Tour of Rwanda kicks off

Top cyclists hit the road Sunday in the eighth edition of Tour of Rwanda cycling race.

Sunday's event is a prologue of 3.3 kilometers around Amahoro national stadium in Kigali.

The event has attracted 70 riders, featuring 15 teams, six national teams including Rwanda, Cameroon, Eritrea, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Algeria.

Rwanda has 15 riders split into three teams: Team Rwanda, Les Amis Sportif de Rwamagana and Benediction Club- five riders each.

Other competitors include four International Cycling Union (UCI) continental teams, from Kenya, South-Africa, Israel and Germany.

Four other clubs from different countries including Team Lowest rates.Com from Canada appearing for the first time, Team Haute-Savoie Rhone-Alpes of France and Team Furniture Decarte from Switzerland are in the race.

After the prologue, competition will resume on Monday with Stage 1 where the riders will race on Kigali-Ngoma road, a distance of 96.4 kilometers while Stage 2 on Tuesday will cover 124.7 kilometers from Kigali Convention Center to Karongi in western Rwanda.

The championship will conclude on November 20 after covering a distance of slightly more than 819 kilometers in seven stages.

Stage 3 on Nov. 16 will take the rider on Karongi-Rusizi road covering a distance of 115.9 kilometers while Stage 4 on Nov. 17 will cover Rusizi-Huye road with a distance of 140.7 kilometers.

Stage 5 on Nov. 18 will the riders on Muhanga-Musanze road, covering a distance of 125.8 kilometers while Stage 6 - Nov. 19 will cover a distance of 103.9 kilometers from Musanze to Kigali Regional Stadium.

Stage 7 on Nov. 20 will cover 108.0 km around Kigali Amahoro Stadium.

Rwandan riders have dominated the previous two editions.

Rwandan riders have won 10 stages since 2009, behind Eritrea with 15 stage wins. Endit