Kenya’s Joseph Njoroge finished fifth in general classification after the opening day of the Tour of Rwanda cycling race, one of the biggest in Africa. Njoroge took fourth place on the opening special stage, just nine seconds behind winner Jay Robert Thomson, who sprinted to the finish in 3hrs 12minutes and 2 seconds. Njoroge was 3:12:11.
At the end of the day, Njoroge lay fifth in general classification as Thomson grabbed the Yellow Jersey in 3:15 with Njoroge 3:16:32.
The Kenya team to the Tour of Rwanda had earlier been kitted and wished well by Chris Froome, the Kenya-born Tour de France winner who is visiting the country. The South Africa’s Team MTN-Qhubeka rider Thomson won the first stage on Monday— Kigali to Kirehe (129.9km). As a result, he took the Yellow Jersey from Team Rwanda and Karisimbi rider Janvier Hadi, who won Sunday’s Prologue. Hadi came in a distant eighth, behind yesterday’s stage winner by one minute and 31 seconds. Overall, he dropped to seventh spot.
Thomson, the 2013 national champion of South Africa, held the Leader Jersey. Thomson, a teammate of Rwanda’s Adrien Niyonshuti, also took the General Classification leadership for using a total of 3hrs 16 minutes and 15 seconds after two stages, while Hadi is in seventh position with 3hrs 12 minutes and two seconds.
Hadi’s hope of retaining the Yellow Jersey was dealt a major blow when he had an accident in Ngoma District, at a time when he was in a leading group of about 13 riders. Although he managed to quickly get back on his bike, he had already lost ground and could only manage to finish in the eighth position.
By Chris Mbaisi, The Star