Rugg wins prologue stage as Tour of Rwanda starts

American Timothy Rugg won the prologue as the eighth edition of Tour of Rwanda cycling race kicked-off at the Amahoro National Stadium here.

The rider of the Canadian team Lowest Rates left no chance for his rivals to win the 3.3 kilometre time trial on Sunday, reports Xinhua.

He beat Eritrean Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier of South Africa's Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka after finishing 4 miniutes and 0.25 seconds.

"Winning my first victory in Africa has much value for me," Rugg told journalists at a press conference.

"I stayed there [Africa] when I was young in Uganda and Kenya but I had never raced African cycling race. I do not know if I will be able to keep my yellow jersey but the long climbs like those of Rwanda are roads that benefit me."

Rwandan Joseph Areruya finished in third place after using 4 minutes and 3.95 seconds.

The favourites of this eighth edition in Sunday's prologue Jean-Bosco Nsengimana of Germany-based UCI Continental Team Stradalli Bike Aid, finished in fifth position on 4 minutes, 4.32 seconds while Valens Ndayisenga of the Dimension Data for Qhubeka and 2014 champion finished in sixth position in 4 minutes and 5.57 seconds.

The event has attracted 70 riders, featuring 15 teams.

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

--IANS

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