Rwandan Areruya Joseph won the first stage of Tour du Rwanda on Monday
Rwanda and Dimension Data for Qhubeka rider Joseph Areruya won stage one of the 9th edition of Tour du Rwanda from Kigali to Huye District to claim the yellow jersey ahead of the second stage due on Tuesday.
Areruya staged a strong finish 24km from the finish line as he clocked three hours, fifteen minutes and six seconds (03:12:12) to win the 120.3km finish line in Huye, one minute and thirty four seconds ahead of South Africa’s Kent Main.
Seven three (73) riders took part in the first day of the Tour du Rwanda which started at Kacyiru bus station in Kigali city at 10am.
Areruya completed the 120.3km course, with three categorized climbs, ahead of Dimension Data teammate Kent Main and Natnael Mebrahtom. He stopped the clock at3:12:12.
In the stage classification’s top ten, yesterday’s winner, Jean Bosco Nsengimana finished a distant tenth.
In the general classification, Areruya climbed into pole position on the overall standings, followed by Nsengimana and Natnael Mebrahtom.
Defending champion Rwandan Ndayisenga Valens who rides for Tirol Cycling Team is placed third, a minute and thirty seconds behind Areruya.
Other Rwandans in the top ten general standings include Team Rwanda’s Patrick Byukusenge who is ranked seventh, a minute and thirty eight seconds behind the winner while Dimension Data’s Samuel Mugisha (Rwanda) and Team Rwanda’s Jean Claude Uwizeye are eighth and ninth respectively.
Stage one – 120.3km
1. Joseph Areruya (Rwanda) 3:12:12
2. Kent Main (South Africa) +1:34
3. Natnael Mebrahtom (Eritrea) +1:36
4. Metkel Eyob (Eritrea)
5. Aron Debretsion (Eritrea)
6. Suleiman Kangangi (Kenya)
7. Tesfom Okubamariam (Eritrea)
8. Simon Pellaud (Switzerland)
9. Salim Kipkemboi (Kenya)
10. Jean Bosco Nsengimana (Rwanda)
General classification
1. Joseph Areruya (Rwanda) 3:16:06
2. Jean Bosco Nsengimana (Rwanda) +1:28
3. Valens Ndayisenga (Eritrea) +1:30
4. Stefan de Bod (South Africa) +1:34
5. Suleiman Kangangi (Kenya) +1:37
6. Cameron Piper (United States) +1:38
7. Patrick Byukusenge (Rwanda) ”
8. Samuel Mugisha (Rwanda) +1:39
9. Jean Claude Uwizeye (Rwanda) ”
10. Olivier Le Court de Billot (Mauritius) +1:40
