Algerian wins stage five

Algeria National Team’s Azzedine Lagab clocked 2 hours 29 minutes and 15 seconds to win Stage Five of the 2013 Tour of Rwanda, from Muhanga to Nyamagabe (102km) yesterday.

Friday, November 22, 2013
Best team, MTN Qhubekha. All photos / P. Kamasa.

Algeria National Team’s Azzedine Lagab clocked 2 hours 29 minutes and 15 seconds to win Stage Five of the 2013 Tour of Rwanda, from Muhanga to Nyamagabe (102km) yesterday.However, South Africa National Team rider Dylan Girdlestone retained the Yellow Jersey after finishing in fourth place in yesterday’s leg.The 24-year-old clocked 2 hours 29 minutes and 51 seconds, 36 seconds behind the Algeria National Team’s Lagab who convincingly won the stage.The Algerian charged at his breakaway companion Goytom Biru with an explosive acceleration in the final 400 metres. Girdlestone’s South African Team worked hard to protect the Tour leader.Girdlestone maintains his place at the top in the general classification in a time of 15 hours six minutes and 51 seconds with two stages remaining today and tomorrow.Team MTN-Qhubeka’s 21-year-old rider, Louis Jes Meintjes, who came third yesterday, is second overall with a time of 15 hours eight minutes and 58 seconds and in third position is Eritrean Eyob Metkel of Team SA CO BE with a time of 15 hours nine minutes and 17 seconds.Kenya National Team rider John Njoroge is in fourth position after clocking a total time of 15 hours, ten minutes and 26 seconds, while Team Rwanda Kalisimbi’s Jean Bosco Nsengiyumva, who was 11th yesterday, is in sixth position with a time of 15 hours 11 minutes and 47 seconds.Nsengiyumva clocked 2 hours 29 minutes 59 seconds in yesterday’s Stage Five from Muhanga to Nyamagabe in the Southern Province. He retains the White Jersey for best Rwandan rider in the competition.Yesterday, Team Rwanda Akagera’s Gasore Hategeka came in fifth position in 2 hours 29 minutes 54 seconds.MTN-Qhubeka’s Rwandan rider, Adrien Niyonshuti is in tenth position overall with a time of 15 hours 13 minutes and 3 seconds and his team continue to don the Green Jersey for the best team so far in tournament.Lagab’s win on stage five, made him the fifth different stage winner since the start of this year’s Tour of Rwanda last Sunday. He is in tenth position in the general classification with 15 hours, 12 minutes 23 seconds.Team Rwanda Karisimbi’s Janvier Hadi won the Prologue on the first day (Amahoro stadium-Kimoronko-Amahoro stadium), Team MTN-Qhubeka’s Jay Robert Thomson won stage one (Kigali-Kirehe) but has pulled out of the Tour due to illness.Team Rwanda Akagera’s 19-year-old rider Valens Ndayisenga won stage two (Rwamagana-Musanze),  Team MTN-Qhubeka’s  Meintjes took stage three (Rubavu-Kinigi)  before MTN-Qhubeka’s Johann Zyl Van won stage four ( Musanze-Muhanga) on Thursday.Stage six today will see the riders racing from Huye in the Southern Province to the City of Kigali where they will finish at Stade de Kigali Nyamirambo, covering a distance of 125.7km.The 2013 Tour of Rwanda will climax on Sunday  (tomorrow) with the seventh and last stage which will start from Amahoro stadium, go round the City of Kigali, covering a total distance of 94.2km and finish at Amahoro Stadium.