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5th Tour of Eritrea - NE
Eritrea, March 18-27, 2005
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Stage 7 - March 26: Keren - Asmara, 91km
Heavy going as Asmara nears
By Oyéshiku Carr
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The Tour of Eritrea's penultimate stage turned out to be a fast and hotly contested race between Keren and Asmara. Only 59 riders remained from the original 114 starters and each hoped to make it to Asmara within the 15-minute cut off to remain eligible for the final criterium.
A late start meant that the riders would have to endure mid-morning heat as they climbed over four cols on the route to Asmara. The formation of a small break-away group representing eight teams on the early 6 km ascent up Elaberet, within 10 km of Keren, immediately broke up the pack, with tired and weaker riders falling back. But although it led by up to forty seconds, the break was captured on the descent of Elaberet by the Telecom-led peleton. Up the ascent of Libetigray, Samuel Debesai (Hidri), Michael "Shamiz" Berhane (Wina), and Abraham Belai (Zoba Debub) initiated a strong move and worked together well to create a gap over the main field. They were soon joined by Aklilou Haile (Adulis) whose acceleration at the front caused "Shamiz" and then Samuel to fall away. Aklilou and Abraham built up a lead of 1:30 that held up the final climb, the Adolkolum, leaving the leaders with only 40 km to go until Asmara - but behind them a group of twenty-two riders led by all eight remaining Telecoms were gaining rapidly.
Noticing that Abraham was tiring, Aklilou decided to fend for himself and set off in search of the stage win with 30 km to race. A second group, provoked by Mateos Zerai (Red Sea) with Simon Semere (As.be.co) and Semere Menghis (Telecom) assisting, set out from the main group in search of the race leader. but found he had flown the coup. With 25 km to race Aklilou led the main group, which included race leader Michael Tuku, by over two minutes, and had nearly a minute and a half on the chase group.
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Unfortunately for Aklilou, national TT and road race champion Muse Tekleab (Telecom) shot out from the Tuku group with one thing on his mind; victory. He bridged up to the chase group by the town of Serejeka with less than 25 km to race and proceeded to ride at the front like a freight engine. After the short descent of Madoro, Muse turned on his considerable jets and broke away from the chase group. In a display of pure power he bridged the minute-plus gap to Aklilou and went straight to the front, rarely following over the next 20 km into Asmara. The sprint was a foregone conclusion with Muse taking it from the front over a tired Aklilou, who had set up the winning break with his move on Libetigray. Afterwards, Muse confirmed that he had no fear about winning the sprint and had launched his move with a stage win as his goal. Michael Tuku won a group sprint for third place but only six points now separates Tuku from his teammates Muse and Michael "Botero" Misghena. Tomorrow's 130km criterium in downtown Asmara will decide this year's race winner, and it looks like only a civil war within Telecom will determine the outcome.
Erik Ruesing (Marco Polo) in pain from his Stage five crash, suffered on the climbs today, retiring within 5 km of the finish. He would have continued had he known he was so close to the end of the stage, but he thought he still had 15 km to race and the rough roads "really aggravated" his back. He hopes to be able to participate in the final 120 km criterium in downtown Asmara tomorrow.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Oyeshiku Carr
- Riders at the start line in Keren
- Team Wina at the start
- Erik Reusing (Marco Polo) and Team Telecom at Le Depart
- The early break on Elaberet
- Tomas Goitom (Adulis) bridges up to the main field
- Michael Tuku, race leader surrounded by his Telecom team-mates
- Aklilou Haile (Adulis) in the lead
- GC leader Michael Tuku (Telecom)
Results
1 Muse Tekleab (Telecom Eritrea) 2.42.00 2 Aklilou Haile (Adulis) 3 Michael Tuku (Telecom Eritrea) 2.32 4 Israel Abraham (Red Sea) 5 Ephraim Abraham (As.be.co) General Classification after Stage 7 1 Michael Tuku (Telecom Eritrea) 46 pts 2 Muse Tekleab (Telecom Eritrea) 42 3 Michael Mishgena (Telecom Eritrea) 40 4 Israel Abraham (Red Sea) 33 5 Malacai Kasai (Telecom) 26
