Africa-Press – Rwanda. Kenyan-Belgian duo of Dan Kiptala and Lukas Baum claimed the fourth stage of the 2025 Rwanda Epic in the men’s duo race on Thursday.
The two kept their hopes of winning this year’s race after dominating the grueling six-lap, 30km course, around the foothills of Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi.
Looking ready for the demanding 514-meter elevation gain, Kiptala and Baum clocked 1 hour, 13 minutes, and 34 seconds, finishing 5 minutes and 51 seconds ahead of Zambia’s Levy Pyele and Erneste Mazabuka. Rwanda’s Bukhari Banzi, paired with Belgian rider Louis Van Zeeland, completed the top three.
Kiptala and Baum are now second in the general classification, trailing leaders Daniel Gathof (Belgium) and Dart Classens (Netherlands) by 4 minutes and 17 seconds ahead of Friday’s decisive final stage.
In the women’s duo race, Rwanda’s Martha Ntakirutimana and Dutch rider Elodie Kuijper continued their impressive run, winning the stage in 1 hour, 23 minutes, and 8 seconds.
The mixed duo category saw Portuguese couple Oscar Pujoh and Mude Rodriguez take the stage after clocking 1 hour, 19 minutes, and 17 seconds, finishing 6 minutes and 15 seconds ahead of Danila Fumera and Roberto Barreros Huertos.
In the solo category, British rider Thomas Nærland secured the Stage 4 victory in 1 hour, 21 minutes, and 9 seconds, maintaining the overall lead he has held since Monday. Rwanda’s Jackson Nkurikiyinka continues to trail Nærland by 2 minutes and 3 seconds, while a Belgian rider placed third in 1 hour, 24 minutes, and 15 seconds.
The 2025 Rwanda Epic concludes on Friday, December 5, with a challenging 77.3 km stage featuring 1,392 meters of elevation gain, starting in Nemba and finishing in Shyorongi.
General Classification
Men’s Duo
Daniel Gathof (Belgium) / Dart Classens (Netherlands) – 7 hours, 12 minutes, 20 seconds
Dan Kiptala (Kenya) / Lukas Baum (Belgium) – +4 minutes, 17 seconds
Levy Pyele / Erneste Mazabuka (Zambia) – +25 minutes, 56 seconds
Bukhari Banzi (Rwanda) / Louis Van Zeeland (Belgium) – +28 minutes, 21 seconds
Women’s Duo
Martha Ntakirutimana (Rwanda) / Elodie Kuijper (Netherlands) – 9 hours, 49 minutes, 51 seconds
Mixed Duo
Bianca Haw / Wade – 8 hours, 41 minutes, 18 seconds
Oscar Pujoh / Mude Rodriguez (Portugal) – +1 hour, 35 minutes, 4 seconds
Solo category
Thomas Nærland (Great Britain) – 7 hours, 47 minutes, 44 seconds
Jackson Nkurikiyinka (Rwanda) – +4 minutes, 15 seconds
Wim Wijnen (Belgium) – +33 minutes, 25 seconds
Geert Knoops (Belgium) – +45 minutes, 26 seconds
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