Restrepo Marks Fourth Victory At Tour Du Rwanda

Jhonatan Restrepo claimed his fourth stage win of this year’s Tour du Rwanda as Eritrea’s Natnael Tesfazion retained the leader’s yellow jersey after stage seven.

He sprinted to victory in the capital Kigali ahead of Eritrea’s Hailu Biniam and Switzerland’s Schelling Patrick.

Race leader Natnael Tesfatsion finished 27 minutes and 39 seconds to keep his yellow jersey.

Second-placed Moise Mugisha from Skol Adrien Cycling Academy put on a strong performance finishing 1’29’’ behind Tesfatsion, narrowing the gap to 1’30’’.

The 25-year-old Colombian raised his arm in celebration just minutes after getting caught at the back of the peloton with 10km to go after his lead-out man tumbled for a moment.

Restrepo has now won four stages, having claimed his third on Friday from Musanze to Muhanga.

He is now sixth overall, 2 minutes and 21 seconds off Yellow Jersey custodian Tesfazion, who riders for Eritrea National Team.

It was an exciting finish after more than six hours of racing, mostly at a sedate pace.

Two Rwanda riders, Joseph Areruya and Gahemba Bamabe went clear soon after the race started in Nyamirambo and were allowed to stay away until the final 11km.

That left the sprinters to contest the stage win and this time Restrepo, who was hurt in a crash near the end of stage one, prevailed.

There was no change at the top of the general classification, although Main Kent and Quentenro Julian both found themselves on the wrong end of a split in the peloton in the final 30km and had to fight to regain contact.

Mugisha and the other main contenders had a quiet day after a tough 127 km race on Friday that saw the Rwandese nearly take time out of all of his rivals.