Stage three top ten

1. Timothy Rugg- Team LowestRates 03h18’16’’

2. Joseph Areruya - Les Amis Sportifs 03h18’18’’

3. Eyob Metkel- Dimension Data ERI 03h18’18”

4. Tesfom Okubamariam- Eritrea National team 03h18’18’’

5. Patrick Byukusenge- Club Benediction 03h18’26’’

6. Jean Bosco Nsengimana -Stradalli -Bike aid 03h18’27’’

7. Valens Ndayisenga - Dimension Data 03h18’27’’

8. Joseph Biziyaremye- Team Rwanda 03h18’29’’

9. Aman Ghebreigzabhier Werkilul- Dimension Data 03h18’32’’

10. Lagab Azzedine- Algeria 03h18’35’’

General Classification

1. Valens Ndayisenga -Dimension Data 08h51’53’’

2. Joseph Areruya- Les Amis Sportifs 08h53’09’’

3. Tesfom Okubamariam - Eritrea National Team 08h53’16’’

4. Jean Bosco Nsengimana – Stradalli-Bike Aid 08h53’19’’

5. Eyob Metkel- Dimension Data 08h53’21’’

6. Amanu Ghebreigzabhier Werkilul- Dimension Data 08h55’18’’

7. Patrick Byukusenge - Club Benediction 08h55’19’’

8. Suleiman Kangagi- Kenyan Riders Downunder 08h55’19’’ ‘’

9. Temesgen Mebrahtu Buru- Ethiopia National team 08h55’30’’

10. Brett Wachtendorf - Team LowestRates 08h55’32’’

Canada’s Team LowestRates’ Timothy Rugg once again defied odds to claim stage three, Karongi-Rusizi, one of the toughest stages in the ongoing Tour du Rwanda, yesterday.

VIDEO: Tour du Rwanda 2016: Timothy Rugg wins Stage Three. Source: The New Times/YouTube

The American won the Prologue on Sunday before putting on a modest display in stage 1 and 2, but he put up a spectacular show clinching the 115.9km stage 3 in 3hours, 18 minutes and 16 seconds.

Rugg, sprinted fastest in the last 50 meters to beat off the challenge of Les Amis Sportif de Rwamagana’s Joseph Areruya by two seconds, while Valens Ndayisenga of Team Dimension Data For Qhubeka finished in 7th place after clocking 03h18’27’’ to retain the race leader’s yellow jersey.

Eyob Metkel, riding for Team Dimension Data and his Eritrean compatriot Tesfom Okubamariam finished in the third and fourth places respectively, both using the same time as Areruya.

 "I am really happy, this was my stage and I had to use the energy I had reserved during the course to sprint well to the finish line, this was my day and I am very excited,” said Rugg in an interview with Times Sport.

 The California native has also been good back home especially on the North American circuit in the United States and in Canada on major events like the Tour de Beauce or the GP of Saguenay.

 He noted, "In the past two stages, we were unable to coordinate as a team and I we couldn’t defend the yellow jersey; however; our target is to win every possible stage.”

Benediction Club’s Patrick Byukusenge came fourth clocking 3h18’26” while defending champion Jean Bosco Nsengimana of Stradalli-Bike Aid arrived at the finish line in 5th place after using 3h18’27”.

After stage three, Ndayisenga is still on top of the general classification with a time of 8hours, 51 minutes and 53 seconds, followed by 20-year-old Areruya, who has used 8h53’09”, a gap of one minute and 16 seconds.

Again Ndayisenga scooped the best Rwandan jersey, best African and the best young rider while for the second time in a row, 18-year-old debutant Samuel Mugisha, riding for Benediction Club, claimed the best climber jersey.

Eritrean Okubamariam has replaced Nsengimana in the top three with a gap of three seconds while Metkel is in fifth position.

Today riders will head to Huye through the vast tropical rain forest of Nyungwe (Nyungwe Challenge), a distance of 140.7km, the longest stage of this year’s Tour.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw