Stage 7: Top Five
1. Tesfom Okubamariam- Eritrea National Team 02h43’21’
2. Eyob Metkel- Dimension Data for Qhubeka 02h43’21’
3. Valens Ndayisenga- Dimension Data for Qhubeka 02h43’24’
4. Aman Werkilul Ghebreigzabhier-Dimension Data for Qhubeka 02h43’40’
5. Elyas Afewerki- Eritrean National Team 02h43’40’
General Classification: Top Five
1. Valens Ndayisenga- Dimension Data for Qhubeka 21h15’21”
2. Eyob Metkel- Dimension Data for Qhubeka 21h16’00’
3. Tesfom Okubamariam- Eritrea National Team 21h16’51’
4. Joseph Areruya- Les Amis Sportif 21h18’13’
5. Aman Werkilul Ghebreigzabhier-Dimension Data for Qhubeka 21h19’26”
For the third time in a row, Rwandans have proved to be the masters of their own race with Valens Ndayisenga, riding for South Africa-based Continental Team Dimension Data, clinched this year’s eighth edition that climaxed today at Amahoro National Stadium.
Despite finishing third in the final stage (Kigali-Kigali; 108km), three seconds behind Eritrean stage winner Tesfom Okubamariam, Ndayisenga claimed this year’s title to become the first rider to win the UCI Africa Tour, category 2.2 road race, more than once.
The 2014 winner took this year’s edition having used a time of 21 hours, 15 minutes and 21 seconds, covering seven stages and a prologue, a total distance of 819.1km.
The 22-year old Rwamagana native beat off stiff competition from his teammate Eyob Metkel, who finished just 39 seconds behind in second place after clocking 21h16’00’, while Okubamariam came third using 21h16’51’.
Last year’s first runner-up, Joseph Areruya, riding for Les Amis Sportifs de Rwamagana, finished in the fourth place having used 21h18’13’.
However, it was a year to forget for defending champion Jean-Bosco Nsengimana of Germany’s Stradalli Bike Aid, who could only managed 9th place in the general classification after using 21h20’24’’ a gap of five minutes and three seconds behind Ndayisenga.
Ndayisenga is the first rider to win Tour du Rwanda twice since it became part of UCI Africa Tour in 2009.
Source: The New Times