Tour du Rwanda 2021 – Stage 8 [HIGHLIGHTS]

May 9, 2021

Tour du Rwanda 2021 – Stage 8 – Kigali – Kigali : 75,3 km

The Tour du Rwanda is the biggest and most prestigious multi-day bicycle race in Africa. The race can trace its roots all the way back to 1988 and a small, regional event that was created to bring together Rwandans from all over the country, as well as others from neighbouring nations like Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda. The race was added to the UCI’s Africa Tour in 2008 and since then it has gone from strength to strength, increasing its reach and attracting more and more riders from all over the globe. It now carries a 2.1 rank, making it just as big as races like the Tour du Haut Var and Coppi e Bartali on the UCI’s Europe Tour. At its core, the race is one big celebration of African cycling and over the years it has discovered some of the best and most promising riders from the continent, like Rwanda’s national cycling hero and five-time winner Abraham Ruhumuriza, and young Eritrean Natnael Tesfatsion, the winner of the most recent edition in 2020. The race follows an eight stage format and features a dynamic mix of terrain that always catalyses aggressive and unpredictable racing. The GC days are often hosted in the country’s capital Kigali, with the big battles for the leader’s jersey regularly taking place on the infamous ‘Wall of Kigali’, Rwanda’s answer to the Muur van Geraardsbergen.

Cristian Rodriguez wins Tour du Rwanda
Piccoli, Hoehn round out final podium as Total Direct Energie rider wins final stage

Results :
1 Cristian Rodriguez Martin (Spa) Total Direct Energie 2:05:06
2 James Piccoli (Can) Israel Start-up Nation 0:00:12
3 Nahom Zerai (Eri) Eritrea 0:00:14
4 Alex Hoehn (USA) Wildlife Generation Pro Cycling
5 Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:00:21
6 Alan Boileau (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
7 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Team Medellin 0:00:29
8 Quentin Pacher (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
9 Charles Kagimu (Uga) Bike Aid 0:00:44
10 Jhonatan Restrepo Valencia (Col) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec 0:00:46

Final General Classification :
1 Cristian Rodriguez Martin (Spa) Total Direct Energie 22:49:51
2 James Piccoli (Can) Israel Start-up Nation 0:00:17
3 Alex Hoehn (USA) Wildlife Generation Pro Cycling 0:00:50
4 Alan Boileau (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:00:51
5 Jhonatan Restrepo Valencia (Col) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec
6 Quentin Pacher (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:01:05
7 Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:01:23
8 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Team Medellin 0:01:25
9 Nahom Zerai (Eri) Eritrea 0:01:37
10 Kent Main (RSA) Protouch 0:02:44