Swiss cyclist Matteo Badilatti from the Q36.5 won the 6th stage of the Tour du Rwanda between Gisenyi and Gicumbi.
At the age 30, the Swiss rider rode his way to the finish to win his first professional race on Friday.
He waited for the right moment to attack after he got out of the eight-rider breakaway that had started early in the day.
With 30 kilometres to go, only two riders broke off, the young Eritrean rider Aklilu Arefayne and Badilatti.
“I could have stayed with him until the end, but I could feel that he was less and less strong”, explained the Swiss rider adding “I wanted to ride at my own pace, and that worked for me”.
He was able to keep a margin of 10 seconds before crossing the finish line alone, whereas the favourites for the overall classification watched each other during the whole stage without making any move.
There are still 16 riders within a minute of each other in the overall classification, which means that there will be a lot of suspense this weekend for the last two stages in Kigali that will determine the final winner of this 15th Tour du Rwanda.
Meanwhile, Belgian rider William Junior Lecerf and his team, Soudal Quick Step, continue to retain the yellow jersey with two stages remaining before Tour du Rwanda 2023 hits the climax on Sunday.
According to the General Classification, Lecerf will return to action on Saturday wearing the jersey despite coming seventh in Friday’s 6th stage, 14 seconds behind stage winner Matteo Badilatti.
In the meantime, local riders have continued to struggle during the competition.
Moïse Mugisha of Team Rwanda abandoned the race alleging fatigue becoming the second Rwandan rider to pull out of the tour following Eric Manizabayo who withdrew on Thursday’s during the 5th stage from Rusizi to Rubavu.
