Debesai takes solo win

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Rwandan national champion Adrien Niyonshuti kept the lead of the Tour of Rwanda's general classification on Saturday after stage 5, but his advantage is under increasing threat from Eritrean riders. One of them, Frekalsi Debesai, claimed victory at the Regional Stadium in Kigali, the capital of the country, while his teammate Araya Medhin Dawit Haile made it an Eritrean one-two by following home 19 seconds later.

The 158.2km stage from Gisenyi to Kigali took place over constantly undulating roads and opened with a 30km ascent. The main favourites neutralized their battle as a result unorganized attacks, until the penultimate climb, when the yellow jersey was dropped. Niyonshuto lost up 1:35 to some big contenders such as the former race leader, Tesfai Teklit (Eritrea). At the finish the suspense was electric for the crowd as the UCI commissaires waited almost a quarter of an hour before confirming that then Rwanda rising star still was the in the yellow jersey.

From the first climb, Niyonshuti was harassed by his rivals, especially by the South African and Moroccan all rounders and by the Ethiopinan Estifanos Gebresilassie, 10th overall, who was virtual leader for a few minutes when he was part of a fourteen-rider breakaway. The stage was then lit up by a very long escape containg Niyonshuti’s teammate Nyandwi Uwase and the Libyan Fathi Ahmed Atunsi.

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Born in Gisenyi, the start town of the stage, Uwase launched his attack in Ruhengeri, the headquarters of the Rwanda Project and Team Rwanda. “I felt strong today, I really was thinking I could win the stage,” he said. Obviously euphoric to be in front, he didn't wait for his breakaway companion on a climb, and then wore himself out by riding alone on the following flat sector into a headwind. He was finally dropped in the penultimate ascent at 41 kilometers to go and Ahmed Atunsi, five-time Libyan champion in the time trial and road race, went on a solo breakaway that lasted to the final ten kilometres.

On the same ascent, attacks were launched in the main peloton and four riders caught Ahmed Atunsi: Abdelati Saadoune (Morocco), Jason Bakke (South Africa), Julien Schick (CA Castelsarrasin) and Evert Verbist (Flanders Avia Team). 6km from the finish, the Eritrean Frekalsi Debesai came back to the head group and immediately attacked. “Because the guys were slow and I had very good legs,” he explained. He took the win, nineteen seconds clear of his fellow countryman Dawit Haile and South African Bakke.

Debesai, aged 27, took his own national championships this year, was second on a stage of Tour of Libya stage and fourth at the GP Al Fatah in the same country. “I'm very happy to win in Rwanda because I didn't do anything until now apart supporting my team-mates,” he told Cyclingnews.

In the African Continental Championships last Sunday, Debesai exploded off the front before breaking his bike and crossing the line in 7th position. Since that accident he has been using a machine that is too big for him, 58cm frame rather than a 54.

Rwanda national coach Jock Boyer was pleased at the finish. “It's one thing to take the yellow jersey but we know it's much harder to defend it,” he said. “Fortunately Adrien Niyonshuti had a very good team to support him today.”

Sports physiologist Clark Natwick, involved in the Project of Rwanda, added that the riders had specifically undertaken team time trial and tempo training before the race.

In the general classification, Niyonshuti's Eritrean rivals reduved the deficit to eight seconds (Teklit), ten seconds (Natnael Berhane) and 1:12 (Teklehaimanot). Suffering with a throat problem, Namibian Dan Craven (UCI Continental Center), 3rd this morning, lost twenty-four minutes, but his team-mate Grmay remains 8th at 2:05. Some of the other contenders to maintain their positions include South African Janse Van Rensburg (5th at 1:25), Moroccan Jelloul (6th at 1:44) and Eritrean Russom (7th at 1:47). They all hope to take the lead in the last four stages, but Sunday is for all a well deserved rest day.

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