PHOTOS: America’s Rugg wins yellow jersey as Tour du Rwanda starts

Timothy Rugg of Canada’s Team LowestRates has won the 3.3km prologue of the 8th edition of Tour du Rwanda that took place yesterday around the Amahoro National Stadium in Remera, Kigali.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Geoffrey Asiimwe

American rider Timothy Rugg (Team LowestRates from Canada) pops champagne on his victory yesterday. / Faustin Niyigena

Top Ten1. Timothy Rugg - Team LowestRates 04’00”252. Aman Werkilul Ghebreigzabhier - Dimension Data for Qhubeka 04’03”103. Joseph Areruya - Les Amis Sportifs 04’03”954. Guillaume Boivin - Cycling Academy team 04’04”325. Jean-Bosco Nsengimana - Stradalli-Bike Aid 04’04”636. Valens Ndayisenga - Dimension Data for Qhubeka 04’05”577. Mebrahtu Temesgen Buru - Ethiopia 0409”598. Brett Wachtendorf - Team LowestRates 04’10”489. Joseph Biziyaremye - Team Rwanda 04’10”4810. Patrick Byukusenge - Club Benediction 04’10”50

Other Rwandans13. Bonaventure Uwizeyimana - Dimension Data for Qhubeka 04’10”9216. Samuel Mugisha - Club Benediction 04’11”6326. Gasore Hategeka - Team Rwanda 04’15”6133. Jean-Claude Uwizeye - Les Amis Sportifs 04’18”9634. Nathan Byukusenge - Team Rwanda 04’19”1346. Jérémie Karegeya - Club Benediction 04’25”3250. Samuel Hakiruwizeye - Les Amis Sportifs 04’26”4551. Eric Nduwayo - Team Rwanda 04’26”7954. Jean Ruberwa - Club Benediction 04’27”6359. Abraham Ruhumuriza - Team Rwanda 04’29”6864. Ephrem Tuyishime Les Amis Sportifs 04’34”0370. Alex Nizeyimana - Club Benediction 04’37”1571. Mathieu Twizerane - Les Amis Sportifs 04’37”40

Timothy Rugg of Canada’s Team LowestRates has won the 3.3km prologue of the 8th edition of Tour du Rwanda that took place yesterday around the Amahoro National Stadium in Remera, Kigali.

American rider Timothy Rugg on the podium after being awarded by the Sports and Culture minister Julienne Uwacu (2nd L) and Rwanda Cycling Federation president Aimable Bayingana (2nd R).

Minister Uwacu hands over the Yellow Jersey to American Timothy Rugg, riding for Team LowestRates of Canada, as the president of Ferwacy Aimable Bayingana looks on yesterday / Faustin Niyigena

The American rider shocked the thousands of spectators that waited at the finish line clinching victory after posting four minutes and 25 microseconds, sending a clear message to his competitors on what they are likely to face in the upcoming seven stages, starting today.

Team LowestRates' Timothy Rugg upon winning the prologue of Tour du Rwanda 2016 at Amahoro National Stadium on Sunday. / Faustin Niyigena

Arielle Bakuramutsa of RwandAir leaves the stage after giving a RwandAir jersey for the Best African rider of the prologue, Eritrean Aman Werkilul Ghebreigzabhier of South Africa’s Dimension Data for Qhubeka, who finished second, yesterday./ Faustin Niyigena

Rugg beat his closest rival, Eritrean Aman Werkilul Ghebreigzabhier, who’s riding for South Africa’s Dimension Data for Qhubeka (04’03”10).

Many businesses take advantage of Tour du Rwanda to promote their products. / Faustin Niyigena

Rwandan Joseph Areruya, riding for Rwamagana-based Les Amis Sportif, finished in the third place after using four minutes, three minutes and ninety-five microseconds.

A Team Rwanda rider on a bend during yesterday’s prologue around Amahoro National Stadium. / Faustin Niyigena

Ghebreigzabhier, who finished second, acknowledges fans after pulling on a RwandAir jersey yesterday. / Faustin Niyigena

Defending champion and prologue record holder, Jean Bosco Nsengimana, riding for his German UCI Continental Team Stradalli Bike Aid, finished in fifth clocking 04’04”32.

A rider from Cameroon during the prologue yesterday. / Faustin Niyigena

The Best Climber, Guillaume Boivin (Canada – Cycling Academy Team), won the Congebanque jersey meant for best climber. / Faustin Niyigena

In the sixth place was the 2014 champion Valens Ndayisenga, one of the cyclists tipped to shine in this year’s race. The Dimension Data for Qhubeka rider posted a time of 04’05”57.

A camera drone hovers over the Amahoro National Stadium during the prologue of the 2016 Tour du Rwanda yesterday. / Faustin Niyigena

Fans lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the race. / Faustin Niyigena

On Monday, the riders will hit the road as they embark on 2016 Tour du Rwanda’s stage one, starting from Kicukiro to Ngoma in the Eastern Province, a 96.8km race.

Acrobats entertain the audience at Amahoro National Stadium as the annual Tour du Rwanda got underway in Kigali. / Faustin Niyigena

Les Amis Sportif de Rwamagana’s Joseph Areruya, who finished second – making him the best performer among the Rwandan riders in the race – is congratulated before he’s given the Rwanda Development Board jersey./ Faustin Niyigena

After winning the prologue and wearing the yellow jersey heading into stage one, 30-year old Rugg couldn’t hide his delight. "This is amazing, I didn’t expect to win today because, at first, I thought that it would rain and the streets would get slippery.”

A LowestRates rider races during the prologue in Kigali yesterday. / Faustin Niyigena

Best Young Rider, Eritrean Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (riding for Dimension Data for Qhubeka of South Africa) won himself the Soras jersey during the prologue.

/ Faustin Niyigena

"But I just gave everything I could and can’t believe it was enough to give me the win, I am so happy and we hope to take this momentum to the upcoming stages, starting with stage one tomorrow (today),” Rugg told Times Sport shortly after winning the prologue.

A Rwandan cyclist shortly before takeoff on Sunday. / Faustin Niyigena

Cycling fans look on as a rider pedals past University of Rwanda’s College of Education in Kimironko.

/ Faustin Niyigena

Apart from the yellow jersey, Rugg also took Skol jersey of the winner of stage and US$340 in cash prize. The top 20 riders in the prologue shared a total cash prize of US$910.

A rider of Stradalli-Bike Aid team (Germany) during the race yesterday. / Faustin Niyigena

Cycling fans come at a big number to enjoy the race. / Faustin Niyigena

First runner-up Aman Werkilul Ghebreigzabhier, 22, was given the SORAS and RwandAir jerseys for the best young and African rider, while Areruya claimed RDB jersey as the best Rwandan rider.

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