Cycling team eyes podium finish at continental championships

Team Rwanda has set a target to win a stage at the Africa continental cycling championships schedule to run from February 9-15 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. The national side that has been training for almost a month now since their return from the Tour of Egypt in Hurghada, is in a positive mood ahead of the weeklong event. The top eight riders will gain points towards the UCI Africa Tour while the top four teams on the tour will gain Olympic slots. “Our target is a podium finish for any of the riders. It is a significant race. It will be our most prepared for Continental Championship; however, it will also be the most competitive as the other countries will also be well prepared. This includes the individual time trial, women’s elite, men’s elite, juniors and the U-23 road races,” revealed Team Rwanda head coach Jonathan ‘Jock’ Boyer. The men’s elite team is comprised of the 2014 Tour du Rwanda winner Valens Ndayisenga, Janvier Hadi, Bosco Nsengimana, Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, Patrick Byukusenge, Joseph Biziyaremye and Emile Bitunimana, who will be joined by Olympian Adrien Niyonshuti. National women reigning champion Jean d’Arc Girubuntu will be the sole representative in the women’s elite race while Samuel Mugisha will compete in the junior boys’ event. The pair is currently training at the World Cycling Centre in South Africa where they have been since the first week of January. Hadi won bronze in the U-23 category at the 2013 edition in Egypt and will be hoping to make a mark on this year’s event that has attracted 26 African nations including traditional powerhouses Eritrea, Morocco and hosts South Africa. Rwanda is currently ranked second on the African continent. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Cycling team eyes podium finish at continental championships