A strong attack 24km from the finish paid off for Rwanda’s Joseph Areruya when he won stage one of the Tour du Rwanda, which concluded in Huye today.
Kent Main finished second on stage one of Tour du Rwanda. Photo: Memories4U
The stage started in Kigali and Areruya completed the 120.3km course, with three categorized climbs, ahead of Dimension Data teammate Kent Main and Natnael Mebrahtom. He stopped the clock at 3:12:12, with Main one and a half minutes behind him.
After a strong showing yesterday, DiData had three riders in the top five today, including Areruya and Main. Teammate Metkel Eyob finished just off the podium in fourth.
With yesterday’s winner, Jean Bosco Nsengimana, finishing tenth, Areruya climbed into pole position on the overall standings, followed by Nsengimana and Natnael Mebrahtom.
Provisional results for the day are below.
Stage one – 120.3km
1. Joseph Areruya (Rwanda) 3:12:12
2. Kent Main (South Africa) +1:34
3. Natnael Mebrahtom (Eritrea) +1:36
4. Metkel Eyob (Eritrea)
5. Aron Debretsion (Eritrea)
6. Suleiman Kangangi (Kenya)
7. Tesfom Okubamariam (Eritrea)
8. Simon Pellaud (Switzerland)
9. Salim Kipkemboi (Kenya)
10. Jean Bosco Nsengimana (Rwanda)
General classification
1. Joseph Areruya (Rwanda) 3:16:06
2. Jean Bosco Nsengimana (Rwanda) +1:28
3. Valens Ndayisenga (Eritrea) +1:30
4. Stefan de Bod (South Africa) +1:34
5. Suleiman Kangangi (Kenya) +1:37
6. Cameron Piper (United States) +1:38
7. Patrick Byukusenge (Rwanda) ”
8. Samuel Mugisha (Rwanda) +1:39
9. Jean Claude Uwizeye (Rwanda) ”
10. Olivier Le Court de Billot (Mauritius) +1:40
