NATIONAL Cycling team coach Jonathan Boyer has named a six-man team to represent Rwanda at next year's edition of the La Tropicale Amissa Bongo race slated for January 14-20, 2013.

The team includes; Nathan Byukusenge, Hassan Rukundo, Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, Jean Bosco Nsengiyumva, Valens Ndayisenga and Jérémie Karegeya.

According to the local cycling federation, the race will be used as a way of giving exposure to young riders so as to help them improve on their skill as they gain experience.

In the team, Byukusenge [33 years] is the only senior rider who was chosen with a purpose of guiding and giving his team-mates confidence in the competition but if he fails to impress in the preparations, he will be replaced by Nicodem Habiyambere who has been put on standby.

La Tropicale Amissa Bongo 2013 will bring together 15 teams from nine African countries. Countries expected to send their teams include; Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Morocco and Rwanda.

This year, Team Rwanda finished seventh in 15 teams and grabbed third overall position in Africa, behind winners Eritrea and Morocco.