Ruhumuriza spiced up for Tour de Rwanda

ABRAHAM Ruhumuriza has now set his sights on Tour de Rwanda after a historic win in the two-day Inaugural Kwita Izina challenge tour which climaxed on Sunday. The four-time Tour de Rwanda champion beat a legion of 38 cyclists from Rwanda and Uganda to become the first winner of the 358km competition. Ruhumuriza, who featured for Rubavu club reigned supreme after clocking ten hours, fifty-nine minutes and twelve seconds (10:59:12). His club mate and rival Uwase Nyandwi took second place after clocking eleven hours, six minutes and twenty-nine seconds (11:06:29) while Rwanda’s upcoming star Nicodem Habiyambere from Cine Elmay finished third after clocking eleven hours, fourteen minutes and fifty-seven seconds (11:14:57). Although Ruhumuriza who turns 30 in July is eager to make a name for himself come November, he is refusing to let his latest success go to his head. “I will not let this win distract me. I will simply concentrate on the task at hand and see how it goes,” he said. Ruhumuriza pocketed Rwf 0.5 million while Nyandwi and Habiyambere walked away Rwf 400.000 and Rwf 300.000 richer. After a successful event, it has emerged that Kwita Izina will now be held annually. “We are grateful to the cycling federation for organising such a colourful competition and we have decided to sponsor it every year,” the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Tourism and Conservation Office, Chantal Rosette Rugamba said during the prize giving session. In November, Ruhumuriza together with his Rwandan counterparts will line up along side top cyclists from Africa and Europe in the lucrative Tour de Rwanda which was recently incorporated into the African leg of the International Cycling Union (ICU) calendar. The 1069km tour will attract cyclists from France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Greece, USA, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Morocco and Egypt among others. A whooping 17000 Euros (Rwf.13.2 million) has been staked as prize money. Ends

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Ruhumuriza spiced up for Tour de Rwanda