Final stage of the Tour du Rwanda: the Kigali circuit becomes the stage for world championship racing and delivers pure spectacle. A day of definitive verdicts: after the eighth and final stage, the yellow jersey and winner of the 18th edition of the Tour du Rwanda is 23-year-old Moritz Kretschy, a solid German rider competing for the prestigious Nsn team. The curtain falls on the race in the Land of a Thousand Hills with the victory of Henok Mulubrhan, who excelled on the climb positioned just before the finish line, after 83.3 km of fierce racing (a thrilling two-man breakaway featuring Eritrean Awet and Brazilian Martins) and exciting moments. Kretschy owes thanks to his performance at the first finish in Rubavu, a stage characterized by a long-range breakaway that ended in second place (Belgian De Clerq first, ahead of the young rider from Annavergh-Bucholz in eastern Germany, riding for Soudal Quick Step). At Kigali Convention Center square, the podium was completed by Adamietz, another German, and Marivoet, a Belgian.

RACE REPORT. Shortly after leaving the start line made famous by Pogacar (and Finn), Ngendahayo (May Stars), Van der Werff (Picnic Post NL) attack, joined by Aman (Istanbul) and Martins (Localiza). A quartet forms with a 20-second gap over the peloton, but Soudal increases the pace and closes the gap. After leaving the beautiful golf club area, it's Eritrean Awet (Istanbul) who goes solo up front, tackling the first section of pavé, the Cote de Kimihurura to be climbed three times.

At kilometer 17, the situation becomes clearer: Van der Werff, later caught by the chasers, is 30 seconds behind the two leaders (Martins has rejoined), while the peloton trails by 1 minute. Kretschy's Nsn team maintains good control nonetheless. The Asmara rider and the Brazilian continue in agreement, increasing their margin further. Wide roads with plenty of spectators, and it helps that conditions are dry. At these latitudes, the classic question is: will it last? There's talk of weather, but the effort of Awet and Martins endures, and they deserve to cross the finish line still in command. After roughly fifty kilometers, it's reasonable to expect a response from those aiming for this prestigious victory. Indeed, when 25 km remain, the peloton is compact. The race heads toward an attack on the Cote de Kimihurura for the day's victory: it's former mountain biker Avancini who attacks, but Eritrean national champion Zeray Araya moves up to him, and after exhausting his effort, yields the spotlight to his compatriot Henok Mulubrhan. The Astana rider had already won the general classification here in 2023; this time he takes home the green jersey and today's victory.