Tour du Rwanda 2016 Stage 3

photo credits and excerpts @ Tour du Rwanda

Timothy Rugg continued the success of Lowest Rates Team’s at Tour du Rwanda by winning the stage 3 to claim his second victory in four days after winning the prologue on Sunday.Areruya Joseph (Les Amis Sportifs) was second while Eyob Metkel (Dimension Data for Qhubeka) finished third.

Stage 3 was a 115.9km race that started in Karongi and offered the peloton a parcours by Kivu Lake on the way to the finish line in Rusizi.

Timothy Rugg,who had never won a race since the beginning of his career, has now two stage wins under his belt, ”Everything has been successful to us since Sunday. I am very happy” he said. I was very tired yesterday after the first day in the mountains but today I wanted to try my luck. I felt better all along the route. I was not sure I would succeed but I did .I believe that Rwanda brings me luck. I have had great moments here since Sunday. “

Former winner and race leader Valens Ndayisenga (Dimension Data for Qhubeka) finished seventh to keep his yellow jersey, “We had a lot of trouble to control the race but in the end we managed to do it..This is the proof that the Tour of Rwanda is a difficult race to win and it’s not over until we arrive in Kigali on Sunday.”

The Team Dimension Data rider now leads Areruya Joseph (Les Amis Sportifs) by one minute 16 seconds, with Okubamariam Tesfom (Eritrea) up to third at one minute 23 seconds.

Benediction’s young rider Samuel Mugisha managed to keep his King of the Mountains jersey of the best climber in Wednesday’s stage.The youngest rider of this yrear’s peloton was the first rider to the top of all climbs of the day.

Stage 3 results

• RUGG Timothy (Lowestrates.ca) 3:18:16
• ARERUYA Joseph (Les Amis Sportifs De Rwamagana) 0:02
• EYOB Metkel (Dimension Data for Qhubeka) ,,
• OKUBAMARIAM Tesfom (Eritrea) ,,
• BYUKUSENGE Patrick (Benediction de Rubavu) 0:10
• NSENGIMANA Jean Bosco (Stradalli – Bike Aid) 0:11
• NDAYISENGA Valens (Dimension Data for Qhubeka) ,,
• BIZIYAREMYE Joseph (Rwanda) 0:13
• GEBREIGZABHIER Amanuel (Dimension Data for Qhubeka) 0:16
• LAGAB Azzedine (Algeria)

General Classification

• NDAYISENGA Valens (Dimension Data for Qhubeka) 8:51:53
• ARERUYA Joseph (Les Amis Sportifs De Rwamagana) 1:16
• OKUBAMARIAM Tesfom (Eritrea) 1:23
• NSENGIMANA Jean Bosco (Stradalli – Bike Aid) 1:26
• EYOB Metkel (Dimension Data for Qhubeka) 1:28
• GEBREIGZABHIER Amanuel (Dimension Data for Qhubeka) 3:25
• BYUKUSENGE Patrick (Benediction de Rubavu) 3:26
• KANGANGI Suleiman (Kenyan Riders Downunder),,
• BURU Temesgen (Ethiopia) 3:37
• WACHENDORF Brett (Lowestrates.ca) 3:39

Jerseys 

• GENERAL CLASSEMENT, sponsorised by MINISPOC : Valens Ndayisenga (Rwanda – Dimension Data for Qhubeka)
• STAGE WINNER, sponsorised by SKOL : Timothy Rugg (USA – Team Lowestrates.ca)
• BEST CLIMBER, 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)