Eritrean cyclist Henok Mulubrhan of the XDS Astana team sprinted to victory in the first stage of the 2025 Tour du Rwanda on Monday, February 24th.
He conquered the 157.8-kilometer race from Rukomo to Kayonza, outpacing Israeli Rotem Tene (Israel-Premier Tech) and Frenchman Lorrenzo Manzin (TotalEnergies).
The 25-year-old Mulubrhan demonstrated his strength in the final stretch, securing a valuable win. Overnight leader Aldo Taillieu (Lotto Development) lost his grip on the yellow jersey, finishing 13 seconds behind the winner.
Taillieu, who won the prologue, a 3.4-kilometer time trial around Amahoro stadium in Kigali last Sunday for his first professional victory at just 19, couldn’t hold off the charging Mulubrhan. The time loss allowed Frenchman Fabien Doubey (TotalEnergies) to seize the overall lead.
Mulubrhan’s confidence is high after this win, positioning him as a strong contender for the remaining stages. This is the ninth victory of his career, and his fourth in the Tour du Rwanda, following his recent success at the African championships in October.
With the world cycling championships coming to Rwanda in seven months, the first African nation to host the event, organizers are focused on security. Despite its proximity to a region of recent tension, the town of Rubavu, a key stage located on Lake Kivu and near the Nyiragongo volcano, remains on the race schedule. Organizers have assured that all necessary measures are in place to ensure the safety of riders and the smooth execution of the event, which will take place on Wednesday, February 26th, and Thursday, February 27th.
SS/Sf/te/fss/abj/APA