Europe exposure will make transition to professional riding better,-Fly Club Coach

Line-up of the European races 1. Desselgem (86.7km) – July 7th 2. Menen-Kemmel-Menen (126.9km) – July 11th 3. Dentergrem (84.5km) – July 14th 4. Zottegem-Strijpen (88km) – July 15th 5. Zottegem-Strijpen (88km) – July 16th 6. Opwijk (96.6km) – July 18th 7. Veldegem (91.4km) – July 21st 8. Tielt (84km) – July 22nd 9. Izegem (96km) – July 23rd 10. Johan Museeuw Classic GP Stad Gistel (120km) – July 28th 11. Veldegem (91.4km) – July 29th Fly Cycling Club head coach Jordan Lewis Mathes has relished the opportunity provided to his junior riders by Skol Brewery Limited to discover European races and labeled it a great chance to make their transition to professional riding easy and better. On Tuesday, Skol Brewery Limited announced that they would sponsor six teenage riders from the Kigali-based club for their maiden trip to Europe in Belgium in which they will feature in a total eleven races for close to a month. “We are taking Rwanda’s most talented cyclists to Belgium to expose them to new racing conditions and give them an early experience to ease their transition to professional riding and professional racing,” said Mathes The team is scheduled to depart today (Thursday) and is expected back in the country on July 31 after the conclusion of the races. This is the first time for a junior Rwandan team to compete outside the country for such a long time on a private company’s sponsorship with the objective of giving exposure to young and promising cycling talent on international scene. In 2016, the national team (Team Rwanda) was invited to take part in the illustrious Ride London Classic, Britain’s greatest one-day bike race which was the team’s first UK tour. The four U23 riders that took part later went on to race professionally and these are 2015 Tour du Rwanda winner Jean Bosco Nsengimana who later went on to ride for Germany continental team Bike Aid Germany, Samuel Mugisha who is currently with Dimension Data for Qhubeka continental team. Others are Jean Claude Uwizeye now with French Club Pays Olonne Cycliste Côte de Lumière (POCCL) and Joseph Areruya now with French UCI continental professional club Delko–Marseille Provence KTM, the reigning Tour du Rwanda and Gabon’s La Tropicale Amissa Bongo champion. “The boys will be racing against top junior teams and riders from all over the world and we are going to be there for one month doing eleven races with six most talented young riders under 18 years of age,” he added The roster is also comprised of Yves Nkurunziza, Individual Time Trial (ITT) silver medalist at this year’s Africa Continental Championships and Joseph Areruya’s young brother, Bernabe Gahemba Uhoranangoga. Full 6-rider roster for the European trip Jean Eric Habimana (Fly), Felicien Hakizimana (Fly), Jean Bapitiste Nsabimana (Fly), Jean Claude Nzafashwanayo (Club Benediction), Yves Nkurunziza (Club Benediction) and Bernabe Gahemba Uhorananingoga (Les Amis Sportifs) editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Europe exposure will make transition to professional riding better,-Fly Club Coach