Two wins in two days for Brady Gilmore: the Australian rider doubled up at the Tour du Rwanda on Wednesday, winning Stage 3 in Rubavu almost exactly 24 hours after he claimed his first pro victory in Africa’s leading race.
Gilmore dominated a seven-man sprint after a 19-rider group went clear on an undulating finishing circuit in the closing kilometers.
The 23-year-old becomes the third IPT rider in the past two years – after Joe Blackmore and Itamar Einhorn in 2024 – to win two stages in Rwanda. He credited German teammate Moritz Kretschy, who finished eighth, for his role in the victory.
“Wow! This team is amazing,” says Gilmore. “Everybody did a great job and Moritz was just incredible, pulling on the front for the last 10 kilometers.
“I knew what I was going to expect here in the final. I had to get into that left-hander first. I did it and I got it done. I’m super, super happy!
“It’s really good to show what I can do and how well the team works together.”
No time bonuses on the line means that Gilmore remains six seconds off the race lead, however a small gap between the first two groups at the finish has seen him climb two places to fourth overall. Kretschy rose to seventh, 12 seconds behind the leader.
Asked about his GC chances, he adds: “We’ll have to wait and see, but after today I’m pretty confident I know how to pace the climbs quite well. I’ve got a good gauge of how the other guys are climbing, too.”
Rubén Plaza, IPT Sports Director, was full of praise for all five riders racing in the team’s colors in Rwanda.
He says: “I think that the whole team did an amazing job – from Sam [Coleman], the first guy pulling to control the break, to Moritz, who was the key for us today. He controlled the final 15 kilometers by himself.
“Then Brady did what he knows to do: a good sprint, and that was an amazing team victory. It is pretty impressive to win two stages from the first four. However, it’s a different race for the final three days, they are hard, so we will see what happens.”
