Joseph Areruya wins 2017 Tour of Rwanda

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Joseph Areruya took overall victory at the 2017 Tour of Rwanda, sealing victory after the final day circuit stage in Kigali. The 21-year-old Dimension Data for Qhubeka rider safely navigated a tense final stage and despite losing a handful of seconds, held on for victory.

Teammate Metkel Eyob finished second overall at 28 seconds, for the second year running, with Suleiman Kangangi (Bike Aid) third at 1:29.

The final stage victory in Kigali went to Valens Ndayisenga (Tirol) with the defending champion salvaging his race and joining Eyob as a record five-time stage winner. Launching a late attack for the stage win, the sprint for second went to Redwan Ebrahim (Ethiopia) with Cameron Piper (Illuminate) in third place.

"Today was an amazing and great day. I had fear for this day but no more fear because I have the yellow jersey," said Areruya who also won the best African, and Rwanda rider classification along with a motorcycle.

Second in 2015 and fourth last year, Areruya secured the fourth straight win for Rwanda following overall wins for Jean Bosco Nsengiyumva and two for Ndayisenga.

The convincing solo winner on stage one, Areruya lost his race lead on stage two. Recovering to win stage three and take two second place finishes to Eyob, he explained the lessons learned from stage two of the race were crucial in securing the victory.

"It was very hard this tour. The second stage I lose the yellow jersey," he said of the stage into Rabavu. "When I lose the yellow jersey I start to think how can I win? We have a meeting with the team and we discuss how we can get the yellow jersey back. It was difficult but we believed with our team and we worked together."

How it unfolded

For the final stage of the 2017 Tour of Rwanda, the peloton assembled in the shadows of Kigali's Stade Amahoro for Sunday's 120-kilometre ten-lap circuit of the capital.

Compared to previous stages of the race, the break was quick to form after attacks from the gun. In the first kilometre, the peloton was content to let six riders get clear including Edward Greene in the chase to reclaim his KOM jersey. Wanting a higher pace in the break, Samuel Hakiruwizeye (Les Amis Sportifs) and Amanueal Tsegay (Eritrea) rode off the front and settled into a groove as the two leaders of the race.

The Dimension Date for Qhubeka controlled peloton similarly settled into a groove and let the break hang around the one-minute mark for the early laps with the four-riders in between. After the fourth lap, the break was back to five riders with representation from Greene, Edwin Avila (Illuminate), Abderrahmane Mansouri (Algeria), and Aron Debretsion and Natnael Mebrahtom of Eritrea.

Halfway through the race, the lead for the breakaway had extended to three minutes, the largest lead for a breakaway on this edition of the race. From the breakaway riders, Mebrahtom was the most dangerous rider on the general classification at 12 minutes but for the Eritrean, the mountain classification was the objective; a goal which he ultimately achieved.

In the peloton, the combined objectives of several teams saw a change in the tempo and one-minute time loss for the breakaway. With two laps to, go the break started to splinter with Mansouri, Debretsion and Mebrahtom the attackers, as the peloton closed to within one minute.

The final lap saw the catch and possibility of a stage win opened up the race to attacks.

On the climb leading into the finish, a select group jumped clear with Ndayisenga the strongest on the day. Taking his time to celebrate the win, the crowds outside the Stade Amahoro then roared into life, celebrating a stage and overall victory for Rwanda.

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