The PROTOUCH™ Continental Team returns to Rwanda this week to take on eight stages of Africa’s Toughest Tour from 23 February – 1 March 2020. Once again the route promises to be exceptional, with long climbs on almost all of the stages and a total elevation of 17,000 meters including 4,279 on the 4th stage and three other stages climbing over 2,500 meters.

PROTOUCH™ Continental lines up alongside sixteen teams including: World Tour: Israel Cycling Academy (Israel; UCI Continental Pro Teams: Total-Direct Energie (France), Delko-Marseille (France), Team Novo Nordisk (USA), Androni-Giocatolli (Italy); UCI Continental Teams: Benediction Cycling Team (Rwanda), BAI Sicasal Petro de Luanda (Angola), Bike Aid (Germany), Vino Astana Motors (Kazakhstan); and, Rwanda, Eritrea, Algeria, Ethiopia, Cameroon and Belgium National Teams.

This 12th edition will also see the return of a time trial stage, for the first time since the first edition in 2009 but this time passing through the Wall of Kigali.

8 STAGES

Stage 1 – Sunday February 23 : Kigali Arena – Kigali Kimironko (114,4 km)

Stage 2 – Monday February 24 : Kigali Mic Building – Huye (120,5 km)

Stage 3 – Tuesday February 25 : Huye – Rusizi (142 km)

Stage 4 – Wednesday February 26 : Rusizi – Rubavu (206,3 km)

Stage 5 – Thursday February 27 : Rubavu – Musanze (84,7 km)

Stage 6 – Friday February 28 : Musanze – Muhanga (127,3 km)

Stage 7 – Saturday February 29 : Kigali Nyamirambo – Wall of Kigali (4,5 km, ITT)

Stage 8 – Monday March 1 : Kigali Expo Ground – Kigali Rebero (89,3 km)

The Team Roster includes: Kent Main, HB Kruger, Gustav Basson, James Fourie and new comer to the Team, 23-year old Ethiopian climber Hafetab Weldu. Hafetab, who rode for Dimension Data Continental in 2018 and Bike Aid In 2019, joins the team with support from Africa Rising.

“This strong line up is eager to secure some new UCI Points on the 2020 Africa Tour and, we are really looking forward to returning to Rwanda for this important race in our calendar”, added Maxime Martin, ProTouch’s Sports Director.

The goal at Africa Rising is to help develop more African UCI Continental Teams and African Cyclists, in their quest to reach the highest levels of the sport internationally. This goal, which is strategically aligned with ProTouch’s vision to enable more African cyclists onto the World Stage has resulted in collaboration, to further the sport on the African continent. “Africa Rising is thrilled to offer some support in assisting Hafteab, with the opportunity to join Africa’s number one team and we have high expectations for the team at the upcoming Tour du Rwanda”, Africa Rising founder, Jonathan “Jock” Boyer commented.

Follow the team on its journey through the Land of a Thousand Hills on our social media channels.