Adrien Niyonshuti
{{Short description|Rwandan cyclist (born 1987)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox cyclist
| name = Adrien Niyonshuti
| image = Dunkerque - Quatre jours de Dunkerque, étape 1, 7 mai 2014, départ (A133).JPG
| caption = Niyonshuti at the 2014 Four Days of Dunkirk
| fullname = Adrien Niyonshuti
| nickname = ManconshoTeam Rwanda (2009). {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090927150837/http://teamrwanda.org/Adrien-Niyonshuti "Adrien Niyonshuti"]}}. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1987|1|2}}Ryder Cycling (2009). [http://www.ryder.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=26/ "Adrien Niyonshuti"]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
| birth_place = Rwamagana, Eastern Province, Rwanda
| weight = {{convert|68|kg|lb st|abbr=on}}
| currentteam = National Cycling Team of Benin
| disciplines = {{ubl|Road|Mountain biking}}
| role = {{ubl|Rider (retired)|Directeur sportif}}
| ridertype =
| amateuryears1 = 2018
| amateurteam1 = Sampada
| proyears1 = 2007–2008
| proyears2 = 2009–2017
| proteam2 = {{UCI team code|MTN|2009}}{{cite web|url=http://62.50.72.82/UCIBWS/(S(ekjeyjlurego1h4hypcbrwrk))/Teams/detail/en/ROA/3022|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140106152651/http://62.50.72.82/UCIBWS/(S(ekjeyjlurego1h4hypcbrwrk))/Teams/detail/en/ROA/3022|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 January 2014|title=MTN Qhubeka (MTN) – RSA|accessdate=1 February 2014|work=UCI Continental Circuits|publisher=Union Cycliste Internationale}}
| manageyears1 = 2020–
| manageteam1 = {{UCI team code|SAC|2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uci.org/road/teams/TeamDetail/15073/2003481/257|title=Skol Adrien Cycling Academy|work=UCI.org|publisher=Union Cycliste Internationale|accessdate=3 May 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502234200/https://www.uci.org/road/teams/TeamDetail/15073/2003481/257|archivedate=2 May 2020}}
| majorwins = One-day races and Classics
:National Road Race Championships (2010, 2011, 2012)
:National Time Trial Championships (2016, 2017)
}}
File:MTB cycling 2012 Olympics M cross-country RWA Adrien Niyonshuti.jpg]]
Adrien Niyonshuti (born 2 January 1987) is a Rwandan former professional bicycle racer, who rode professionally for {{UCI team code|MTN|2017}} from 2009 to 2017.{{Cite web|title=Adrien Niyonshuti|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/adrien-niyonshuti/overview/start|access-date=2021-01-18|website=procyclingstats.com}} In 2021, he worked as a directeur sportif for UCI Continental team {{UCI team code|SAC}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.uci.org/road/teams/TeamDetail/15846/2003481/276|title=Skol Adrien Cycling Academy|work=UCI.org|publisher=Union Cycliste Internationale|accessdate=26 February 2021|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20210226151549/https://www.uci.org/road/teams/TeamDetail/15846/2003481/276|archivedate=26 February 2021}} In 2023, he will be leading the Benin National Cycling team to prepare for the UCI Championships to be held on the continent in 2025.
