Stage 2: Monday, Feb 24 – Rukomo to Kayonza (157.8 km) Team Rwanda rider Didier Munyaneza has said that he and his teammates are in good position to give their rivals when they head to Kayonza for the longest stage of Tour du Rwanda 2025 on Monday, February 24. Belgian rider Aldo Taillieu claimed victory in the prologue that opened the 17th edition of the race and will wear the yellow jersey as he and his team Dstny Lotto take on the 157.8 km ride from Rukomo to Kayonza. The second stage will start in the Nyagatare District, Rukomo Sector, passing through Gatsibo District before heading straight to the finish line in Kayonza. The race will start at 11am and is expected to conclude by 2:30pm. Munyaneza, who is known for his strength in breakaways, shared his thoughts on the team’s readiness for the crucial stage. “We finished the prologue as the beginning of the race, trying to manage our time so that we don’t create a huge gap with our opponents, as every second counts. For this first stage, as a team, we are confident in our performance and determined to win,” he told the press after the prologue. ALSO READ: A statistical deep dive into record-breaking Tour du Rwanda moments This year’s race has undergone some notable changes. Unlike previous editions that featured 16 teams, only 14 teams with 69 riders will compete in the second stage. The Belgian team Soudal-QuickStep and the Angolan national team are absent from this year’s lineup. Rwanda has 14 riders racing for four different teams including Team Rwanda, Maystar, Java Innovatec, and Amani Peloton. These teams must aim to bring the Tour du Rwanda title back to the Land of a Thousand Hills, a feat last achieved by Samuel Mugisha in 2018.
