Joseph Areruya is Tour du Rwanda 2017 champion

Stage six1. Valens Ndayisenga (Tirol Cycling Club) 2h58’13’’2. Ebrahim Redwan (Ethiopia National team) 2h 58’13’’3. Cameroon Piper (Team Illuminate) 2h5813’’4. Nicodemus Hourer (Bike Aid) 2h58’13’’5. Eyob Mektel (Dimension Data) 2h 5813’’ General Classification1. Joseph Areruya (Dimension Data) 20h21’29’’2. Eyob Metkel (Dimension Data) 20h21’28’’3. Suleiman Kangangi (Bike Aid) 20h2258’’4. Jean Bosco Nsengimana (Team Rwanda) 20h23395. Patrick Byukusenge (Team Rwanda) 20h24376. Valens Ndayisenga (Tirol Cycling Team) 20h24’48 Rwandan Joseph Areruya has won Tour du Rwanda 2017, which concluded on Sunday at Amahoro National Stadium—the 21-year old, riding for South African UCI Continental Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka used a total of 20hrs, 21 minutes and 29 seconds. Areruya also won the best Africa and best Rwanda rider, while best combative rider was Van Engren of Team Bike Aid while Eritrean Nathaniel Barnham was named the best climber. Defending champion Valens Ndayisenga (Tirol Cycling Team) won the final stage, Kigali-Kigali (120km), after dominating the last lap. Areruya Dimension Data for Qhubeka teammate Eyob Metkel finished second in General Classification (GC), 28 second behind the winner; Kenya Suleiman Kangangi of Team Bike Aid was third having used 20 hours, 23 minutes and 58 seconds. Team Rwanda captain Jean Bosco Nsengimana was fourth with 20 hours, 23 minutes and 39 seconds in the eight-day, seven-stage race that covered 819 kilometres. Areruya became the third Rwandan rider to the annual UCI-Africa, category 2.2 road race since becoming an international competition in 2009, after Valens Ndayisenga, who won it twice in 2014 and 2016 and Jean Bosco Nsengimana in 2015. Defending champion Ndayisenga, who despite winning the final stage on Sunday in 2 hours, 58 minutes and 13 seconds, only managed sixth-place finish in General Classification. Former Les Amis Sportifs de Rwamagana rider, Areruya benefited from the work and the great strategy of the team Dimension Data for Qhubeka, which is also the number 2 team of the World Tour. Meanwhile, by winning the final stage, Ndayisenga equaled the record of the greatest number of stage victories on the Tour of Rwanda (5) held since Saturday by Metkel Eyob. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Joseph Areruya is Tour du Rwanda 2017 champion