Although he survived, six of Niyonshuti's brothers were killed in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Nilyonshuti began riding a bicycle given to him by his uncle as a teenager when he came to the attention of former professional cyclist Jacques Boyer in 2006 during the first Wooden Bike Classic.{{Cite web|title=Lunchtime With Clive Owen and Adrien Niyonshuti|url=https://www.bestoftheatre.co.uk/lunchtime-with-clive-owen-and-adrien-niyonshuti|access-date=2021-01-18|website=Best of Theatre|language=en}}
Career
Born in Rwamagana, Eastern Province, Rwanda, Niyonshuti began amateur cycling at the age of sixteen. In 2006, he came to the attention of a former professional cyclist, Jacques Boyer. The first American cyclist to compete in the Tour de France, Boyer was working in Rwanda on a project to import cargo bicycles for coffee farmers. Boyer also assumed the role of coach for the Rwandan national cycling team and recruited Niyonshuti to race.Delany, Ben (2009). [http://www.velonews.com/article/96857/ "Rwandan rider Niyonshuti faces a new future at the Tour of Ireland"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828031151/http://www.velonews.com/article/96857/ |date=28 August 2009 }}. Velonews. 20 August 2009. Niyonshuti had good initial results in local races such as the Tour of Rwanda, in which he finished in the top ten five years in a row and won in 2006 and 2008.The New Times (2008). [http://www.newtimes.co.rw/print.php?issue=13635&print&article=9015 "Niyonshuti bags Frw 0.7m"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727233019/http://www.newtimes.co.rw/print.php?issue=13635&print&article=9015 |date=27 July 2011 }}. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
In 2008, Niyonshuti attended the Africa Continental Centre Training Camp in South Africa, where he was offered a contract by Douglas Ryder, the directeur sportif of UCI Continental Team {{UCI team code|MTN|2009}}. He started his first UCI European road race in August 2009 with his participation in the Tour of Ireland, becoming the first Rwandan cyclist to ride in the European professional peloton. Niyonshuti qualified to represent Rwanda in the cross-country mountain bike race during the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London.{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/london-olympics-2012/news/Genocide-survivor-Niyonshuti-to-make-Olympic-debut/articleshow/15435879.cms|title= Genocide survivor Niyonshuti to make Olympic debut| accessdate = 10 August 2012 | work=The Times of India}} He was also Rwanda's flagbearer at the opening ceremony.{{Cite web|url=http://g2014results.thecgf.com/athlete/cycling_road/1035531/adrien_niyonshuti.html|title=Glasgow 2014 - Adrien Niyonshuti Profile|website=g2014results.thecgf.com|access-date=2016-06-30|archive-date=19 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230219110110/http://g2014results.thecgf.com/athlete/cycling_road/1035531/adrien_niyonshuti.html|url-status=dead}}
Niyonshuti competed for Rwanda again at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He did not finish the men's road race.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/cycling-road-standings-cr-mens-road-race |title=Rio 2016 |website=Rio 2016 |access-date=2016-08-27 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826081512/https://www.rio2016.com/en/cycling-road-standings-cr-mens-road-race |archivedate=26 August 2016}} He was the flagbearer for Rwanda again during the opening ceremony.{{Cite web|url=https://www.olympic.org/news/the-flagbearers-for-the-rio-2016-opening-ceremony|title=The Flagbearers for the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony|date=2016-08-16|access-date=2016-08-27}} In 2017, he was aiming to make his Grand Tour debut.{{Cite web | url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/grand-tour-ambitions-for-adrien-niyonshuti-in-2017/ |title = Grand Tour ambitions for Adrien Niyonshuti in 2017| date=17 March 2017 }}
Post-retirement and coaching activities
After the 2012 London Olympic Games, Niyonshuti immediately felt he wanted to offer the chance for aspiring cyclists in his country to experience the power of cycling, instil hope and pass on its positive values to future generations. The Adrien Niyonshuti Cycling Academy{{cite web|url=http://www.ancycling.org/|title=The Adrien Niyonshuti Cycling Academy|accessdate=7 January 2014|archive-date=7 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107165701/http://www.ancycling.org/|url-status=dead}} idea was born and the first location chosen was his home town of Rwamagana. Along with support from Team Africa Rising and the Rising from Ashes Foundation, the academy was officially launched in August 2013. The Academy ran successfully until December 31, 2022, producing two professional gravel cyclists signed by Team Amani and Eric Muhoza, who was signed for the 2023 season by Team BikeAid. Eric Muhoza is Adrien's cousin. Adrien closed his Academy at the end of 2022 to focus on his work developing African cyclists in Europe and as a consultant for the National Cycling Team of Benin. Adrien worked as the Directeur Sportif for Team Benin A at the 2022 Tour du Benin.
On 14 July 2022, Adrien was invited by the Qhubeka Charity to take part in a high-profile promotional event at the Tour de France. Qhubeka is the charity of the Tour and had planned an ascent of the iconic Alpe d'Huez on one of their single-speed Qhubeka bicycles. Adrien knows the Qhubeka Charity well, having been part of a large distribution of their bicycles in 2012 and attending several distributions of Qhubeka bicycles to schoolchildren during his time on the MTN-Qhubeka/Dimension Data professional team.
Adrien completed the ascent of the Alpe d'Huez in an impressive 1 hour 36 minutes, and members of the international media were waiting for him at the finish line. After interviews with leading TV, radio and print media journalists, several articles have appeared, including Cycling Tips{{cite web | url=https://cyclingtips.com/2022/07/one-gear-and-a-dream-rwandan-ex-pro-conquers-alpe-dhuez-on-qhubeka-bike/ | title=One gear and a dream: Rwandan ex-pro conquers Alpe d'Huez on Qhubeka bike | date=14 July 2022 }} and Outdoor Online.{{cite web | url=https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/biking/adrien-niyonshuti-alpe-dhuez-single-speed/ | title=This Ex-Pro from Rwanda Climbed l'Alpe d'Huez on a 40-Pound Single-Speed Bike | date=15 July 2022 }}
Major results
{{div col}}
;2004
: 6th Overall Tour of Rwanda
;2005
: 7th Overall Tour of Rwanda
;2007
: 4th Overall Tour of Rwanda
;2008
: 1st 20px Overall Tour of Rwanda
;2009
: 3rd Overall Tour of Rwanda
: 10th Road race, African Road Championships
;2010
: 1st 20px Road race, National Road Championships
::4th Time trial
::8th Road race
: 8th Overall Tour of Rwanda
;2011
: 1st 20px Road race, National Road Championships
: 1st Overall Tour de Kigali
: 5th Overall Kwita Izina Cycling Tour
: 6th Overall Tour of Rwanda
: 9th Road race, All-Africa Games
: 9th Time trial, African Road Championships
;2012
: 1st 20px Road race, National Road Championships
::7th Team time trial
::9th Time trial
::10th Road race
: 9th Overall Tour of Rwanda
;2013
: 9th Overall Tour of Rwanda
;2014
: 3rd Time trial, National Road Championships
;2015
: 10th Time trial, African Road Championships
;2016
: National Road Championships
::1st 20px Time trial
::2nd Road race
;2017
: 1st 20px Time trial, National Road Championships
;2018
: 2nd 15px Team time trial, African Road Championships
{{div col end}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304204738/http://www.velopress.com/books/land-of-second-chances/ Land of Second Chances: The Impossible Rise of Rwanda's Cycling Team]
- [http://www.ryder.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=26/ Ryder Cycling Profile: Adrien Niyonshuti]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- [http://www.ancycling.org/ The Adrien Niyonshuti Cycling Academy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107165701/http://www.ancycling.org/ |date=7 January 2014 }}
- [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2088883/ Rising from Ashes (2012) IMDb page]
- {{CGF profile|64496}}
- {{Olympics.com profile|adrien-niyonshuti}}
- {{SR/Olympics profile|ni/adrien-niyonshuti-1}}
- {{Procyclingstats}}
{{S-start}}
{{s-sports|oly}}
{{succession box
| before = Pamela Girimbabazi
| title = Flagbearer for {{RWA}}
| years = London 2012
Rio de Janeiro 2016
| after = Alphonsine Agahozo
}}
{{S-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Niyonshuti, Adrien}}
Category:Rwandan male cyclists
Category:Cyclists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Category:Cyclists at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic cyclists for Rwanda
Category:Cyclists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Rwanda
Category:People from Eastern Province, Rwanda