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Peter Joseph Blackmore, Israel Premier Tech’s cycling sensation, triumphantly concluded the Tour du Rwanda 2024 with a dramatic wheelie celebration at the Kigali Convention Centre, winning victory in the last stage.
The British cyclist, who succeeded last year’s champion Henok Mulueberhane, demonstrated his abilities by winning Stage 8 with a solo sprint, covering 73.3 km in 1 hour, 47 minutes, and 37 seconds. Despite the strong competition, Joseph finished 30 seconds ahead of TotalEnergies’ Pierre Latour and other important riders.
”…it’s all about survival over here, and you have to be well-positioned at all times. There are a lot of turns, high climbs, and exhausted legs; we only had a short stage today, but it was quite difficult,” Blackmore added.
Yemane Dawit of Eritrea, the highest African challenger, finished tenth for German Team Bike Aid. Unfortunately, Mulueberhane was unable to defend his championship due to a shoulder ailment.
Rwanda’s Minister of Sports, Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju, lauded the race’s level and ferocity. Notably, the final stage’s intensity mirrors the level expected for the World Cycling Championships next year. This year’s tournament demonstrates our readiness for the 2025 UCI Road World Championship, and our two years of training have paid off.
The 2024 race had 94 cyclists from 19 teams, although only 63 finished the 718.9km race, the shortest distance since 2009.
