Kigali 20 November 2016 – After his victory in 2014, Valens Ndayisenga succeeded today in renewing the feat by protecting his yellow jersey leader that he had conquered in Karongi during the 2nd stage on Tuesday.
Until the end of this last stage today around the Stadium Amahoro, he managed to defend his valuable good by the support of his teammates like the Eritrean Metkel Eyob, second in the general classement but who has put aside his own ambition and put themselves totally at the service of the yellow jersey Valens Ndayisenga.
The young Rwandan 22-year-old has proved his maturity acquired during his first season this year with South African professionals Dimension Data. Assisted by his teammates, he made a no-fault course to become the first rider since the creation of the event in 2009 to win twice the final classement. “Even if I run for a foreign team, my heart was Rwandan throughout the week,” he said after the arrival. It is a great honor for me to bring another victory to my country. ” Since three years, not one Tour of Rwnada has gone without a rwandan rider.
In 2014, Valens Ndayisenga had already marked the history of the Tour of Rwanda by becoming the first Rwandan to win the race that had previously been shared by riders from South Africa, Eritrea, Morocco and United States.
THE WINNER
Eritrean Tesfom Okubamariam missed a victory in the Tour of Rwanda. The double champion of continental Africa and current leader of the ranking of the Africa Tour did not miss the opportunity today to add an additional line to his already very busy palmares. “It was important for me to win here,” he said after the finish, “because I want to be present everywhere in Africa with my continental champion jersey. I came here to win the final classement but I saw that the Rwandans were stronger, and I had to change my goals to try to win a stage. ”
STAGE 7 CLASSEMENT
1 – Tesfom Okubamariam (Eritrea – National Team of Eritrea)
2 – Metkel Eyob (Eritrea – Dimension Data for Qhubeka) same time
3 – Valens Ndayisenga (Rwanda – Dimension Data for Qhubeka) at 3’’
4 – Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Eritrea – Dimension Data for Qhubeka) at 19’’
5 – Elyas Afewerki (Eritrea – National Team of Eritrea) same time
FINAL CLASSEMENT
1 – Valens Ndayisenga (Rwanda – Dimension Data for Qhubeka)
2 – Metkel Eyob (Eritrea – Dimension Data for Qhubeka) at 39’’
3 – Tesfom Okubamariam (Eritrea – National Team of Eritrea) at 1’30’’
4 – Joseph Areruya (Rwanda – Les Amis Sportifs) at 2’52’’
5 – Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Eritrea – Dimension Data for Qhubeka) at 4’05’’
JERSEYS
GENERAL CLASSEMENT, sponsorised by MINISPOC : Valens Ndayisenga (Rwanda – Dimension Data for Qhubeka)
STAGE WINNER, sponsorised by SKOL : Tesfom Okubamariam (Eritrea – National Team of Eritrea)
BEST CILMBER, sponsorised by COGEBANK : Samuel Mugisha (Rwanda – Dimension Data for Qhubeka)
BEST YOUNG RIDER sponsorised by SORAS : Valens Ndayisenga (Rwanda – Dimension Data for Qhubeka)
BEST AFRICAN sponsorised by RWANDAIR : Valens Ndayisenga (Rwanda – Dimension Data for Qhubeka)
BEST RWANDAN sponsorised by RDB : Valens Ndayisenga (Rwanda – Dimension Data for Qhubeka)
