Today (stage 4)

Dimbokro – Dimbokro (80km)

Monday (stage 3)

Top 3

1. Gasore Hategeka (Rwanda) 4:16:51 2. Mraouni Salah Eddine (Morocco) 4:16:51 3. Cisse Isiaka (Ivory Coast) 4:16:51

Team Rwanda

1. Gasore Hategeka 7. Abraham Ruhumuriza 13. Joseph Biziyaremye 25. Eric Nduwayo 32. Ephrem Tuyishimire 36. Jeremie Karegeya

RWANDA international Gasore Hategeka claimed a terrifying finish-line sprint to win stage 3 of the ongoing Tour de Côte d'Ivoire also known as Tour de la Réconciliation.

The 29-year old rider turned the tables up against Morocco’s Mraouni Salah Eddine and other major archrivals to claim the 160km stage running from Bouaké to Daoukro, sending a clear message to doubters once again- that he is in his best days of cycling.

Going into the week-long Ivorian Tour, Hategeka had won the last two pieces of Rwanda Cycling Cup namely Muhazi Challenge and Central Challenge and is with no qualm, one of the riders to watch at this year’s Tour du Rwanda slated for November 13-20.

Gasore used 4 hours, 16 minutes and 51 seconds to grab the high fought victory of the day. Exactly the same time used by all top 9 including veteran Abraham Ruhumuriza. By taking stage 3, the talented rider Gategeka (9:33:45) jumped from 16th to rank 6th in general classification, two minutes and 42 seconds behind table standings leader Zahiri Abderrahim of Morocco.

Competing at the Tour de Côte d'Ivoire for the second time after 2015 debut, Rwanda ranks second behind Morocco. Hosts Ivory Coast are third while Burkina Faso and SNH Velo Club of Cameroun complete top five of the nine-team race.

At last year’s edition, former national team skipper Janvier Hadi finished first runner-up behind Moroccan Lahsaini Mouhssine while Team Rwanda finished top ahead of Morocco and Pays de la Loire of France.

Today, riders will be racing on a total distance of 80km in Dimbokro town situated in South-Central of the country. On Wednesday, there will be held Individual Time Trial (ITT) race on a distance of 16.5km from Dimbokro to Toumodi.