Alan Boileau took stage 2 from Kigali to Huye. Photos by Plaisir Muzogeye.
French rider, Alan Boileau has emerged as the winner of Stage 2 in Tour du Rwanda 2021- marking his first victory ever in his professional career wins and breaking the trend of Africans winning the same stage.
Boileu finished the race clocking 3.07.14’ and followed by the youngest rider Umba Santiago Lopez, a Colombian riding for Androni Giocattoli–Sidermec finished second to claim the Yellow Jersey after Stage 2.
The 106KM stage from Kigali- Huye has since 2009 been dominated by African riders and the only non-African to win this stage in was Guy Smet in 2011. Smet is still the only Belgium rider to win a stage at any of the tours.
At the start of the stage in Kigali down town, Boileau, 21 years who riders with B-B Hotels team was nowhere close to winning and only came into the winning pack when the riders past Muhanga district in the southern.
At 80 KM Boileau and Ferron were still in front row leading though neither of them has won a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) race so far.
10km to the finish line the race saw four 4 riders (Teugels, Main, Quintero and Boileau) breakaway from the leading group and this set the mark for Boileau to eye the finishing line as crowds welcomed the riders.
Four kilometers to the finish line, the riders stayed back-to-back, side by side in the last run making it look like it will come down to a reduced group sprint, and Quintero sprinted away from the pack to attempt the win.
Stage 1 winner Brayan Sánchez surrendered the Yellow Jersey to Umba Lopez Abner Santiago of Androni Giacattoli Sidermec after general classification.
However in the last lap Boileau managed to distance himself with the rest of the group to rush through the last kilometers to claim the day’s victory.
Though Rwandan riders Jean Bosco Nsengimana and Eric Manizabayo of BenIgnite thrilled lead the race past Muhanga district heading to Nyanza exciting crowds of spectators, no Rwandan was among the top ten riders of the day, however a Kenyan rider Salim Kipkemboi managed to retain position 7.
