Thomas Bonnet chalked up his first pro cycling win in stage 4 of the Tour de Rwanda, between Musanze and Karongi (138km). This success rewards the entire team’s efforts and puts the yellow jersey on the 24-year-old Frenchman’s back.
First of Many More to Come
Our newly-minted pro, brought up from Vendée U, took the lead for the first time in his young career, pulling ahead of Mark Stewart (Bolton Equities Black Spoke) and his teammate Mattéo Vercher. His performance puts him at the top of the general classification, with a 20-second lead over Henok Mulubrhan (Green Project-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) and William Junior Lecerf (Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team).
A Collective Success
Thomas Bonnet wasn’t the only TotalEnergies rider to stand out today. A good 20 kilometers before the finish line, Mattéo Vercher joined up with his teammate in the breakaway. The two maneuvered seamlessly to capture first and third place in stage 4. It’s a good sign for the next episodes of this Rwandan adventure!
Thomas Bonnet’s Analysis
“In the downhill, we pulled out with Mattéo and “Petit Gre”. We were at top speed. We came out with Chris Froome and blew it all apart. I felt good at the finish, with a puncher’s arrival followed by a little dip where everything went very fast. Mattéo gave his all in the last rise, and that pushed me forward. It’s a win to remember.”
