Frenchman Pierre Latour of Team TotalEnergies on Thursday won Stage Five’s Individual Time Trial from Musanze to Kinigi, while William Junior Lecerf of Soudal-Quickstep climbed to the top of the general classification after taking the yellow jersey from his teammate Pepijn Reinderink.

Latour, 30, crossed the finish line after racing a distance of 13 kilometers in 23 minutes and 31 seconds. He was followed by Lecerf who clocked 24 minutes and five seconds.

The Belgian immediately wore the yellow jersey, having clocked nine hours, 47 minutes and 39 seconds after four stages, two seconds ahead of second-placed Peter Joseph Blackmore of Israel Premier Tech.

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Eric Manizabayo (Team Rwanda) and Shemu Nsengiyumva (May Stars) were Rwanda’s best performers of the day after crossing the finish line in Kinigi in 30th and 31st places respectively after each using 26 minutes and 37 seconds.

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It was not a good day for Moise Mugisha (Java Inovotec) who emerged 49^th and hence dropped to 21^st in general classification after seeing his gap to the top drop to three minutes and 25 seconds up from seven seconds.

In addition, Mugisha is now ranked second best Rwandan in the race, just behind Vainqueur Masengesho (20^th) who trails three minutes and 13 seconds overall.

A total of 94 riders started the Tour du Rwanda but the number has now dropped to 78 after Thursday’s Stage Five race.

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Action continues Friday, February 23, where the riders will depart Musanze and head to Mount Kigali at a distance of 93.3 kilometers.

This year’s edition of Tour du Rwanda will cover a total distance of 718.9 kilometers, making it the shortest-ever since 2009. The 2.1-rated race attracted 19 teams vying in eight stages.

Jersey winners

Stage 5-Musanze-Kinigi: 13 Km (ITT)

1-Stage Winner: Pierre Latour (TOTAL Energies)

2-Yellow Jersey Holder: William Junior Lecerf (Soudal Quick-Step)

3-Best Climber: Lennert Teugels (Bingoal WB)

4-Best Young Rider: Akilu Arefayne (Team Erythrea)

5-Best Sprinter: Didier Munyaneza (Team Rwanda)

6-Best African Rider: Akilu Arefayne (Team Erythrea)

7-Best Young African Rider: Arefayne Akilu (Team Erythrea)

8-Best Rwandan Rider: Vainqueur Masengesho (Team Rwanda)

9-Best Rwandan Young Rider: Vainqueur Masengesho (Team Rwanda)

10-Most Combative Rider: William Junior Lecerf (Soudal Quick-Step)

11-Best in Breakaway: Blackmore Peter Joseph (Israel Premier -Tech)

12-Best Team: TotalEnergies