Samuel Mugisha, Rwandan pro rider, missing after travelling to Maryland Cycling Classic

The Maryland Cycling Classic had it's first edition yesterday, however the race was not only marked by exciting racing and World Tour teams fighting for the win, as an unusual situation hovers hovers over the race as Samuel Mugisha, who was supposed to be at the start line, has disappeared and has his whereabouts are not known, his team says.

Mugisha's name appeared as the only DNS in the race. The South African ProTouch team however revealed in the hours after the race that the Rwandan had flown into the United States on the 31st of August, and had made arrangements to be collected at the airport instead of following the team's plan into the team hotel. In the days following, it appears as if there was no update, with the rider not appearing at neither team accomodation or the race where he was scheduled to be at.

"ProTouch and the organizers lodged a missing persons with the authorities," the message concluded. The whereabouts of the 24-year old are still unknown, and a lot of concern builds up over his possible well being.

Mugisha was the winner of the 2018 Tour du Rwanda and is one of the most prominent figures in the African cycling scene, alongside his brother Moise who won the final stage of the Tour du Rwanda this year, alongside the Tour du Cameroun.