Cycling: Team Rwanda keen to remain best African team

Team Rwanda riders expect to maintain their top spot as the best African team in today’s stage 4 from Ndjole to Lambaréné town at the ongoing La Tropicale Amissa Bongo Tour in Gabon.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Team Rwanda riders race in last yearu2019s Tour du Rwanda. The team wants to win the team category in the La Tropicale Amissa Bongo race. (File)

Today

Stage 4: Ndjole to Lambaréné – 133km

Stage 3 results – Mounana to Koulamoutou

1. Daniel Mclay

(Bretagne-Séché Environment)

2. Yauheni Hutarovich

(Bretagne-Séché Environment )

3. Eddine Salah Mraouni (Morocco)

Team Rwanda riders expect to maintain their top spot as the best African team in today’s stage 4 from Ndjole to Lambaréné town at the ongoing La Tropicale Amissa Bongo Tour in Gabon.

The youthful riders who are ahead of continental powerhouses Eritrea, Algeria, South Africa and Morocco in the UCI listed 2.1 race will be trying to win today’s stage and coach Felix Sempoma is confident they will put up a strong fight.

In an exclusive interview with Times Sport, Sempoma said, "The last 200m are on a hilly terrain. We want to use that to our advantage and win stage 4. We have to maintain our position as best African team and we also want to clinch the best African rider jersey.”

In yesterday’s stage from Mounana to Koulamoutou, Jean Bosco Nsengimana was in the leading peloton for most part of the race but was unable to make it among the top five riders.

Meanwhile, Bonaventure Uwizeyimana maintains fifth position in the general classification and 29 seconds behind Algerian Azzedine Lagab in the battle for best African rider.

Belarusian Daniel Mclay of Team Bretagne-Séché Environment from France won stage 3 while teammate Yauheni Hutarovich finished second.

Morocco’s Eddine Salah Mraouni was third while Yohann Gene (Team Europcar) and Andrea Palini (Skydive Dubai) came fourth and fifth respectively.

In January, Rwanda was ranked second behind South Africa in the International Cycling Union (UCI) rankings.

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