Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung kept up it’s 100% record of making the break in Friday’s La Tropicale Amissa Bongo stage 5. Youcef Reguigui went on the attack with nine other riders which again survived for the second day in a row. Noticing the threat of sprinters like Reguigui, Yohann Gene (Europcar) and Adrien Petit (Cofidis) in the group, Mouhcine Lahsaini (Maroc) and Bonaventure Uwizeyimana (Rwanda) took their chance of attacking the escape group with 8 kilometres to go. They quickly opened up a gap of 30 seconds which they maintained till the end.
“There was a bit of cat and mouse going on in the back after their attack went,” sports director, Kevin Campbell said. “The guys opened up a gap and got away but it was fantastic to have another African athlete win in front of really good competition at the race.”
21 year old Uwizeyimana proved the strongest in the finish to win the stage and make it two victories in a row for riders from Africa after Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung’s Ferekalsi Debesay won the previous day.
Campbell went on to say express his happiness towards how the team is racing. “I’m really impressed. Every single guys on the team is racing really well and we’re involved everywhere. I think we’re excited about this year and the professionalism has taken yet another step up.”
