natnael Tesfazion have won the race over the past two years, with the latter winning the competition ahead of Moise Mugisha.
Last month, Team Rwanda riders warned that winning the tournament on home soil could be dealt a huge blow if they don’t get new or well-maintained bikes ahead of Tour du Rwanda to avoid the challenge the team faced during the Cameroon race due to lack of spare parts.
Murenzi revealed that the federation will look for new cycling equipment to get local riders ready to end the Eritreans’ dominance.
"We will submit an order for some 12 new bikes this week as well as new spare parts for available racing bikes. Recently, there has been a shortage in bike supply after a number of racing bike and bike spare parts manufacturers postponed their production activities due to the covid-19 pandemic,” he explained and added that…
"If the bikes come on time prior to the Tour du Rwanda, they will use them but, in the meantime, we are doing our best to make sure that available bikes have high-standard spare parts for cyclists to perform well at the competition.”
Search for new head coach underway
Murenzi explained that the selection of riders who will represent the national team will be done shortly after the New Year as soon as the new head coach is unveiled.
He said the federation is in touch with the Ministry of Sports about the negotiations process with different candidates.
The new head coach, he said, will be announced before the end of December this year.
The coaching role for Team Rwanda Cycling has been vacant since the cycling governing body decided against extending the contract of Magnell Sterling.
His deputy, Felix Sempoma, took over as caretaker during the national team’s victorious campaign at the Grand Prix Chantal Biya which saw Moise Mugisha emerge the overall winner.
Team Rwanda is one of three cycling teams expected to represent the country at the competition alongside two other UCI Continental teams, Skol Adrien Cycling Academy and Benediction Cycling Team.