Niyonshuti eyes Tour du Rwanda

RWANDA’S lead professional cyclist Adrien Niyonshuti is optimistic he will be in good health to compete in this year’s Tour du Rwanda scheduled for November 17-24.After being ruled out of action since February due to a blood clot, the MTN Qhubeka rider has been holding indoor training of recent and believes he will take part in the event.Speaking to Times Sport recently, Niyonshuti said, “I am fine and looking forward to participate in the Tour du Rwanda. I am really praying hard and I hope God will hear my prayers and ensure that I take part in the event without any concerns (health-wise).”“Currently, I am training hard, fee healthier and I have to remain positive ahead of the event,” added Niyonshuti, who finished in 9th position last year.Six months after he was forced to take a complete break from racing due to a problem with deep vein thrombosis, Niyonshuti is making a steady recovery from the career threatening illness.The problem arose for the MTN Qhubeka rider after he took a flight from Rwanda in mid January. He experienced swelling in his right calf; when assessed by doctors, they discovered that he had suffered deep vein thrombosis (DVT) complicated by pulmonary emboli. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition in which a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one or more of the deep veins in your body, usually in your legs.Due to the dangers of the situation, Niyonshuti was immediately hospitalised and given essential treatment. After his release, he was put on blood thinners and told to rest.Niyonshuti expects to complete anticoagulant [blood thinning] treatment in November and hopefully, he will be allowed to train outdoors and compete in the Tour, which is ranked second in Africa behind Tropically Amiss Bongo Tour.The Tour of Rwanda has registered a record participation this year. Sixteen teams from Africa, Europe and the Americas will take part in the event.Two vocational teams are involved (Team Novo Nordisk (USA), Team Sovac of Algeria). Hosts Rwanda will be represented by three teams: Akagera, Karisimbi and Muhabura.The Tour of Rwanda consists of seven stages and a prologue making 819 km in total, through all the provinces of the Land of Thousand Hills.

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Niyonshuti eyes Tour du Rwanda