Yesterday

(Stage 3) Rubavu-Kigali 158km

1) J.Biziyaremye (RWA) 4h 34 232) A.Getachew (ETH) 4h 37 093) H.Gebremariam (ETH) 4h 37 094) G.Mulubrhan (ETH) 4h 37 115) N.Byukusenge (RWA) 4h 37 116) L.Azzedine (ALG) 4h 37 197) A.Ruhumuriza (RWA) 4h 37 19General Classification

1) A.Ruhumuriza (RWA) 9h 12 552) L.Azzedine (ETH) 9h 12 583) J.Biziyaremye (RWA) 9h 13 026) N.Byukusenge (RWA) 9h 14 268) E.Rudahunga (RWA) 9h 16 119) Hadi Janvier (RWA) 9h 16 2910) G.Hategeka (RWA) 9h 17 15FOR the first time ever, a Rwandan has won an international cycling competition.

Veteran rider and four time Tour of Rwanda winner Abraham Ruhumuriza yesterday won the Kwita izina cycling tour for the second time but this time, the victory was sweeter because the competition is now an International event listed on the UCI calendar.

The 33-year old Ruhumuriza, who has the strength to rival his younger opponents, used 9 hours 12 minutes and 55 seconds, three seconds less than his closest challenger Lagab Azzedine from Algeria.

Youngster Joseph Biziyaremye, who only started competitive cycling last year, won stage 3 thanks to many training clinics and international competitions he has done in the last 18 months.Another veteran rider Nathan Byukusenge finished in 5th place while Emmanuel Rudahunga, Hadi Janvier and Gasore Hategeka came in 8th, 9th and 10th positions respectively.

Ruhumuriza was the star man after walking off with the coveted yellow jersey for winning the race and the blue jersey for being the best Rwandan rider in the competition. The rider earned Rwf0.6m in the two-day event.

Algeria’s Lagab Azzedine won the White with Red spots Jersey for being the best climber in the mountain ranking while Ethiopia’s Gebrehans Mulubrhan walked off with the White Jersey for being the best young rider.

Rwanda’s Team Karisimbi won in the team category.Team Rwanda coach Jonathan Boyer attributed the solid performance from the riders to the "many cycling competitions that the team has participated in since the start of the year.” Rwanda has taken part in the Tour of Gabon, Tour of Morocco and Tour of Eritrea among other local competitions.

The Kwita Izina cycling tour was sponsored by Rwanda Development Board to a tune of Rwf71m and this year’s theme for the race is Sustainable tourism for a Green Economy.

ostine.arinaitwe@newtimes.co.rw