Tour du Rwanda 2023 entered its seventh stage stretch on Saturday with full joy in penultimate stage of 115.8 km whose arrival was judged at the top of the famous Mount Kigali (4.3 km at 7%), to climb twice to the finish line.
Last survivor of the morning breakaway, Manuele Tarozzi, tackled the final climb alone and resisted the return of the peloton to the end.
Tarozzi, who plays for Green Project-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè team, thus obtained his very first professional stage success at the age of 24.
The Italian ProTeam pulled off a magnificent double to cross the finish line in Kigali, all the way from Gicumbi, using two hours 58 minutes and 53 seconds, 32 seconds clear of Bolton Equities Black SP’s Mark Stewart who emerged second.
Eritrean Henok Mulueberhane took the opportunity to strip William Junior Lecerf (Soudal-Quick Step Devo Team) off his leader's Jersey.
He won the shirt back three days after he lost it to French rider Thomas Bonnet on Wednesday.
Sunday’s eighth stage promises to produce yet again an exciting decider with Mulueberhane now be leading the general classification by just microseconds clear of rival Walter Calzoni and two seconds ahead of William Jr Lecerf who dropped to third after Saturday’s stage.
Meanwhile, Bike Aid’s Eric Muhoza, who sits sixth in general classification, saw his gap to the top reduced to just eight seconds after Saturday’s stage.
The Rwandan rider isn’t ready to give up on the yellow jersey until the last minute and he will need his teammates to back him once again and play for him during Sunday’s 75 kilometer Kigali-Kigali decisive stage.
The riders will climb the famous cobbled Mur de Kigali, continue to climb towards Mont Kigali before heading to the finish line at Canal Olympia Rebero.
Jerseys after stage 7 of Tour du Rwanda 2023 (Nyamata -Mont Kigali: 115.8 Km).
1. Yellow Jersey holder: Henok Mulueberhan (Green Project)
2. Best Climber: Marc Oliver Pritzen (EF Education-Nippo)
3. Best Young Rider: Calzon Walter (Q.36.5 Pro Cycling Team)
4. Best Sprinter: James Fouche (Bolton Equities Black Spoke)
5. Stage winner: Manuele Tarozzi (Green Project)
6. Best Rwandan Rider: Eric Muhoza (Bike Aid)
7. Best African Rider: Henok Mulueberhan (Green Project)
8. Best Combative Rider: Arefayne Akilu (Team Erythrea)
9. Best In Breakaway: Manuele Tarozzi (Green Project)
10. Team of the Stage: Euskaltel-Euskadi (Spain)