Saturday

Top Five1. Solomon Zemenfes (Erit) 16:44:522. Jean Claude Uwizeye (Rwa) 0:383. Amanuel Tsegay (Erit) 0:404. Tesfom Okubamariam (Erit) 2:085. Clint Hendricks (S.A) 2:09

Other Rwandans23. Jean Bosco Nsengimana 52:5933. Bonaventure Uwizeyimana 53:20 Team Rwanda’s cyclist Jean Claude Uwizeye has finished in second at this year’s Tour of Eritrea that concluded on Saturday in Asmara.

The 14th edition of the annual 2.2 UCI Africa Tour race was won by 20-year old Eritrean Solomon Zemenfes.

Zemenfes covered the five-day, 604.7km event posting a time of 16 hours, 44 minutes and 52 seconds to become the fifth Eritrean to win the race in the last six years.

He beat Uwizeye, 23, by 38 seconds while Eritrean Amanuel Tsegay finished in the third place, coming in 40 seconds behind the winner.

Another Eritrian rider, Tesfom Okubamariam, the 2016 African champion, finished in fourth, two minutes and eight seconds behind Zemenfes, while South African Clint Hendricks, finished fifth.

However, it was a race to forget for most Team Rwanda riders, including the 2015 Tour du Rwanda champion, Jean Bosco Nsengimana, who finished in the 23rd place, 52 minutes and 59 seconds behind the winner.

Former Dimension Data for Qhubeka rider Bonaventure Uwizeyimana finished in a distant 33rd position, 53 minutes and 20 second behind Zemenfes.

Head coach Sterling Magnell had travelled with a roster of six riders but three of them did not manage to finish the five-day event.

These include; debutant Didier Munyaneza, who did not finish stage three, from Dekemhare to Mendefera (85.06km); and Eric Nduwayo, who pulled out in stage four, Mendefera-Massawa (169.94km), while Rene Jean Paul Ukiniwabo was rested during stage four.

Last year, Rwanda fielded four riders, with Joseph Areruya emerging the best Rwandan performer, in 15th place, while Camera Hakuzimana and Uwizeye came in 17th and 18th positions, respectively. Ephrem Tuyishime finished in 27th.

The team is expected to arrive in the country on Thursday.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw