Bonaventure Uwizeyimana. secured a third place finish in stage two of the 2019 La Tropicale Amissa Bongo held on Tuesday in Gabon
Team Rwanda secured another podium finish as rider Bonaventure Uwizeyimana finished third in the second stage of the 2019 La Tropicale Amissa Bongo where cyclists covered 170km from Franceville to Okondja on Tuesday.
Uwizeyimana finished behind Italian and Direct Energie rider Niccolo Bonifazio who remained invincible after two stages to retain the yellow jersey. German born Andre Greipel finished second.
Other Rwandans namely Uwizeye Jean Claude managed a 16th place finish, reigning champion Areruya Joseph finished 33rd, Munyaneza Didier finished 35th, Samuel Mugisha finished a distant 42nd while Nkuruniza Yves finished 52nd
On the general classification after the second stage, Niccolo retains the yellow jersey, closely followed by Eritrean Sirak Tesfom while German born rider Andrew Greipel is ranked third.
Rwandan Munyaneza is ranked fourth, coming 13 seconds behind the leading trio to retain the best young rider’s jersey with 6:47:39. He is seven seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Ebrahim Redwan.
Uwizeyimana is the other Rwandan in the top ten of the general classification as he is placed sixth to come sixteen seconds behind the Italian leader.
Munyaneza is also ranked third in the king of mountain category with six points, coming behind Eritrean leader Tesfom Sirak who has 16 points and Algerian Reguigui Youcef who has eight points.
In the team rankings after going into stage three, Team Rwanda is ranked fifth with 20:23:18, to come behind leaders Direct Energie,Ethiopia, Eritrea and Vital Concept – B&B Hotels.
The week-long race continues on Wednesday with Stage 3 where riders are set to set off from Leconi and ride a 100km distance before crossing the finish-line in Franceville (100km).
Rwandan Areruya, 23, who moved into the professional ranks with French side Delko-Marseille, is the reigning champion.
La Tropicale Amissa Bongo
Tuesday’s Stage 2 Results
Franceville – Okondja (170km)
1. Bonifazio Niccolò (Direct Energie) 4:04:23
2. Greipel André (Arkéa Samsic) 4:04:23
3. Uwizeyimana Bonaventure (Rwanda) 4:04:23
4. Vendrame Andrea (Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec) 4:04:23
5. Gebremariam Fiseha (Ethiopia) 4:04:23
6. Reguigui Youcef (Algeria) 4:04:23
7. Eyob Metkel (Eritrea) 4:04:23
8. Ebrahim Redwan (Ethiopia) 4:04:23
9. Mayer Alexandre (Mauritius) 4:04:23
10. Sabbehi Lahcen (Morocco) 4:04:23
General Classification after stage 2
1. Bonifazio Niccolò (Direct Energie) 6:47:26
2. Tesfom Sirak (Eritrea) 0:09
3. Greipel André (Arkéa Samsic) 0:10
4. Munyaneza Didier (Rwanda) 0:13
5. Manzin Lorrenzo (Vital Concept – B&B Hotels) 0:14
6. Uwizeyimana Bonaventure (Rwanda) 0:16
7. Teklehaimanot Daniel (Eritrea) 0:17
8. Du Plooy Rohan (ProTouch) 0:18
9. Petit Adrien (Direct Energie) 0:19
10. Reguigui Youcef (Algeria) 0:20
La Tropicale Amissa Bongo 2019 Roadmap
January 21: Stage 1: Bongoville – Moanda (100km)
January 22: Stage 2: Franceville – Okondja (170km)
January 23: Stage 3: Leconi – Franceville (100km)
January 24: Stage 4: Mitzic – Oyem (120km)
January 25: Stage 5: Bitam – Mongomo (Equatorial Guinea, 120km)
January 26: Stage 6: Bitam – Oyem (110km)
January 27: Stage 7: Nkok – Libreville (140km)
