Gabonese wins Amissa Bongo race, Uwizeyimana finishes 6th

Bonaventure Uwizeyimana was Rwanda’s highest finisher – in sixth position in the General Classification, clocking a time of 19h41’38’’ – at the 12th edition of the Tropicale Amissa Bongo that ended on Sunday in Gabon.

Monday, March 06, 2017
Uwizeyimana was Rwanda's highest finisher on sixth position in the General Classification. / File

Bonaventure Uwizeyimana was Rwanda’s highest finisher – in sixth position in the General Classification, clocking a time of 19h41’38’’ – at the 12th edition of the Tropicale Amissa Bongo that ended on Sunday in Gabon.

Jean Paul René Ukiniwabo finished in 27th, Samuel Hakiruwizeye 33rd, Jérémie Karegeya 40th, Alex Nizeyimana 48th and Eric Nduwayo 54th.

Meanwhile, Direct Energie Team rider Yohann Gene wrote a new page in his career by winning his second Tropicale Amissa Bongo title, after his first in 2013.

At the start of the six-day race last Monday in the Haut-Ogoou, Gabon, Gene repeated his attachment to the category 2.1 event of the UCI Africa calendar.

Gène, 36, was already the record man for the number of victories of stages (six) and he added another one Friday in Kango. But this year, it was above all a new victory in the final classification that he aimed for.

The Direct Energie rider from Guadeloupe was able to play with his great qualities of sprinter but he also took advantage of his knowledge of the Gabonese roads to trap his opponents.

Eritrean rider Meron Abraham won the overall stage jersey; the best climber jersey went to another Eritrean, Awet Habtom; while the best young rider was Soufiane with Salahheddine Mraouni (Morocco) named the best African rider.

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