Rwandan Epic 2025: Gathof and Classens shine again, win stage three

German-Dutch duo Daniel Gathof and Bart Classens, who ride Team Surf Pro, have yet again seized the attention as they stormed to stage three victory in the Duo Men category at the ongoing Rwandan Epic 2025 on Wednesday.

After winning stage two, Gathof and Classens took charge of the 52.9km course of stage three, starting at the Africa Rising Cycling Centre (ARCC) in Musanze district.

They completed it in two hours, five minutes, and 26 seconds.

The highly-regarded duo of Germany’s Lukas Baum, a Cape Epic champion, and Kenya’s top mountain biker Daniel Kiptala finished second in the Duo Men category, finishing three minutes and 11 seconds off the stage winners.

Zambia’s Levy Pyele and Ernest Mazabuka, who are racing in the Rwandan Epic for the very first time, chalked up their best finish in the competition, taking third place.

The Rwandan-Dutch duo, Bukhari Banzi and Louis van Zeeland, who won the first stage on Monday, December 1, fired a blank today and didn’t make the top three in the Duo Men category.

In the Duo Women category, the Rwandan-Dutch duo of Martha Ntakirutimana and Elodie Kuijper secured a stage three win after clocking three hours, three minutes, and 46 seconds.

On the other hand, South African duo Bianca Haw and Wade Young continued to impress in the Duo Mixed category, winning stage three to make it three successive stage victories in this year’s competition.

They finished in two hours, 32 minutes, and 14 seconds.

A Spanish duo, Oscar Pujol and Mude Rodriguez, finished second, arriving 13 minutes and seven seconds behind the South Africans.

The race stays in Musanze district on Thursday, December 4, for stage four in a 29.8-kilometre route, which is the second-shortest circuit in this year’s competition, where bikers will loop around the Kwita Izina grounds.

The Rwanda Epic, now in its fifth year, is a multi-stage cycling event that attracts top international and local riders for mountain-biking races.

Known for its challenging courses and stunning landscapes, the race showcases Rwanda’s exceptional natural beauty while promoting sports and tourism across the region.

Photo: South African duo Bianca Haw and Wade Young claimed their third consecutive stage.

Photo: Daniel Gathof, who won the 2023 competition together with Bart Classens, paused for a photo with spectators.

Photo: Residents of Musanze district stepped out of their homes to cheer on the spectacular Rwandan Epic 2025.