For the riders, it was a day of courage and calculation. For the fans, it was a weekend spectacle.
On a cool, rain-speckled Saturday, the road from Musanze to Kigali became a moving festival. Stage seven of the 2026 edition of the Tour du Rwanda delivered everything a weekend crowd could ask for.
Tension, daring attacks, roadside celebrations and, at the end of 147.2 grueling kilometers, a perfectly timed victory by Portugal’s Bravo Ribeiro of Soudal Quick-Step Development Team sealed everything.
By 11:00am, when 67 remaining riders rolled out from Goico Market in Musanze, it was clear the penultimate stage would shape the story of this year’s race. Four categorized climbs; Buranga (km 19), Tetero (km 57), Gicumbi (km 83) and the punishing ascent toward Kigali Pele stadium, stood between the peloton and the capital.
The breakaway that lit up the hills
From the opening kilometers, the tone was uncompromising. Attacks flew in every direction before Pavel Novak and Roger Sala Pareta of Movistar Devo Team joined forces with Reuben Thompson of Lotto–Groupe Wanty to carve out a decisive break.
By kilometer 35, the trio had opened a lead of over a minute. Thompson was relentless, sweeping up maximum points on the Tetero climb, dominating again on Gicumbi, and claiming the intermediate sprint at Base.
When rain began falling around kilometer 76, it only seemed to amplify the spectacle. In Gicumbi, fans stood firm under umbrellas and plastic sheets. In Nyabugogo, the crowds swelled, their cheers rising above the drizzle as the breakaway’s advantage briefly stretched to three minutes.
Portugal’s Bravo Ribeiro of Soudal Quick-Step Development Team sealed stage seven of the Tour du Rwanda.
Yellow under pressure
Germany’s Moritz Kretschy of NSN Development Team started the day in yellow, holding a slender cushion of just over two minutes. Behind the scenes, his team, alongside Rembe and Team Amani, measured their response carefully.
With 30 kilometers to go, the chase intensified. The gap began to fall, three minutes became two, then one. By the time the race swept into Nyabugogo with less than 10 kilometers remaining, the breakaway’s dream was visibly fading.
Still, Thompson was not finished. On the brutal slopes of “Kwa Mutwe” he launched again, briefly carving out a 30-second advantage. Eritrea’s Nahom Zeray Araya responded with a lone pursuit, the two riders embodying the defiance that defines this race.
A stadium finish, a perfectly timed strike
As the riders approached Kigali Pele Stadium, hosting a Tour du Rwanda finish for the first time since 2019, the atmosphere shifted from roadside carnival to arena drama.
Inside the stadium, after nearly four hours of racing, Bravo Ribeiro judged his moment with surgical precision. The Portuguese rider surged clear in the final meters, powering to a commanding stage victory and sealing one of the most dramatic afternoons of this year’s race.
Despite the falling rain, the spectacle only seemed to amplify.
More than just a stage
For Kigali, this was not simply stage seven. It was a city embracing its race, its hills, and its place on the global cycling calendar. For the riders, it was a day of courage and calculation. For the fans, it was a weekend spectacle worth standing in the rain for.
And for Ribeiro, it was a career-defining triumph. With one stage remaining, the yellow jersey battle is still alive. But long after the final podium ceremony, stage seven will be remembered for the roar that echoed through Kigali Pele stadium as Ribeiro crossed the line first.
Tour du Rwanda 2026 to conclude on Sunday
After seven days of racing, the 2026 Tour du Rwanda will conclude on Sunday, March 1, with stage eight. Riders will race a circuit in Kigali covering 83.8 kilometers, starting at 1:00pm.
Germany’s Moritz Kretschy of NSN Development Team has moved closer to winning the 2026 Tour du Rwanda after maintaining a two-minute advantage with only stage eight remaining on Sunday.
By the time the race swept into Nyabugogo with less than 10 kilometers remaining, the breakaway’s dream was visibly fading.
Top finishers – stage seven (Musanze–Kigali, 147.2 km)
- Henrique Bravo Ribeiro (Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team): 3h20’59”
- Lucas Van Gils (Lotto–Groupe Wanty): +09”
- Henok Mulubrhan (Eritrea)
- Hodei Muñoz Gabina (Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team)
- Moritz Kretschy (NSN Devo Team)
- Masengesho Vainqueur (Benediction): +30”
- Best Rwandan Rider: Niyonkuru Samuel (Team Amani)
Stage seven of the 2026 edition of the Tour du Rwanda delivered everything a weekend crowd could ask for.
