Lunsar is Bright! Nigerian closes out the GC on frantic final day
After winning the opening stage, Bright Emmanuel (Team Ilubirin) has defended the overall lead calmly and impressively. Today, the riders of Lunsar Cycling Team threw everything they could at the Nigerians to try and knock him off the top spot, but ultimately it was the visiting riders who proved the strongest.
A 30-lap, 75-kilometre criterium around the Lunsar Town circuit provided plenty of action and excitement, with no real breakaway getting ahead of the peloton and, instead, a slow winnowing away of contenders.
It was from this reduced group that the sprint eventually came, with last year’s winner Preye John Dede (Team Ilubirin) shooting clear to take the honours. Bright Emmanuel was next over the line a couple of metres behind. Sierra Leone’s big hope for the win, Ibrahim Jalloh (Lunsar Cycling Team X) was best placed of the home riders in fifth.
Jalloh did secure his Bikmo king of the mountains and Zwift sprints jerseys, ensuring the home team did not walk away empty handed. The Fatmata Mansaray Memorial Prize for combativity was awarded to Issa ‘SP’ Kamara for his incredible, tireless work as a domestique within the Lunsar Cycling Team X squad.
It only remains to say an enormous thank you to our title sponsor, Fundsmith, for taking on the mantle of supporting the 2024 Tour de Lunsar. Thank you also to Zwift and Bikmo, for sponsoring our intermediate jerseys in the men’s race, and to AFRICAP Apparel and FAMBUL for their continued support of the junior race.
We also feel the deepest gratitude to all 168 donors who contributed to our ‘Save the Tour’ crowdfunding campaign, without whom the event simply could not have happened this year. And of course our incredible team of volunteers and organising committee.
Tenki plenty!
Relive the action with a photo gallery from Matt Grayson below.
Matt Grayson
