Rwanda-based cycling team, May Stars, has announced its participation in a three-race series set to take place across Europe. The competition will run from May to the end of June 2023. The team’s initial test will be the Tour of Estonia 2023, a UCI Europe Tour calendar class 2.1. The race will take place in Estonia from 26th to the 28th of May, before proceeding to the 68th Ronde de L’Oise, a French 2.2 race scheduled for 1st to 4th June.
The May Stars team will finalize their tour in Azerbaijan, where they will participate in the Aziz Shusha from June 7th to June 11th. The team’s roster includes Eritreans Abel Berhane, Simon Aytsegeb and Filmon Tekie, as well as Rwandan riders Shemu Nsengiyumva, Felecien Hakizimana, Jean Nepo Bigirimana, and Elie Kwizera. The team’s president, Samuel Rukundo, expressed his optimism in their ability to learn crucial skills from the experienced riders and win multiple stages throughout the course of the competition.
This tour will provide a perfect opportunity for the riders to hone their skills and prepare for the demanding upcoming cycling season. Expressing his confidence in his team, Rukundo said, “The races are a great opportunity for us to compete with very experienced riders and we want to use the chance to learn a lot. We shall be competing in several competitions and we want to win several stages.”
May Stars first participated in international cycling competitions during the 2023 Tour du Rwanda, but the team failed to impress. However, with these upcoming highly competitive and challenging European competitions, the team is hoping to sharpen their skills and showcase their ability to perform at a top level. The first delegation has already left Kigali and others are set to join them in the succeeding days.
