Teklehaimanot wins Tour of Rwanda

The final stage of Tour of Rwanda was a triumph for Team of Eritrea which kept the lead through Daniel Teklehaimanot and claimed another victory in Kigali with Frekalsi Debesai.

The first half of the stage was an unexpectedly slow affair with an average speed of 33kmph in the first hour. However everything changed three kilometers before reaching the border: the bunch suddenly accelerating and splitting briefly.

Frenchman Benjamin Trouche (CA Castelsarrasin), winner of stage 3, was the first to make a gap and led by 39 seconds for five kilometres. Then the Moroccans tried for glory with attempts from Adnane Aarbia and Mouhssine Lahsaini. Then the two of the leaders punctured, yellow jersey Teklehaimanot (twice) and then third overall, South African Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg.

With 35 kilometres to go Belgian Guy Smet (Avia Cycling Team) attacked and took an advantage up to 1:55. A kermesses expert, aged 38, Smet, was caught with three hundred meters to go.

Eritrean Frekalsi Debesai, already winner of stage 5 in Rwanda, launched a powerful attack. All the major contenders of the general classification went in his slipstream: Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwanda), Adil Jelloul(Morocco), Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (South Africa) and the two first leaders in the podium, Eritrean Daniel Teklehaimanot and Natnael Berhane.

Debesai was so strong when he took off than nobody managed to follow his rhythm and the 27-year-old Eritrean won his second stage. Smet was second, while Teklehaimanot defeated Niyonshuti and Jelloul in the sprint.

Obviously very happy to win the Tour of Rwanda, Teklehaimanot recalled that this was his first success in an African stages race outside of his country.

Including the two stages he won in Rwanda, the overall is his eighth victory in two weeks as was successful at the Africa Continental Championships capturing five gold medals.

He's still looking for a professional team for 2011, the end of Cervélo Test Team where he was stagiaire last Summer having changed his future.

Natnael Berhane, second of GC, could follow Teklehaimanot's example as next year he'll join the UCI Continental Centre near to Johannesburg, South Africa, after a participation to Tropicale Amissa Bongo – Tour du Gabon (2.1) with his national team. His federation would like him to ride in Europe.

His dream is to take part to the Tour de France. Two days before the finish of Tour of Rwanda he was leader of the race. “I wanted him to win,” Teklehaimanot told Cyclingnews. “My team expected I win but I wanted to help my friend. I only took the jersey because I felt I had to in front that time.”

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