Colombian Jhonatan Restrepo (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli) has gone on to lead the Tour of Rwanda after winning a reduced sprint in the second stage of the disputed between Kigali and Rubavu, of 155.9 km, in which the Spanish Ángel Madrazo (Burgos BH) occupied the third place.
Restrepo (Pácora, Caldas, 27 years old), finally achieved the victory he had been looking for since the beginning of the Rwandan round, since he took second place in the prologue and third in the first stage. This time he raised his arms as he was the fastest of the 7 runners who competed for glory by speed, with a time of 3h.54.10, at an average of 39.9 km/h on the day’s mountainous route.
The second place went to the Frenchman Axel Laurance (B&B Hotels), and the third to the Cantabrian from Burgos BH Ángel Madrazo. His partner Jesús Ezquerra entered the top 10.
A selective day, demanding with 5 ports, 4 of them first category and the last, the Bigogwe high no less than 25 km long, although tended, to only 2.2 percent, with the top 30 from the finish line.
The escapade of the day was successful and 7 were chosen to dispute the victory and the yellow jersey, since the former leader, the Frenchman Geniez, did not get involved in the adventure. Yes, Ángel Madrazo did, who left with Restrepo, the Frenchman Laurance, the Eritreans Tesfazion and Mulueberhan, the Irishman Ewart and the Ukrainian Budiak.
The septet opened a gap and made the pursuit of a first useless, a group that appeared in the border town of Rubavu, a stone’s throw from the Congo, 1.17 minutes from the head of the race.
Restrepo, corridor of the Department of Caldas, in the central mountain range of the Andes, achieved his sixth victory in the Tour of Rwanda, a record.
The “beetle” will defend the lead this Wednesday in the third stage that will be held between Kigali and Gicumbi, 124.3 kma mountain day with 5 ports, the last of them a third that leads to the finish line after an ascent of 5.4 km at 4.4 percent.