Kenyans hit the ground cycling
Abraham Ruhumuriza (left) leads Rwanda’s elite riders in the Kwita Izina Cycling Tour race with Ethiopians in close pursuit. Ruhumuriza won the two-day race that comprised three stages in Rwanda’s hilly countryside. Photo/MOHAMMED AMIN
Kenya’s national cycling team members are finally down to business, having entered in several international races.
A squad of seven cyclists, led by national head coach Simon Blake is in France for a month’s specialised training.
They will then compete in three gruelling championships on some of the scenic routes that host the annual Tour de France from July 8.
Seven other cyclists, mostly fast-rising youngsters, were in Rwanda for last weekend’s annual Kwita Izina Tour in Kigali, a prelude to November’s Tour de Rwanda that features on the international cycling calendar.
The Kwita Izina Tour was dominated by Rwandan, Ethiopian and Algerian riders.
It’s after their tour of France another national squad of five cyclists will be selected for a race in Trinidad and Tobago in November.
Samuel Ekiru, Paul Ariko Agorir and Hillary Kiprotich, who represented Kenya at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, are in the team that is making its second appearance in France.
Also in France is John Njoroge, who finished 25th at last year’s Maputo All Africa Games.
Njoroge, perhaps, will be have the most memorable return to France especially in the Letape du Tour that will be held in two stages on July 8 and July 14.
Last year, Njoroge finished 13th overall from total entries of 9,000 cyclists drawn from 35 countries across the world.
Most gruelling
The team has been shaping up at the Kenya Riders Camp in Iten that is managed by Nicholas Leong, who is managing the France tour.
Amateur Cycling Association of Kenya chairman, Julius Mwangi, said most of those who competed in Rwanda last weekend are aged under 21 years.
They were Joseph Gichora (19), Hussein Manfred (19), James Karanja (20) and Davis Kinuthia (21).
The first stage of the Letape du Tour will cover 152km with the second covering 201km being based at some of the most breathtaking mountainous region.
The Letape du Tour will pave way for one of the most gruelling, toughest and fast Criteriums at the end of July stretching to August.
The one day races to be staged in a twisted circuit between ane and four kilometres will feature four to five Criteriums.
The last of the championships in France is the seven days Haute Tour that will feature seven stages starting from Geneve on August 19 finishing on August 25 in Nice. Each stage ranges from 898km to 171km.
Coach Blake said a Kenyan featuring at world’s most populous cycling championship, the Tour de France might look a pipe-dream but he believes it’s a dream that can come to fruition with proper structures and equipment in place.
“We want to see how much we can do in Kenya. We have joined hands with cycling authorities to work on youth programs since that is a culture we need to cultivate just like what is happening in athletics,” said Blake. “That is why we have deliberately stationed the camp in Iten that is the hub of the country’s athletics so as to drawn inspiration.”
Mwangi said there already bearing fruits having taken a young team to Rwanda “We need support from the government and sponsors especially at this time are planning for a Tour of Kenya,”said Mwangi.
Mwangi said their target is not only to host the annual Africa Championships in future but also the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2015 All Africa Games.
