Team Rwanda Karisimbi rider Valens Ndayisenga is edging closer to being the first Rwandan to win the prestigious Tour du Rwanda as the elite competition enters stage six today.

The 20 year old, who has tightly held onto the yellow jersey for three stages in a row, finished in 5th place in yesterday’s stage five from Rubavu to Huye. Joseph Biziyaremye (Karisimbi) won the taxing 182km race beating Eritrea’s Dawit Haile, Salaeddine Mraouni (Morocco), Temesgen Buru (Ethiopia) and Ndayisenga by micro seconds.

And, although he still maintains a 56 seconds lead in the General rankings, Ndayisenga is not getting carried away yet.

 "I am very happy, very excited with my performance as well as the team’s good showing but there are still two more races to go and anything can happen. We cannot celebrate now until the end,” Ndayisenga said after yesterday’s race.

Today’s 125km race from Huye to Kigali is not as tough as the previous races in the competition since it has only flat roads with no sharp corners.

Out

The gruelling race has seen many riders pull out of the competition. The whole Cameroonian contingent is out as well as three riders from Morocco.

Eritrean duo of Amanuel Ghebreizgabhier and Yemane Bereket have also abandoned the competition as well as Rohay Du Plooy from South Africa, Switzerland’s Maxime Froidevaux, and Burundi’s Tharcisse Ndayisenga.

Rubavu-Nyanza (182,4km)

1. Joseph Biziyaremye (Rwanda)   5h9’49’’

2.  Dawid Haile            (Eritrea)     5h9’49’’

3. Mraouni Salaeddine (Maroc)   5h9’49’’

4. Buru Temesgen      (Ethiopia) 5h9’49’’

5. Valens Ndayisenga                    (Rwanda)   5h9’49’’

General classification

1. Valens Ndayisenga                    (Rwanda)   18h59’5’

2. Jean Bosco Nsengimana (Rwanda) 19h00’01’

3. Joseph Biziyaremye                  (Rwanda)   19h00’20’

4. Arone Deprestion (Eritrea)     19h00’23’

5. Patrick Byukusenge   (Rwanda)             19h00’51’