Tour du Rwanda 2024: Young Eritreans Shine
These three young Eritreans are stars of the future. Here's a run-through of the first half of the race
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The first stage of Africa’s biggest race kicked off on Sunday. Africa has for some years been seen as a hotbed for talent waiting to be discovered. The Tour du Rwanda is one of the only opportunities for these riders to put their hands up and snatch an opportunity to edge closer to their dreams.
At the time of writing four stages - half of the race - have been run. Some riders have risen to expectations, while others have faltered, and some new names have grabbed attention.
Stage one was a team time trial on the course set to be used for the time trials at the World Championships in Kigali next year. Times didn’t count for the overall, but that didn’t stop race favourite William Junior Lecerf and his Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team team-mates being motivated to romp to victory. It was an early marker for the General Classification.
The day was perhaps more significant as a look-ahead to the Worlds, with the riders able to gather a first impression of what is a varied 18 kilometre course. It includes a 2.3 kilometre climb at 4.4%, several straighter power sections and a dead-turn on a roundabout. It will give the best time triallists in the world something to think about in 18 months’ time.
Chris Rougier-Lagane of the Mauritius National team told Global Peloton that it was a “really fast course,” perfect for the big rouleurs. “I think the average speed will be crazy at World Champs. The road is nice so it will be good,” he added.
Stage two was the easiest of the eight, the only real opportunity for the sprinters who made the trip to east Africa.
Mauritian rider Alexandre Mayer has been one of the stand-out African riders of the race so far. The 25-year-old, racing in the UK for Saint Piran Uskis this season, spent stage the stage in the breakaway, securing for himself the mountain jersey. Mayer told Global Peloton about his attack in the evening after the stage:
So the plan was to go in the break today to try get a jersey. I attacked first and went clear from the start. I was then joined by two Rwandans [Didier Munyaneza and Shemu Nsengiyumva] and we had a good gap.
I lost the first two intermediate sprints so I was not confident for the KOM jersey cause they looked strong on the climbs. But I could see that they were starting to fade a bit so I went clear and got the first KOM and decided to keep going alone.
At the end I was caught by the peloton, but [it was an] amazing day with KOM jersey and breakaway jersey too.
It was such a nice atmosphere out there with the crowd, I really enjoyed being up in the front and was nice to show the Mauritian jersey!
Mayer was brought back by the peloton with around 20 kilometres to go, setting up the expected sprint. It was won by Itamar Einhorn (Israel-Premier Tech).
On stage 3 the peloton had their first trip into the Rwandan hills. Almost the entire first stage was climbing, all the way up above 2,500 metres of elevation. The riders then took on a long descent before a 7k climb at 5%.
It was a selective day, with just sixteen left in the front group at the finish. The stage was won by Colombia’s Jhonatan Restrepo (Polti-Kometa).
Catching my eye on day three were three young Eritreans.
Yoel Habteab, a new signing for the German Bike Aid team, spent the day in the breakaway, picking up a raft of points in the climber’s competition. Up to now, Habteab had been thought of as more of a sprinter - Bini 2.0 perhaps. Here, he showed real versatility and an engine which will serve him well as he moves to Europe in the spring.
The only African left in the front group at the end was Eritrea’s Aklilu Arefayne, who rides for Wanty-ReUz-Technord - the development team of Intermarché-Wanty. He sprinted to sixth place on the stage and hasn’t been outside of the top-11 in all four stages. Arefayne is a big talent. He could do some real damage on the European under-23 calendar this season.
The other Eritrean who caught my attention on stage three was 19-year-old Yafiet Mulugeta. It’s the first time the youngster has raced outside of Eritrea but he has started off well, finishing 22nd, just 16 seconds back on day three. He could be one to keep an eye on.
More hills on stage 4, but not quite as extreme as the day before and the stage was only 94 kilometres long.
Habteab extended his lead in the climber’s classification. He looks intent on taking that with him the whole way.
The stage was won by Soudal Quick-Step Devo’s William Junior Lecerf, the team’s second win of the week. Lecerf looks in great form ahead of the crucial stages to come.
There was another good performance from the Eritreans as Arefayne finished tenth and Merhawi Kudus a couple of places higher in eighth. The last Rwandan to win a stage at this race, Moise Mugisha, also finished in the front group. Mulugeta once again impressed, leading home the chase group in 23rd.
Ahead of the riders is a crucial time-trial on stage five. With no time bonuses given for stage winners, this is where the GC will be won and lost. After four stages, the first 16 riders are all on the same time, and another eight are within 90 seconds of leader Pepijn Reinderink (SQS). The TT will held on a climb, 8.2km at 4.2%. It’s nothing earth-shattering, but gaps will be created by the strongest riders.
The Soudal Quick-Step Devo riders and the likes of Gal Glivar (UAE Gen Z), Logan Currie (Lotto DSTNY) and Pierre Latour (Total Energies) will be difficult to beat, but Eritreans Arefayne, Kudus and also Dawit Yemane could pose a threat. The African challenge is really all about the Eritreans this year, the other nationalities have struggled on the whole so far.
After the TT is the hilltop finish up Mont Kigali (4.1km at 6.8%) before two less selective days close out the race.
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