Sporting Tavira’s Rinaldo Nocentini won the 114km third stage of the Tropicale Amissa Bongo in Gabon yesterday.
The Portuguese beat Direct Energie’s Damian Gaudin (France) in a final dual sprint to get home in 2:43:04. Delko-Marseille Provence’s Brenton Jones won a bunch sprint to round out the podium in 2:43:06.
Rinaldo Nocentini won the 114km third stage of the Tropicale Amissa Bongo in Gabon yesterday. Photo: Gautier Demouveaux
Bike Aid’s Lucas Castensen (Germany) lost his yellow jersey to Jones ahead of the fourth stage later today (SA time).
The 40-year-old Nocentini, one of the oldest riders in the field, was delighted with the result.
“It’s a great pleasure to show that we can still win races at the age of 40,” he said. “There is no distinct jersey for the best old, so I aim for stage wins.
“I spotted the last climb two days ago. I knew the only chance I had of winning, was to attack there,” he added.
View more results below.
Stage three results
1. Rinaldo Nocentini (Sporting Tavira, Portugal) 2:43:04
2. Damien Gaudin (Direct Energie, France)
3. Brenton Jones (Delko-Marseille Provence, France) 2:43:06
4. Youcef Reguigui (Sovac-Natura4Ever, Algeria)
5. Luca Pacioni (Wilier-Triestina, Italy)
6. Tesfom Okubamariam (Erythree, Eritrea)
7. Brian Nauleau (Direct Energie, France)
8. Evaldas Siskevicius (Delko-Marseille Provence, France)
9. Zemenes Selemun (Erythree, Eritrea)
10. Henok Mulubhran (Erythree, Eritrea)
General classification
1. Brenton Jones (Delko-Marseille Provence, France) 10:28:08
2. Lucas Castensen (Bike Aid, Germany) 10:28:09
3. Rinaldo Nocentini (Sporting Tavira, Portugal) 10:28:11
4. Adrien Petit (Direct Energie, France) 10:28:15
5. Damien Gaudin (Direct Energie, France)
6. Luca Pacioni (Wilier-Triestina, Italy) 10:28:17
7. Youcef Reguigui (Sovac-Natura4Ever, Algeria) 10:28:19
8. Salah Ed Mraouni (Maroc, Morocco) 10:28:20
9. Henok Mulubhran (Erythree, Eritrea)
10. Yannick Martinez (Delko-Marseille Provence, France)
