General Classification 1. William Junior Lecerf (SOUDAL QUICK-STEP DEVO) 19h40'50'' 2. Anatolii Budiak (TERENGGANU POLYGON CYCLIN) 19h40'52'' 3. Matteo Vercher (TOTALENERGIES) 19h40'53'' 4. Victor De La Parte (TOTALENERGIES) 19h40'57'' 5. Walter Calzoni (PRO CYCLING TEAM)19h41'01'' 6. Metkel Eyob (TERENGGANU POLYGON CYCLIN) 19h41'01'' 7. Eric Muhoza (BIKE AID) 19h41'01'' At just 21, Rwandan cycling prodigy Eric Muhoza has so far proven himself as a promising rider to watch in the near future with the youngster showing no signs of giving up on the Tour du Rwanda 2023 yellow jersey with three more stages to go. Rwanda will be looking forward to having him in roster for the 2025 UCI Road World Championship which the country won hosting rights back in September 2021. Muhoza had displayed an unmatched performance during the past five stages of the race which started on Sunday, February 19 and runs through February 26, positioning himself among outstanding favorites to win the race despite the fact that he has not registered a single stage so far. The Rusizi-Rubavu stage didn’t go the way Team Rwandan riders planned, especially for Jean Bosco Nsengimana and Moise Mugisha, but it was Bike Aid rider Muhoza who finished 11th during Thursday’s Stage Five six seconds behind stage winner Callum Ormiston. “I was determined to win this championship after undergoing intensive training. I excelled thanks to my stamina and individual techniques. I know the routes are tough and I love racing in these hills but I have to keep my head up and I hope my teammates can give everything for the rest of the tour,” said Muhoza I wanted to improve every stage because, it has been my ambition to improve my game since I am still in my form, but to also give Rwandans something to cheer for, they have been supportive,” he added. Stage Five incredible display saw Muhoza climb to seventh on general classification after closing the gap to the top by 11 seconds behind yellow jersey holder William Lecerf of Soudal-QuickStep. ALSO READ: Lecerf books yellow jersey as Ormiston wins stage 5 However, there is still hope for better results for the young Rwandan rider who has been consistent so far in the race. The best Rwandan rider in Tour du Rwanda 2023 so far, Muhoza remains the only hope for Rwanda to do what the likes of Mugisha, Nsengimana and Eric Manizabayo are failing to achieve: keeping the Tour du Rwanda triumph at home. And, with three stages remaining, he does not want to get his hands off the yellow jersey which has been up in the air with Belgian Lecerf on Thursday becoming the fourth rider to wear the coveted jersey after Thomas Bonnet Henok Mulueberhane and Ethan Vernon. He could be next to grab the coveted jersey should he put in an incredible performance when stage six heads to Gicumbi from Rubavu on Friday as the race closes in on its climax. The young Rwandan rider is the latest addition for the upcoming season and now has the opportunity to prove himself against the international elite in BIKE AID colors which has been giving him outstanding support throughout the race. He always aspires to improve and would love nothing but to win the race at home...make Rwanda proud. “Rwanda is my home and I am happy to do better at home, I decided to attack with peloton after talking to my teammates and I wanted to do better and I am thankful to improve today and I am looking forward for the next three stages,” the former Les Amis Sportifs de Rwamagana rider said. Muhoza is cousin of veteran Adrien Niyonshuti who, in his prime time, played for Team Dimension Data. Alongside Eritrean Dawit Yemane, Muhoza is the second African in the 12-man squad for the 2023 season for Bike Aid. After impressing at the Tour de l'Avenir in France, the next two years can be the decisive ones for Muhoza who is preparing to carry the Rwandan flag at the 2025 UCI Road World Championship. Structured training, a demanding race calendar with high-profile races and a professional surrounding should now help Muhoza to get closer to the dream he wants to achieve: Becoming the world’s best cyclist.
