Ndayisenga, Uwizeyimana nominated for African cyclist of the year award

TOUR DU RWANDA winner Valens Ndayisenga and teammate Bonaventure Uwizeyimana have been nominated for the 2014 African cyclist of the year award. The 20-year-old Ndayisenga who is also currently ranked sixth on the continent made the list alongside 14 other prominent riders in Africa including the 2014 African champion Mekseb Debesay from Eritrea. “I am very pleased with this news and I cannot begin to explain how much joy I have right now but most importantly I would like to thank my teammates and management of Team Rwanda Cycling and Ferwacy for all the support they have offered,” Ndayisenga said in an interview with Times Sport. Uwizeyimana who won a stage at the La Tropicale Amissa Bongo tour in Gabon from Lambaréné toKango, a distance of 143km that he clocked in 3:16:31 has also been included on the prestigious list. A fortnight ago Ndayisenga became the first Rwandan to win the annual Tour du Rwanda since it became a part of the UCI Africa Tour calendar that had been previously won by Moroccan, American, Eritrean and South African riders. This is the second year in a row that Ndayisenga is being nominated for the coveted continental award as last year he was on the 24-man shortlist alongside teammate Janvier Hadi. Back then, Hadi had won bronze at the Africa continental championships in Egypt and Ndayisenga at 19 was the youngest rider to win a stage at the Tour du Rwanda. Last year’s award was won by Louis Meintjes from South Africa, a stage winner at the 2013 Tour du Rwanda who is in the running again for this year’s recognition. The list also includes Daryl Impey from South Africa who became the first African to wear the yellow jersey at the Tour de France last year as well as 2012 African rider of the year Natnael Berhane from Eritrea. The final vote of the jury chaired by five-time Tour de France winner Bernard Hinault will be announced on December 19. African Cyclist of the Year nominees: Bonaventure Uwizeyimana (Rwanda), Valens Ndayisenga (Rwanda), Adil Barbari (Algeria), Natnael Berhane (Eritrea), Issiaka Cisse (Ivory Coast), Dan Craven (Namibia), Frekalsi Debesay (Eritrea), Mekseb Debesay (Eritrea), Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Eritrea), Daryl Impey (South Africa), Jacques Janse van Rensburg (South Africa), Azzedine Lagab (Algeria), Mouhssine Lahsaini (Morocco), Louis Meintjes (South Africa), Salaheddine Mraouni (Morocco).

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Ndayisenga, Uwizeyimana nominated for African cyclist of the year award