Benediction retain Ascension de Mille Collines title

YesterdayPos. Team Time1 Benediction 11h 40 022 CCA Huye 11h 54 123 Kiramuruzi 11h 54 564 Rwamagana 12h 04 57 They won it last year, they were touted as overwhelming favourites and they lived up to the hype. Rubavu based Benediction cycling club yesterday showed their gulf in class when they won the Ascension de Mille Collines tour 12 minutes ahead of their closet challengers Cycling For All.Benediction which poses Team Rwanda riders like Hadi Janvier, Nathan Byukusenge, Emile Bintunimana and Joseph Biziyaremye used 11 hours, 40 minutes and 2 seconds in the 145km race.Huye based Cycling for All club which has veterans like Nicodem Habiyambere, Obed Ruvogera and Kwita Izina cycling tour winner Abraham Ruhumuriza came in second after clocking 11 hours, 54 minutes and 12 seconds.Kiramuruzi came in third place while Rwamgana, famous for producing the country’s top elite rider-South Africa based Adrien Niyonshuti finished in 4th position.The high light of the race was when 14-year old Rukundo, son of late former cyclist Emmanuel Turatsinze completed the gruelling 145km race under the scorching sun. His heroics were rewarded with a top of the art cycling bike worth Rwf1m from Rwanda Cycling Federation president Aimable Bayingana.The other clubs that took part are: Fly (Gasabo), Abahizi, Rapide (Kicukiro), Ciné Elmay (Nyarugenge) and Satelite from Kayonza.Benediction won a cash prize of Rwf400, 000 while the runners-up and third placed team bagged Rwf300, 000 and 200,000, respectively. The fourth placed team walked away with Rwf100, 000.The Ascension de Mille Collines is the final race in an action packed month that saw Team Rwanda riders compete in the Tour of Eritrea and Kwita Izina cycling tour.