Lagab Takes Stage 4, Tesson Continues in Yellow at La Tropicale Amissa Bongo

On the longest stage of the race, with the event’s highest climb, it was Azzedine Lagab (Algeria) who broke Team TotalEnegeries’ streak of wins with a valiant breakaway that held until the end. The 37-year-old was finally added a stage win at La Tropicale Amissa Bongo to his lengthy palmares on the African continent. Jason Tesson (Team TotalEnergies) keeps his overall lead with no change to the top three positions.

With the majority of the 190km stage seeing relatively flat roads, riders began the journey from Mouila to Lambaréné. Three intermediate sprints preceded the only KOM points on offer, which feel just kilometers from the finish.

A leading group of Renus Byiza Uhiriwe, Joseph Areruya, (Rwanda), Dawit Yemane, Meron Teshome Hagos (Eritrea), and Rodrigue Eric Kuere Nounawe (Cameroon) were able to build a lead of over four minutes. Content to let the group continue up the road, Team TotalEnergies kept the pace under control until about the midpoint. As the pace increased, it wasn’t long before the break’s lead shrank, and with the writing on the wall, Kuere went ahead alone. As the rest of the group was brought back, he desperately pushed on to a six-minute solo lead.

Unfortunately, for Kuere, Bingol-WB came to the front to drive the pace and bring him back. As the peloton reeled him in, Patrick Byukusenge (Rwanda), Azzedine Lagab (Algeria), and previous breakaway rider Hagos jumped and Kuere could only helplessly watch as the three riders pedaled past and up the road.

With time running out on the stage, TotalEnergies and Bingol-WB began the chase to bring everything together by the end. Byukusenge suffered an untimely crash, leaving Lagab and Hagos to push on to hold their lead coming to the line. With the peloton charging behind trying to catch, Lagab was able to outsprint Hagos to take the win. Behind, Tesson took the bunch sprint ahead of teammate Emilien Jeanniere and Louis Blouwe (Bingol-WB), Clement Alleno, Cyril Barthe, and Antonio Angulo (Burghos BH).

Stage 5 takes riders to the cost on a 103km journey from Kango to Libreville before finishing in Angondjé. The flat stage will see three intermediate sprints with a fast finish at the end.

STAGE 4

1. LAGAB Azzedine (ALG) 4h34’28”
2. MERON HAGOS Teshome (ERI) 4h34’28”
3. TESSON Jason (TEN) 4h34’47”
4. JEANNIERE Emilien (TEN) 4h34’47”
5. BLOUWE Louis (BWB) 4h34’47”

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 4

1. TESSON Jason (TEN) 12h30’49”
2. SOUPE Geoffrey (TEN) 12h30’56”
3. BARTHE Cyril (BBH) 12h31’06”
4. JEANNIERE Emilien (TEN) 12h31’09”
5. BLOWUE Louis (BWB) 12h31’09”

KOM CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 4

1. TEUGELS Lennert (BWB) 8
2. APARICIO Mario (BBH) 8
3. AREFAYNE Aklilu (ERI)) 6
4. ANGULO Antonio (BBH) 5
5. LAGAB Azzedine (ALG) 5

SPRINT CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 4

1. BARTHE Cyril (BBH) 9
2. UHIRIWE BYIZA Renus (RWA) 6
3. DAUMONT, Paul (BUR) 6
4. MULUEBERHAN Henok (ERI) 6
5. KUERE NOUNAWE Rodrique (CMR) 4

POINTS CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 4

1. TESSON Jason (TEN) 102
2. JANNIERE Emilien (TEN) 71
3. SOUPE Geoffrey (TEN) 67
4. BARTHE Cyril (BBH) 62
5. BLOUWE Louis (BWB) 55

BEST YOUNG RIDER CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 4

1. BLOUWE Louis (BWB) 12h31’09”
2. MULUEBERHAN Henok (ERI) 12h31’09”
3. ED-DOGHMY Achraf (MAR) 12h31’14”
4. AMARI Hamza (ALG) 12h31’15”
5. BDADOU Youssef (MAR) 12h31’15”

TEAM CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 4

1. Erythree 37h33’26”
2. Team TotalEnergies (France) 37h33’45”
3. Bingoal-WB (Belgium) 37h33’45”
4. EF Education-Nippo DT (USA) 37h33’45”
5. Burghos BH 37h34’05”