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Uwizeyimana Wins Race to Remember

by Bonnie Mugabe
4:16 am

Bonaventure Uwizeyimana is the champion

Reigning Tour du Cameroon champion and Benediction club rider Bonaventure Uwizeyimana won the 130.3km third leg of the elite men & U23 of Rwanda Cycling Cup held on Saturday from Kigali City to Nyanza District.

The race to remember, which started at Gitikinyoni heading to Nyanza in the Southern Province on Saturday morning, is organised every year to commemorate the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Uwizeyimana who made history by becoming the first Rwandan to win the Tour du Cameroun last Sunday, soloed to the finish line ahead of Gasore Hategeka (Nyabihu Cycling Club) in second while Didier Munyaneza (Benediction Club) was the third to cross the line.

This is the second time that Uwizeyimana has won a leg of the Rwanda Cycling Cup. The star rider won last month’s Farmer’s Circuit held from Kayonza to Muhanga after clocking 3 hours, 13 minutes and 54 seconds, beating Nyahibu Cycling Club’s veteran Gasore Hategeka who crossed the finish-line 24 seconds behind.

In the women category were riders rode 97.6km from Kamonyi to Nyanza, Benediction club rider Nzayisenga Valentine won the race in2h38’19″, coming ahead of club mates Tuyishimire Jacqueline and Ingabire Diane.

In the men’s junior category, fly rider Nsabimana Jean Baptista won the 97.6km race, coming ahead of Muhazi’s Uhiriwebyiza Renus and Nzafashwanayo Jean Claude from Benediction club.

The 2018 Rwanda Cycling Cup series which begun on March 24, will conclude with a circuit in Kigali on December 15.

Run by Rwanda Cycling Federation, the Cycling Cup races provide benchmark training for competitive male and female riders through single- day road races.

Meanwhile, other sporting federations namely; Cricket, Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis, Athletics, Taekwondo, Kungfu, NPC and Chess among others are holding their respective reserved Genocide Memorial Tournaments this month.

 Rwanda Cycling Cup

Race to Remember Winners (Top 5)

Kigali-Nyanza (130.3km

Men Elite & U23

1. Uwizeyimana Bonaventure (Benediction Club) 3h36’49

2. Gasore Hategeka (Nyabihu Cycling Club) 3h38’19

3. Munyaneza Didier (Benediction Club) 3h42’39

4. Hakizimana Seth (Amis Sportifs) 3h43’45

5. Byukusenge Patrick (Benediction Club) 3h48’47

Women

Kamonyi-Nyanza (97.6km)

1. Nzayisenga Valentine (Benediction Club) 2h38’19″

2. Tuyishimire Jacqueline (Benediction Club) 2h38’20″

3. Ingabire Diane (Benediction Club) 2h38’50″

4. Nirere Xaverine (Amis Sportif) 2h39’00

5. Mukundente Genevieve (Benediction Club) 2h43’56

Juniors (Men)

Kamonyi-Nyanza (97.6km)

1. Nsabimana Jean Baptista (Fly) 2h52’03

2. Uhiriwebyiza Renus (Muhazi) 2h54’03

3. Nzafashwanayo Jean Claude (Benediction) 2h54’03

4. Habimana Jean Luc (Fly) 2h54’03

5. Niyonshuti Jean Pierre (Fly) 2h54’03