Etienne Tuyizere on Sunday won his maiden senior race following a stunning performance at the 2023 Heroes Cycling Cup in Kigali. Tuyizere, who rides for Benediction Kitei Pro 2020, won the race after covering 116 kilometres in three hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds. The youngster made a breakaway to the finish line at BK Arena to move 63 seconds clear ahead of Jean Eric Habimana of debutants Inovotec and Vainqueur Masengesho, with the former using his experience to claim the second place on sprint. The riders used the itinerary road departing from BK Arena- COGEBANQUE-Gasabo District Office-Radio Tele 10-RDB-SP Gishushu-MTN-AutoXpress-Kibagabaga-ORYX Station-ENGEN Station-Igicumbi cy’Intwari-BK Arena. Men elites and U-23 raced 10 laps while men juniors and women elites did eight laps with 92,8 kilometres as women juniors competed for six laps of 69,6 kilometres. Xaverine Nirere (Individual) won the race in women's category after clocking 92.8km in 3h07'25”. Nirere put an incredible 10'25 gap between her and second-placed Josiane Mukashema of Benediction Club while Djazilla Mwamikazi of Les Amis Sportifs came third. In the women's junior category, Mariatha Byukusenge of Bugesera Cycling Club won the race after clocking 2h30'09 to race 69.6km. She had a three-second lead ahead of teammates Aline Uwera and Charlotte Iragena who came second and third respectively. Meanwhile, Didier Niyonkuru (Kayonza Y.) won the men juniors race in a tightly-contested sprint, clocking 2h51'50 for a total distance of 92.8km to cross the finish line ahead of Moise Ntirenganya (Les Amis Sportifs) and Espoir Uhiriwe (Nyabihu Cycling Club) who completed the podium. Organised annually by Rwanda’s Cycling governing body (Ferwacy) in collaboration with the National Heroes, Medals and Rings of Commendation (CHENO), the competition aims at educating young people on the culture of heroism ahead of Heroes’ Day. The day, which is celebrated on February 1, will this year be marked under the theme Heroism among Rwandans, Our Value.”
