Coming off the heels of our breakout year in 2011, Team Rwanda is already well into planning for 2012. Our biggest event this year undoubtedly will be Adrien Niyonshuti’s participation in the London Olympic Games in the XC Mountain Biking Event. Adrien is preparing for this event with several mountain bike races the first quarter of the year capping off the quarter with the Cape Epic, a race he took best African and finished 9th overall last year; his best showing.

Training camps will gear up first thing after the New Year. The riders will be making their way to Musanze on January 9th for a series of 36 week long camps in 2012.

Nicodem, Gasore and Janvier head to the UCI Training Center in South Africa the first of February for two months. This will be twenty year old, Janvier’s first time on a plane! His performance at this year’s Tour of Rwanda secured his place as the future of Team Rwanda. Team Rwanda is also hoping to send two riders to the UCI Center in Switzerland as we did in 2011. We are also partnering with the USOC in Colorado Springs, CO to bring three riders and two staff for a 4-6 week training and racing session in June.

The first major race of the season will be the Tour of Morocco in March, followed by the Tour of Amissa Bongo in Gabon in April, our first trip to the Tour of Eritrea in June and then our very own Kwita Izina, UCI sanctioned race in Rwanda June 10-11. In addition to international races, the Rwandan Cycling Federation is hosting monthly races throughout Rwanda for all local cyclists including women! Early summer 2012 Team Rwanda will return for its second appearance at the Tour of Rio de Janeiro.

The end of 2012 will include the Rwandan National Championships in October, Continental Championships and of course, the Tour of Rwanda in November.

Finally, our documentary, Rising From Ashes, has been completed and we are hoping for a worldwide premiere in early 2012. There are many exciting recent developments with this five year labor of love telling the story of the riders of Team Rwanda. Stay tuned for more information, movie trailers and release dates.

Team Rwanda would like to thank all of our sponsors for being a part of our growth and success in 2011. Support the companies that support the men and women of Team Rwanda!

Louis Garneau, Vittoria Tires, Campagnolo, LOOK, Sidi, Jagwire, Reynolds, Cinelli, Cateye, DeFeet and our Rwandan companies, Fina Bank and Tigo.