Team Rwanda riders expect to maintain their top spot as the best African team in today’s stage 4 from Ndjole to Lambaréné town at the ongoing La Tropicale Amissa Bongo Tour in Gabon.
Team Rwanda riders listen to head coach Jonathan Boyer at the continental event in South Africa
The youthful riders who are ahead of continental powerhouses Eritrea, Algeria, South Africa and Morocco in the UCI listed 2.1 race will be trying to win today’s stage and coach Felix Sempoma is confident they will put up a strong fight.
In an exclusive interview with Times Sport, Sempoma said, “The last 200m are on a hilly terrain. We want to use that to our advantage and win stage 4. We have to maintain our position as best African team and we also want to clinch the best African rider jersey.”
In yesterday’s stage from Mounana to Koulamoutou, Jean Bosco Nsengimana was in the leading peloton for most part of the race but was unable to make it among the top five riders.
Meanwhile, Bonaventure Uwizeyimana maintains fifth position in the general classification and 29 seconds behind Algerian Azzedine Lagab in the battle for best African rider.
Belarusian Daniel Mclay of Team Bretagne-Séché Environment from France won stage 3 while teammate Yauheni Hutarovich finished second.
Morocco’s Eddine Salah Mraouni was third while Yohann Gene (Team Europcar) and Andrea Palini (Skydive Dubai) came fourth and fifth respectively.
In January, Rwanda was ranked second behind South Africa in the International Cycling Union (UCI) rankings.
Today
Stage 4: Ndjole to Lambaréné – 133km
Stage 3 results – Mounana to Koulamoutou
1. Daniel Mclay
(Bretagne-Séché Environment)
2. Yauheni Hutarovich
(Bretagne-Séché Environment )
3. Eddine Salah Mraouni (Morocco)
By Usher Komugisha, The New Times