Tour of Rwanda: Pellaud wins longest stage to move into overall lead

For the third day in succession, Tour of Rwanda stage victory came with the race leader's yellow jersey. After the Rwandan duo of Jean Bosco Nsengimana (Rwanda National Team) and Joseph Areruya (Dimension Date for Qhubeka) wowed the home crowds with their victories, Simon Pellaud (Team Illuminate) silenced the locals in Rubavu with a solo victory on stage 2.

The Illuminate rider made his move on the last of the six categorised climbs as the rain began to fall in western Rwanda, but it was on the descent into the Lake Kivu city of Rubavu that he padded out his advantage. Crossing the line after several gestures of celebration, Pellaud had ample time to soak in the occasion before Mathieu Jeannes (Haute Savoie Auvergne) crossed in second place, 1:30 down, just ahead of Didier Munyameza (Rwanda National Team).

Having started the day in yellow, Joseph Areruya now sits in second place overall, one minute behind Pellaud, with defending champion Valens Ndayisenga (Tirol) third at 1:17.

"It is my first UCI win and I was so close so many times and now I am just enjoying it," an ecstatic Pellaud told Cyclingnews. "I will wear the yellow jersey tomorrow and that is crazy. I am super happy. With this win, our team has now won on four continents, and I couldn't be happier to be part of that. I had my chance and I took it."

While Pellaud was revelling in his visits to the podium and his first interviews as a winner, Areruya cut a discontent figure in the wings. The Dimension Data for Qhubeka rider was brief in his answers but vowed his race isn't over, and said he will try again for a stage and yellow jersey.

Of the general classification riders, 2015 champion Nsengimana was the biggest loser as he seemingly paid for his aggressive riding and slipped from third to tenth overall, and he now lies 2:15 adrift of Pellaud. Pellaud, however, expects the yellow jersey to return to the shoulders of a Rwandan rider after stage 3 to Musanze.

"No, I am not thinking about the overall at all," Pellaud explained. "I got dropped every single climb today so I will enjoy my day in yellow tomorrow. Just 90 kilometres tomorrow with a big mountain to climb up, but I am sure tomorrow night the jersey will be back on the shoulders of a Rwandan. Don't worry about me being there in yellow on Sunday, I am here to win a stage and I did it. I am super happy with that."

How it unfolded

The earliest start and longest stage of this year's Tour of Rwanda resulted in a nervous and rushed peloton in anticipation of the 180-kilometre stage from Nyanza to Rubavu. The opening salvo of the race was a reverse of yesterday's finale until the peloton headed left for Lake Kivu, rather than right for Kigali, and ventured into mountains at an altitude in excess of 2,000 metres.

Despite the 8:30am departure, riders were quick to attack and attempt to establish a breakaway. Eric Nduwayo (Club Benediction) and Samuel Hakiruwizeye (Les Amis Sportifs) kicked things off before Jean Damascene Ruberwa (Club Benediction) and Geoffrey Langat (Bike Aid) jumped across. Although hilly, the first 60 kilometres of the race featured just one categorised climb to soften the legs before the climbing started in earnest.

On approach to the second KOM, the peloton had decided to swallow up the break but was content to let Edward Greene (Lowestrates.ca) counter-attack and quickly build a two-minute lead. In the bunch, the selection had started to come as the 2,000-metre elevation took its toll.

The shakedown came quickly once it started with Nsengimana and Pellaud the main aggressors. With communication limited in the high mountains as the rain started to settle in, the attacks were coming thick and fast. Greene found himself back in the reduced bunch as the Rwandan national team upped the tempo. Areruya and Nsengimana were then the main aggressors on the climbs while Pellaud was the quickest on the descents.

Anticipating the fast and technical descent off the last categorised climb with 30km to race, Pellaud made his move on the final ascent, riding away from the 10-rider group. He then doubled down on his advantage ahead of the finale, extending his lead on the drop into Rubavu to the disappointment of the parochial Rwandan fans.

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