2017 Tour du Rwanda roadmap unveiled

2017 Tour du Rwanda stages November 12: Prologue: 3.3kmNovember 13: Stage 1 Kigali-Huye 120.3kmNovember 14: Stage 2 Nyanza- Rubavu 180kmNovember 15: Stage 3 Rubavu-Musanze 95kmNovember 16: Stage 4 Musanze-Nyamata 121kmNovember 17: Stage 5 Nyamata-Rwamagana 93.1kmNovember 18: Stage 6 Kayonza-Kigali 86.3kmNovember 19: Stage 7 Kigali-Kigali 120kmThe highly anticipated roadmap for the 2017 edition of the prestigious Tour du Rwanda was on Wednesday unveiled by Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY) in Kigali.The ninth edition of 2.2 UCI Africa road race tour is scheduled to tee off on November 12 and will run until 19.In order to give chance to all Rwandans to enjoy what is fast becoming the most exciting sporting event of the year, this year’s edition will cover all the five provinces of the country namely Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern and City of Kigali.This year’s edition which has a total of seven stages on top of the opening prologue race will cover a total distance of 819 kilometres; almost the same distance as last year’s that covered 819.km.The eight-day event will have three new stages and will for the first-time head to Nyamata town (Bugesera District). The four new stages include stage two on November 14 that will start from Nyanza town heading to the lakeside town of Rubavu, a distance that will cover 180km.The Nyanza-Rubavu leg will be the longest and most difficult with a total of six climbers.The other new stage is Stage Four that will take place on November 16 starting from Musanze town (Northern Province) to Nyamata town, Bugesera District (Eastern Province) covering 121 kilometers.Another stage introduced this year is Stage Five slated for November 17 that will start from Nyamata and head to Rwamagana (all in the Eastern Province) with the riders peddling 93.1 kilometres with stage six, the penultimate set for November 18 the other new race that will start from Kayonza town to Kigali covering 86.3 kilometres.“I can reveal that the preparations for Tour du Rwanda 2017 are pretty going on well and as you have seen we have shown you the stages, we tried everything possible to find new routes that even those Rwandans in different parts of the country can get a chance to watch this time,” said Aimable Bayingana, the FERWACY president.“Honestly, these are difficult stages that will show us great competition among the riders that will compete in this year’s Tour du Rwanda,” he added. FERWACY President Aimable Bayingana addresses media during the press conference yesterday. / Sam Ngendahimana Stage four that will go from Musanze to Nyamata will allow riders to discover a new city-stage while the famous “Wall of Kigali”, key-point of the short but very muscular stage in its final, will be tasted on the penultimate stage; Kayonza-Kigali.According to Bayingana, the teams that will participate in this year’s edition will be announced towards the end of August however it is highly expected that Rwanda will again have three teams that will include the national team (Team Rwanda) and two clubs which are Club Benediction and Les Amis Sportif de Rwamagana.He added that this year’s budget will fall between Rwf400m and Rwf460m.Rwanda’s Valens Ndayisenga, currently with Austria’s Tirol Cycling Team, is the reigning champion.The four-time record stage winner of Tour du Rwanda is the only rider to have won the annual event twice (2014 and 2016) since it became part of UCI Africa Tour in 2009.

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2017 Tour du Rwanda roadmap unveiled