Mulubrhan Wins Final Stage as Kretschy Secures Tour du Rwanda Victory

Henok Mulubrhan of Eritrea claimed victory in the final stage of the 2026 Tour du Rwanda, winning a thrilling uphill sprint in Kigali on Sunday, March 1st. Moritz Kretschy (NSN Development) secured the overall general classification (GC) title, capping off a successful week for his team, which won three stages in total.

A Punchy Final Stage

The 99.5km final stage mirrored the circuit used in the 2025 World Championships, featuring the challenging Kimihurura climb and a subsequent rise to the finish line near the convention center. The stage saw consistent attacking throughout the day, with numerous riders attempting breakaways.

Mulubrhan Takes the Sprint

As the race approached its conclusion, a leading group of approximately 30 riders emerged after the Kimihurura climb. Mauro Cuylits (Lotto-Groupe Wanty) initiated the uphill sprint, appearing strong, but Mulubrhan, positioned on his wheel, timed his move perfectly to overtake Cuylits and claim the stage win.

“I waited for this victory. This week, I really didn’t feel great as I hadn’t got the victory, as a team also, and we had some bad luck for me this week,” Mulubrhan explained after the finish. “I was really motivated this morning. I already told the team in the morning ‘I want to win this stage’, we also spoke about it yesterday but I ended up further away, but today for the final stage, [I wanted] to take the victory, my first of 2026.”

Kretschy Confirms Overall Victory

Finishing with the main group, Moritz Kretschy (NSN Development) solidified his overall lead, securing the yellow jersey. This marks a significant achievement for both Kretschy and the NSN Development team.

Eritrean Success

Mulubrhan, who typically rides for XDS Astana, competed for the Eritrean national team during the Tour du Rwanda. His stage win represents the only victory for an African rider during this year’s race. Cyclingnews reports that Henok Mulubrhan also won the best sprinter classification.

Tour du Rwanda 2026 – Key Stage Winners

• Stage 1: Itamar Einhorn
• Stage 2: Pau Martí
• Stage 3: Jurgen Zomermaand
• Stage 4: Mathijs De Clercq
• Stage 5: Jermaine Zemke
• Stage 6: Itamar Einhorn
• Stage 7: Henrique Bravo Ribeiro
• Stage 8: Henok Mulubrhan

The 2026 Tour du Rwanda took place from February 22nd to March 1st.