Cyclingflash
Spanish top talent sprints to victory in Tour du Rwanda

Spanish top talent sprints to victory in Tour du Rwanda

Pau Martí took the win in the second stage of the Tour du Rwanda (2.1). The 21-year-old Spaniard proved to be the fastest in the sprint – just one day after the fatal accident involving a vehicle.

The Tour du Rwanda is in mourning. During the opening stage, two spectators lost their lives after a vehicle within the caravan went off the road and ran into the crowd. Six others were injured in the accident, but the first stage continued as planned, and racing resumed today on Rwandan soil, albeit under somber circumstances.

The riders were again faced with a challenging stage, featuring two third-category climbs and a slightly uphill finish in Huye. German Miguel Heidemann saw this as a perfect day to attack and was joined by South African Francois Alexander Erasmus and Brazilian Bruno Martins Lemes along the way.

These three riders stayed clear well ahead of the peloton for a long stretch but were caught by the rampaging pack entering the finale. This set the stage for a sprint finish, where Pau Martí came out on top. The 21-year-old Spaniard – who had already impressed this month with a third place in the Figueira Champions Classic – proved to be a cut above the rest.

Watch the final sprint here:

Martí stepped up to the professional ranks this year with strong credentials. The broader cycling audience got their first real glimpse of the young Spaniard last year when he finished third overall in the Giro d’Italia for U23 riders – the Giro Next Gen – behind winner Jarno Widar and runner-up Pablo Torres.

This was no one-time breakthrough. Martí carried his momentum into 2025, winning the overall at the Course de la Paix Grand Prix Jeseníky (the Peace Race for U23 riders) and delivering a strong performance at the World Championships held in Rwanda, where he crossed the line sixth in the road race.