Tour du Rwanda

Race: Tour du Rwanda – Stage 1

Start/Finish: Kigali/Kigali, Rwanda

Distance: 114.4 kilometers

David Lozano (ESP)

The race started nervously with three guys going up the road and no team willing to pull nor get organized. By the final circuit, we were still about four minutes back from the breakaway. I was at the front with Charles and felt very good. In the end, I missed the power, but I am happy that the legs are coming back and still seven chances more!

Next Up:

On Monday, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team will continue to show what’s possible with diabetes on Stage 2 at the Tour du Rwanda with a 120.5-kilometer race that starts in Kigali and finishes in Huye.

Race: Tour du Rwanda – Stage 2

Start/Finish: Kigali/Huye, Rwanda

Distance: 120.5 kilometers

Charles Planet (FRA)

Today was harder for the breakaway because the stage was constantly up and down and there was some wind. I felt the first 40 kilometers were really hard with a lot of climbing, and I could feel the altitude in my legs when I tried to do a deep effort. The peloton was much more controlled, so I knew that at one point it would come back together, especially with a little kicker 1.5-kilometers from the finish and a really fast final.

In the end, I tried to save my legs and do my best in the final, but there was a big crash with 200 meters to go and I touched the brakes and couldn’t do anything after that.

Next Up:

On Tuesday, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team will continue to show what’s possible with diabetes on Stage 3 at the Tour du Rwanda with a 142-kilometers race that starts in Huye and finishes in Rusizi.

Race: Tour du Rwanda – Stage 3

Start/Finish: Huye – Rusizi, Rwanda

Distance: 142.3 kilometers

David Lozano (ESP)

Today was a short stage but with high altitude – up to 2500m – so it was a hard stage.

The team was really good; we stuck all together until the last climb. In the final kilometers, I was by myself with some of the best riders of the race.

I am happy with my 15th place today, and I feel better and better each day, so I look forward to tomorrow’s stage. It’ll be another challenging one, and is the longest of the race, but we will be ready for it!”

Next Up:

On Wednesday, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team will continue to show what’s possible with diabetes on Stage 4 at the Tour du Rwanda with a 206.3-kilometer race that starts in Rusizi and finishes in Rubavu.

Race: Tour du Rwanda – Stage 4

Start/Finish: Rusizi/Rubavu, Rwanda

Distance:  206.3 kilometers

Pavel Cherkasov – Sport Director

It has been a hard day for our guys. Right from the beginning of the race there were many attacks. When the break of 19 riders went up the road, our riders remained with the peloton which included the yellow jersey. The the main group  then split apart into smaller ones over the successive climbs .

Joonas Henttala (FIN)

Today was the longest stage of this year’s Tour du Rwanda at 206 kilometers and it included what felt like an endless amount of climbing. It started fast. We felt good and saw Charles [Planet] make it into one of the early breakaways, which gave us motivation.

When we missed the main break, the day became tougher for the whole team. Tomorrow is a punchy short stage with a fast finish. We are ready to fight!

Next Up:

On Thursday, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team will continue to show what’s possible with diabetes on Stage 5 at the Tour du Rwanda with a 84.7-kilometer race that starts in Rubavu and finishes in Musanze.

Race: Tour du Rwanda – Stage 5

Start/Finish: Rubayu/ Musanze, Rwanda

Distance: 84.7 kilometers

Sam Brand (GBR—Isle of Man)

I had been looking forward to this stage for a while, a long time even before the race. Today is also my birthday, so it was quite a special day for me!

The stage had a nice 20-kilometer gradual climb, which is something that suited me. I felt really good; I had the best legs I’ve had so far at the Tour du Rwanda.

I stayed on the front with David [Lozano] helping him to the finish and achieve our best result to date this season. I was also able to be up there on the front line of the final sprint.

We are happy with our performance and results today. It gave us a bit of a boost within the team and helped us keep building confidence in our form.

David Lozano (ESP)

Stage 5 was a hard stage because it was a short one with lots of attacks throughout all the climbs.

Our team raced well. I had been in the front with Sam, working together and helping each other very well throughout the stage. In the last kilometers, I tried to sprint, but I had a guy in front who kept opening and closing the gap, and I couldn’t sprint as I wished.

Tomorrow is going to be hard again, but I think it is a stage that fits Sam well. Looking at how he did today, we might expect a breakaway from him. Let’s see!

Next Up:

On Friday, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team will continue to show what’s possible with diabetes on Stage 6 at the Tour du Rwanda with a 127.3-km race that starts in Musanze and finishes in Muhanga.

Race: Tour du Rwanda – Stage 6

Start/Finish: Musanze / Muhanga, Rwanda

Distance: 127.3 kilometers 

Joonas Henttala (FIN)

Last year on Stage 6, I was in the breakaway and we made it to the finish. I was determined to make the break on this stage again this year.

The race started quickly, and it was hard to pick the right move. I felt really good and strong from the beginning. After the first categorised climb, I got up to the front with two other guys and lead the way. We were working well, but the bunch wouldn’t let anyone go. It was a bit disappointing but nothing we could have done differently; we have a strong bunch here and remain focused on the last two stages.

Next Up:

On Saturday, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team will continue to show what’s possible with diabetes on Stage 7 at the Tour du Rwanda with a 4-km individual time trial in Kigali.

Race: Tour du Rwanda – Stage 7
Start/Finish: Kigali /Kigali, Rwanda
Distance: 4.5 kilometers (Individual Time Trial)

Charles Planet (FRA)

Today was a 4-kilometer individual time trial with the finish line on a steep cobblestone climb. I haven’t felt the best over the past few days, but today, I felt the power coming back, and my legs were there.

This type of race suits me really well. To be honest, I was expecting a better result than 15th place. This race has been tough overall, so I am happy I managed to push hard again.

Tomorrow is the last stage of the Tour du Rwanda with a lot of climbing, and we will do our best until the end.

Next Up:

On Sunday, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team races a double day: one squad will take on the final stage of the Tour du Rwanda while a second squad will race the one-day International Rhodes Grand Prix.

Stage 8 at the Tour du Rwanda is an 89.3-km race that starts and finishes in Kigali and should be decisive in the overall classification while the International Rhodes GP is a 168-km race that starts and finishes in Rhodes, Greece.

Race: Tour du Rwanda – Stage 8

Start/Finish: Kigali / Kigali (Robero), Rwanda

Distance: 89.3 kilometers

Charles Planet (FRA)

The final stage of the Tour du Rwanda was quite short but very intense. It was one of the hardest I’ve done in my seven years as a pro. We climbed the Wall of Kigali twice and it was extremely hot.

I felt dehydrated by mid-race and dropped to the back, while David [Lozano] and Joonas [Henttala] remained at the front of the peloton for most of the difficult stage.

The Tour du Rwanda has been challenging, and even if we didn’t get the results we expected, it has been a great experience to kick off the season and bring power back to the legs. Now we look forward to the rest of the season and the upcoming races. Next up for most of us here is the Gran Premio de la Patagonia and Vuelta Ciclista a Chiloé in Chile and several races in Europe where we’ll make our presence known!

Next Up:

The world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team returns to racing on March 6th with the three-day International Tour of Rhodes in Greece.