Rwandan cyclist ,Areruya Joseph has yet added another glory to his name by becoming a third African to win “La Tropicale Amisa Bongo” Cycling Tour after taking 23:52’24’’ finish ahead of his co-contestants in the 1st ranked African tour that ended on Sunday in Libreville, Gabon.
Areruya Joseph, who was presented the winner award by his Excellency Ali Bongo Ondimba, makes history to become the third African ever to win the tour and the first Rwandan cyclist break through the top places.
The tour is ranked first in Africa to the level of UCI 2.1 and only three Africans Cyclist managed to win the annual tour since its inception in 2005. Predecessor African winners of Areruya joseph are Eritrean Natnael Berhane who was the winner in 2014 and Tunisian Rafaâ Chtioui in 2015.
Areruya Joseph, the reigning winner of tour of Rwanda played only three months ago, has ridden overall 998 km of the whole tour taking him 23: 52’24’’ meaning approximately 42 km/h. Areruya the winner of the 2018 La Tropicale Amisa Bongo tour, came atop followed by Holler Nikodemus (Bike Aid) with time records of 23: 52’ 42” and Gaudin Damien (Direct Energie) taking 23h53’14 respectively.
Although, Areruya came 24th on the classification of this Sunday stage, he was still maintaining the existing 18 seconds time gap between him and his rival Holler Nikodemus who came 12th on the last stage classification. The last stage has not seen an outstanding winner as 35 contestants had same time records of 3:07:26 on the last stage of the tour, which was won by PACIONI Luca an Italian cyclist but this one managed only to come 19th on the general classification with 8:07 adrift.
Areruya was representing Team Rwanda with his fellow Ndayisenga Valens and Bonaventure Uwizeyimana who withdrew from the race after an accident on the 5th stage of the tour to remain with Munyaneza Didier, Ukiniwabo Jean Paul Rene who finished 54th with 24minutes 22 second adrift and Ruberwa Jean who finished 56th with 25 minute 12 seconds adrift.
General Classification
Rnk Rider Team UCI Pnt Time
1 Areruya Joseph
Rwanda
125 100 23:52:24
2 Holler Nikodemus
Bike Aid
85 70 0:18
3 Gaudin Damien
Direct Energie
70 50 0:50
4 Koshevoy Ilia
Wilier Triestina – Selle Italia
60 36 1:51
5 Jones Brenton
Delko Marseille Provence KTM
50 28 7:27
6 Nocentini Rinaldo
Sporting Clube de Portugal/Tavira
40 24 ,,
7 Reguigui Youcef
Sovac – Natura4Ever
35 20 7:43
8 Petit Adrien
Direct Energie
30 18 7:51
9 Mraouni Salah Eddine
Morocco
25 16 7:55
10 Kipkemboi Salim
Bike Aid
20 14 8:01
11 Hailu Hailemelekot
Ethiopia
15 12 ,,
12 Marque Alejandro
Sporting Clube de Portugal/Tavira
10 10 ,,
13 Saber Lahcen
Morocco
5 8 8:08
14 Gebremariam Fiseha
Ethiopia
5 7 8:09
15 Kasperkiewicz Przemysław
Delko Marseille Provence KTM
5 6 8:16
16 Mulubrhan Henok
Eritrea
3 5 8:20
17 Kangangi Suleiman
Bike Aid
3 4 8:35
18 Okubamariam Tesfom
Eritrea
3 3 8:36
19 Pacioni Luca
Wilier Triestina – Selle Italia
3 2 8:37
20 Tekou Damien
Cameroun
3 1 8:43
21 Zhupa Eugert
Wilier Triestina – Selle Italia
3 8:44
22 Nauleau Bryan
Direct Energie
3 9:42
23 Brandão Joni
Sporting Clube de Portugal/Tavira
3 ,,
24 Gene Yohann
Direct Energie
3 9:50
25 Tesfom Sirak
Eritrea
3 10:11
26 Musie Saymon
Eritrea
10:59
27 Habtom Michael
Eritrea
11:06
28 Jelloul Adil
Morocco
11:23
29 Gonzalez Mario
Sporting Clube de Portugal/Tavira
11:33
30 Abraham Meron
Bike Aid
11:35
31 Siskevicius Evaldas
Delko Marseille Provence KTM
12:47
32 El Kouraji Mohcine
Morocco
13:18
33 Hasnaoui Maher
Tunisia
13:19
34 Nouisri Ali
Tunisia
13:28
35 Buru Temesgen
Ethiopia
14:11
36 Raggio Luca
Wilier Triestina – Selle Italia
14:46
37 Sanogo Abou
Ivory Coast
15:25
38 Carstensen Lucas
Bike Aid
16:04
39 Bevilacqua Simone
Wilier Triestina – Selle Italia
17:26
40 Madrazo Ángel
Delko Marseille Provence KTM
17:30
41 Rosa Massimo
Wilier Triestina – Selle Italia
17:52
42 Ilboudo Harouna
Burkina Faso
18:01
43 Khaled Kammoun
Tunisia
19:34
44 Smukulis Gatis
Delko Marseille Provence KTM
19:37
45 Solomon Zemenfes
Eritrea
19:44
46 Evrard Laurent
Sovac – Natura4Ever
21:00
47 Sikandji Ghislain
Cameroun
21:41
48 Martinez Yannick
Delko Marseille Provence KTM
22:15
49 Bouzidi Mohamed
Sovac – Natura4Ever
22:52
50 Pichot Alexandre
Direct Energie
23:07
51 Nikiema Abdoul Aziz
Burkina Faso
23:46
52 Toffali Nicola
Sporting Clube de Portugal/Tavira
23:59
53 Ngandamba Geoffroy
Gabon
24:21
54 Ukiniwabo Jean Paul Rene
Rwanda
24:22
55 Bamba Karamoko
Ivory Coast
24:24
56 Ruberwa Jean
Rwanda
25:12
57 Slah Laabidi
25:15
58 Mansouri Islam
Sovac – Natura4Ever
25:31
59 Deriaux Florian
Sovac – Natura4Ever
33:45
60 Kamzong Clovis
Cameroun
38:59
61 Moulingui Glenn Morgan
Gabon
40:23
62 Schafer Timo
Bike Aid
41:43
63 Yarbanga Salifou
Burkina Faso
59:52
64 Traore Souleymane
Ivory Coast
1:20:25
65 Ngomegni Eric
Cameroun
1:33:55
66 Minougou Noufou
Burkina Faso
2:04:52
The Express News
