Restrepo Wins Another Tour Du Rwanda Stage But Tesfazion Leads

Jhonatan Valencia Restrepo won stage 6 of the Tour du Rwanda as Eritrea’s Natnael Tesfazion retained the yellow jersey.

Colombian Restrepo, 25, of Team Androni Giocattoli sprinted to victory ahead of Patrick Schelling and Carlos Quintero to claim his third tour victory.

Carlos Oyarzun won the first mountain stage of this year’s race, beating Rwanda’s Didier Munyaneza by 50 seconds.

But Natnael Tesfazion finished in the peloton, three minutes and 39 seconds behind Restrepo, on the 127 km stage Musanze to Muhanga.

Rwanda’s Moise Mugisha was in the same group and has reduced the gap to the top to 68 seconds ahead of the last two stages.

The main contenders for the yellow jersey were happy to let a group of 7 riders – none of whom threatened the overall lead – surge ahead.

“I am happy to win the third stage. And, I still have strength in my legs for more victories,” Restrepo told reporters after his Stage 6 win.

Asked about a possible pursuit for Yellow Jersey, Restrepo said: “It is still possible, but it is very difficult. I just want to keep working and focus on one stage at a time and see how it goes at the end of the Tour. But, right now, the Yellow Jersey talk is a distraction.”

Kazakhstan’s Fedorov Yevgeniy, who won the first stage, was part of the breakaway but dropped back as Skol Adrien Cycling Academy (SACA) riders went on for the final push.

A total of 71 riders started today’s 127.3-kilometre long stage. The final two stages, Saturday and Sunday, take place in the capital, Kigali.