Stage 4 of the Tour du Rwanda saw a thrilling battle between breakaway riders and the peloton, culminating in a solo victory for Belgian youngster William Lecerf of Soudal-QuickStep.
Despite his stage win, Lecerf couldn’t topple overall leader Pepijn Reinderink, who retained the yellow jersey after a strong performance in the peloton from Karongi to Rubavu on Wednesday, February 21.
The 92 kilometer stage began with a neutral zone of 1.7 kilometers before the actual racing commenced.
Early attacks saw Eritrean Araya and Algerian Lagab attempting breakaways, but they were quickly brought back by the peloton.
The decisive move came when Chris Froome of Israel-Premier Tech launched a solo attack, gaining a five-kilometer lead and 10 seconds in bonus points. However, the peloton eventually reeled him in before the final climb.
Frenchman Pierre Latour of TotalEnergies then took center stage, attacking on the ascent of Mount Rutsiro. He built a significant lead of 1 minute and 55 seconds, but was eventually caught by the chasing group just before the finish line.
In a thrilling sprint finish, Lecerf out muscled his rivals to claim the stage victory, showcasing his impressive climbing ability.
Reinderink, meanwhile, finished safely within the peloton, maintaining his overall lead of 26 seconds over Lecerf.
Jhonatan Restrepo of Colombia sits third at 41 seconds back. Rwandan rider Moïse Mugisha remains the best-placed local in 11th place, 1 minute and 28 seconds behind the leader.
With four stages remaining, the Tour du Rwanda is wide open, and Lecerf’s impressive stage win has thrown the race into further intrigue.
Reinderink will need to be vigilant to defend his yellow jersey, while other contenders like Restrepo and Villa will be looking to capitalize on any opportunities.
