Salone borbor! Tenesie Dixon takes home nation’s first stage win since 2022
The queen stage of the Fundsmith Tour de Lunsar 2024 delivered drama by the bucketload. A restless and frantic 136 kilometres, there was rarely a moment when there was not an attack off the front to be chased down, or a key rider dropped from the peloton.
With a closely contested GC – three riders started the day on the same time at the top of the classification, and Ibrahim Jalloh of LCT X a further 10 seconds back – the opening exchanges were tense. Sporadic groups managed to make a gap, but the peloton was watchful and there always seemed to be one or two teams prepared to chase down the escapes. In fact, no real breakaway had formed until Eyo Effiok of Team Ilubirin established just enough advantage to cross the Zwift intermediate sprint line alone. Effiok having scooped the top points, all classification leader Ibrahim Jalloh (Lunsar Cycling Team X) needed to do was score one point to secure his lead. Crossing third after Ibrahim Kamara of C2C - Bonnet, Jalloh achieved the first of his day’s goals.
By the time the race reached the Bikmo king of the mountains at Communications Pole, the race situation had changed again. This time Jalloh was able to spring from the peloton and scoop up maximum points. Second and third went to Abu Sheik Sesay (Lunsar Cycling Team X) and Mohamed Bangura (Kono Cycling Team).
After the KOM at 36km to go, an elite selection was made featuring all three leader’s jersey-wearers – Jalloh, Bright Emmanuel (Team Ilubirin) and Preye John Dede (also Ilubirin, wearing the Bikmo polka diamond jersey in Jalloh’s place). Alusine Conteh, also on the same time as the race leader.
However, it was none of these names that would steal the stage two show. Tenesie Dixon (Flames Cycling) had a quiet first day, but may just have been keeping his powder dry for this. Having caught up to the lead group, he attacked over the top and went solo outside the village of Medina, some 15km from the finish line. The Freetonian was able to extend a healthy gap ahead of the chasers, before alarm bells began ringing and the Nigerian teams, Access and Ilubirin, set off in pursuit.
It was too little too late, with Dixon succeeding in staying away until the finish line.
Close behind, the pack of favourites fought it out for second place. Jalloh continued his superb run, nosing it ahead of Moses L Kamara (also of Lunsar Cycling Team X).
Going into the final criterium, Bright Emmanuel retains the Fundsmith yellow jersey of race leader and it will take something truly special to dislodge him.
Relive the action with photo galleries from Matt Grayson and Abdul Hamid Kanu below.
Abdul Hamid Kanu
Matt Grayson
