Tesfai in yellow after Niyonshuti cracks

Tour of Rwanda

Stage 6 results
Kigali-Karongi (125km)
1) B. Jason (S.A)
3:23:31
2) D. Frekaisi (ERI) 3:23:31
3) T.Tesfai (ERI)                3:23:35
11) A.Niyonshuti (RWA)  3:24:28
18) N.Byukusenge (RWA) 3:29:24
22) G.Hategeka (RWA)      3:38:39
 
General Classification
1) T.Tesfai (ERI)                 18:23:03
2) A.Niyonshuti (RWA)      18:23:48
3) N.Teweldemedhin (ERI) 18:23:58
4) D.Teklehaimanot (ERI)   18:24:53
14) N.Byukusenge (RWA)  18:39:43
21) G.Hategeka (RWA)       19:01:27

Today
Stage 7(Karongi-Huye) 155km
 
THIS year’s Tour of Rwanda has been a good vintage for South African riders; two stage wins have made it memorable. After Janse Van Rensburg Reinardt’s stage one victory, Bakke Jasson claimed a second for the South African team after prevailing in Karongi yesterday.

The day belonged to the 21-year-old rider, who edged stage two winner Daniel Teklehaimanot in an enthralling finish which for the second time in the tour brought electronic footage into play after both riders had clocked 3hours, 23 minutes and 31 seconds in the 125km race (Kigali-Karongi).

With Team Rwanda’s top rider Adrien Niyonshuti finishing a distant 11th, a third spot finish yesterday was enough to give Eritrea’s Teklit Tesfai the overall race lead and the maillot jaune ‘the yellow jersey’.

Niyonshuti, who rides for South Africa’s MTN Energade failed to come to terms with the endless corners as he finished 57 seconds off the pace. Nathan Byukusenge won the white jersey after being voted as the most popular Rwandan rider of the stage.

Niyonshuti will however retain the blue jersey after emerging as the best Rwandan rider. He has now won it five times on the trot.

16 teams are in contention this year and they include Castelsarrasin from France, Belgium’s Flanders AVIA, Team Type 1 of USA, Seychelles, Kenya, Libya, Egypt, Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Cameroon, Great Lakes team, new African champions Eritrea, UCI Continental and two teams for Rwanda; Team Rwanda Akagera and Team Rwanda.

Tigo, Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Western Union, Ministry of Sports and Culture, Fina Bank and Reco-Rwasco have all thrown their weight behind the event.

Ends