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The flag of Eritrea still flies atop the thousand hills. By winning the last stage in Kigali this Sunday, February 26, Henok Mulubrhan kept his yellow jersey of the Tour of Rwanda until the end. The double African champion offers himself at 23 the first stage race of his career. He becomes the 4th rider from his country to win the event and confirms his recent progress, in the shadow of his great youth rival, Biniam Girmay.
Carried in triumph, embraced by raging compatriots and wrapped in his country’s flag, Henok Mulubrhan looks both happy and embarrassed. One would almost not recognize the runner full of control, calm and composure, winner of a race that he will have perfectly known how to control in the key moments. ” He always saw others honored in Eritrea “, explains Philippe Le Gars, journalist specializing in the daily The Team. « Maybe that’s where his shyness comes from : a lack of legitimacy compared to the careers of his most famous compatriots, Daniel Teklehaimanot, Natnael Berhane, Merhawi Kudus and of course Biniam Girmay. »
Biniam Girmay, a national hero since his stage victory in the Tour of Italy last year, was Henok Mulubrhan’s great rival for a long time. In the youth categories, the two friends shared the bouquets. But while his comrade is experiencing lightning progress, “Heni” stagnates and plays bad luck: the Qhukeba team, with which he was to discover the World Tour (note: the first world division), in 2022, disappears even before the start of the season. The native of Asmara leaves for the floor below, first with the BikeAid training, and becomes African champion for the first time. A click : ” Honestly, I didn’t think he could progress that fast. “, Estimates Felix Sempoma, the sports director of Rwanda, who had discovered it during the Tropicale Amissa Bongo 2018. “ What he’s been showing for a little over a year is very, very interesting. »
A perfectly negotiated week
Crowned African champion for the second consecutive time in Accra, just before leaving for Rwanda, Henok Mulubrhan arrived in Kigali in the shoes of a favourite. It was still necessary to assume this status, which is more with the label of leader of a foreign team, the Italian formation Bardiani.
He broke free on the 3rd day, winning a big mountain stage, in Musanze, after being caught in a fall and then victim of a mechanical problem. Renowned for being able to get angry quickly in the event of a hard blow, the Eritrean impressed with his calm that day. More discreet then, he lost the yellow jersey, then came out of his box at the right time, during the decisive weekend, in Kigali. A sharp attack to gain a few seconds and regain the jersey, on February 25, a well-negotiated sprint to win with panache, this Sunday February 26, the opponents are forced to bow: “ It was the strongest on this Tour », recognizes the rider of TotalEnergies, Victor de La Parte. “I thought we could blow him up today (Sunday Feb 26th), we had a plan for that, but he was really tough “, concludes the Spaniard, finally 4th in the general classification.
Confirmation expected in Europe
With this success a question arises: what now? “I had a very good start to the season, I want to win more races to make my team and my country proud », answers only Henok Mulubrhan. The rest of his program should be written in Europe. Spotted by several important teams in the peloton, probably with a view to next season, the Eritrean must for the moment be content with the calendar proposed by his training, not automatically invited to all the major European races. However, he should participate in the Giro, the Tour of Italy, in May.
« I think he can win a stage there “, predicts Philippe Le Gars. ” He climbs well, he’s fast in the sprint, he’s an all-purpose runner, who since signing for this Italian team has acquired real tactical knowledge, he doesn’t have much to learn now. “Winning the Giro, a year after a certain Biniam Girmay, would also be a message sent to his compatriot:” I know that deep down he wants to make up for lost time with Biniam, continues Philippe Le Gars. They are friends, but above all rivals. »
