Another day, another Frenchman won yet another stage of Tour du Rwanda 2022.
It too Sandy Dujardin who rides for Team Total Energies 3 hours, 28 minutes and 25 to win the first road race of the 14th Edition of tour du Rwanda, thanks to his sprint prowess.
Dujardin’s compatriot and teammate Alexandre Geniez retained the yellow jersey after winning the prologue on Sunday and finishing in second place during stage one covering 148,3km from Kigali Arena to Rwamagana.
Dujardin’s victory on Monday means two victories in a row for Team Total Energies.
“I had in the back of my mind the idea of winning here in Rwanda,” Sandy Dujardin told the press after the race.
Dujardin added; “We couldn’t have dreamed of better with these two victories in a row. Alan and Paul did a great job all day riding behind the breakaways. I really wanted to finish the work of the whole team. I had a little pressure like all the other runners but you have to know how to use it to do things well. We will do everything to win more victories this week. From a personal point of view, it’s been a great start to the season and I hope it will continue.”
However, the race still remains difficult for the local riders. No Rwandan rider has won a stage in the race’s last three editions.
Renus Byiza Uhiriwe who rides for Team Rwanda managed to finish in fifth place during stage one of Monday’s race to move up three places in the General classification from Sunday’s prologue. He is now placed 22nd up from 25th.
Tour du Rwanda 2022 will continue on Tuesday with cyclists competing in stage two from Kigali-Rubavu covering a distance of 155km.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION:
1. Geniez Alexandre (Totalenergies) 03H33’06
2. Restrepo Valencia Jhonatan (Drone Hopper — Androni) 06"
3. Dujardin Sandy (Totalenergies) 07"
4. Drege Andre (Team Coop) 09"
5. Laurance Axel (B&B Hotels — KTM) “
6. Hayter Leo (Grande-Bretagne) 10”
7. Mackellar Alastair (Israel - Premier Tech) 12”
8. Goldstein Omer (Israel - Premier Tech)14”
9. Donaldson Robert (Grande-bretagne)15”
10. Nielsen Stokbro (Team Coop) “
PODIUM FINISH:
Sandy Dujardin- Stage winner by Amstel Malt
Alexandre Geniez - Yellow jersey by visit Rwanda
Sabbahi El Houcaine (Morocco)- King of Mountains by Cogebanque
Sabbahi El Houcaine (Morocco)- Dark Blue jersey (Intermediate Sprints) by SP Rwanda
Andre Drege (Team Coop Sykkel) -Blue sky and yellow jersey (Best young rider) by Prime Insurance.
Uhiriwe Byiza Renus (Rwanda)- White Jersey (Best Rwandan Rider) by Forzza Gaming
Kent Main - Green and white jersey (Best African rider) by RwandAir
Hayter Leo - Orange, Green and White jersey (Combativity) by Horizon Express
Team Total Energies 10h39’41" - White and Blue sky jersey (Team Classification) by Inyange Industries.
