Belgian rider Tomas De Neve claimed a commanding victory in the opening stage of the 2025 Tour du Ghana on Wednesday, powering to the finish line in a blistering time of 1:54:07 to take the first yellow jersey of the multi-day race.
The 23-year-old from the Belgian national selection out-sprinted a fast-finishing bunch in central Accra after a hot and chaotic 78 km circuit race that saw several late attacks and crashes splinter the field. De Neve held off Dutch rider Tom Wyfve by just over seven seconds, while fellow Belgian Fil D’Heygere rounded out the podium only 7.7 seconds off the winning pace.
“It was a very nervous final,” De Neve said shortly after crossing the line. “The African guys were riding super aggressive, and the heat made it tough, but my legs felt good and the team kept me perfectly positioned. This win is a dream start.”
Burkina Faso dominated the next wave of finishers, with Saturnin Yaméogo in fourth, followed by Rawende Moucaila (6th) and Soumaila Ilboudo (7th), all crossing the line within nine seconds of the winner. The strong showing underlined the growing depth of West African cycling, with riders from Burkina Faso, Benin, Togo, Nigeria and hosts Ghana all featuring prominently in the top 20.
Home fans had plenty to cheer as Ghana’s Victor Cudjo Akpabli delivered a solid 18th place on his Tour du Ghana debut, finishing in the second group just 31 seconds down. Greater Accra regional riders also made their presence felt, with several finishing inside the top 50 despite the intense pace set by the European contingent.
Notable performances further down included Benin’s Rémi Sowou in 15th and Nigeria’s Gabriel John Odumu in 14th, while Dutch veteran Bart Buijk rolled across in 32nd after a late mechanical slowed his chase.
Top 10 – Stage 1
Tomas De Neve (Belgium) – 1:54:07
Tom Wyfve (Netherlands) – +0:07
Fil D’Heygere (Belgium) – +0:07
Saturnin Yaméogo (Burkina Faso) – +0:08
Joerik De Neve (Belgium) – +0:08
Rawende Moucaila (Burkina Faso) – +0:08
Soumaila Ilboudo (Burkina Faso) – +0:09
Bastian Dieti (Obroni) – +0:10
Kasper Saver (Belgium) – +0:10
Jonas De Schampheleire (Belgium) – +0:11
With bonus seconds on the line, Tomas De Neve also leads the points classification, while the Burkina Faso squad will wear the most aggressive team prize after their relentless attacks throughout the afternoon.
The 2025 Tour du Ghana continues tomorrow with a hilly 142 km stage from Accra to the Shai Hills that is expected to shake up the general classification further.
