Moritz Kretschy completed a breakthrough week in Kigali by securing the overall victory at the Tour du Rwanda, claiming the yellow jersey after eight demanding stages of racing.
What began as a race where he arrived in a supporting role turned into the biggest result of his career.
“It’s hard to believe, to be honest,” said Kretschy after the finish. “I came to this race as a supporter for my teammates, but at the end I finished in yellow. I don’t really know what to say.”
The final stage was tense but controlled. The team worked calmly at the front of the peloton, managing the race to avoid surprises and protect the overall lead. Late in the stage, there was even an attempt to race for the stage win, but the priority remained clear.
“First of all, I want to thank the team,” said Kretschy. “They made the day as easy as possible for me. We tried to control the race so nothing strange happened, and they did an amazing job.
“At the end we tried to go for the stage win, and I launched a late attack in the final section, but after that I blew up. I don’t even know where I finished. But our main goal was to defend the jersey and we made it.”
Over the course of the week, Kretschy showed consistency, resilience, and composure under pressure. After taking yellow earlier in the race, he handled the responsibility with maturity.
But beyond the sporting achievement, this victory carries deep personal meaning.
“This jersey is for my grandpa,” said Kretschy. “He passed away last year, so it means a lot to me. I also want to thank my parents, my girlfriend, everyone who supported me all these years and especially the whole team here.”
The German rider admitted the moment still feels surreal.
“I think I need a bit of time to realize it,” he said. “For now, I’m just happy to survive this race and not end like last year. Maybe tonight, when we are all together, I will show some emotions.”
Winning the Tour du Rwanda marks Kretschy’s first professional general classification victory, a milestone that opens the door to bigger ambitions.
“I hope this is not the end,” he added. “I will try my best. For now, it’s looking good.”
After a week defined by unity, commitment, and collective strength, Kretschy leaves Rwanda in yellow and with a defining victory in his young career.
But, it’s not only Kretschy who deserves praise with the team leaving Rwanda with a long list of results including three stage wins courtesy of Itamar Einhorn, with two to his name, and Pau Martí, as explained by Sports Director Lahav Davidzon.
“I see this race as a very significant success by a group of five outstanding riders who showed here, under huge pressure, that they are the strongest team in the race,” says Davidzon. “It may look easier from the outside, but it was a very tough mission. Honestly, we came here with high expectations, and we did not achieve absolutely everything – we have to stay humble. We did not win every single stage. But winning the GC, taking multiple stage victories, adding three second places and several top-five finishes, that is something we can be very proud of.”
“We are beyond words happy for Moritz. Riders and staff alike. He is the ultimate example of a team-first rider, as he proved in the previous editions of the Tour of Rwanda and again here. In the first stage he worked 150 kilometers for Itamar and still had the strength and clarity to go for the GC. That tells you everything about his power, his race intelligence, his quiet confidence and his instincts.”
As always, the team’s success came down to teamwork and the selfless work of Kretschy’s teammates.
“For me the number one NSN hero of this race is Finlay Tarling,” adds Davidzon. “Everyone deserves credit, but he was exceptional. We knew he had huge potential, but he surprised us with how strong he was — pulling at an incredible pace and guiding the team through critical moments. For me, he was functioning like two riders, allowing his teammates to stay fresh while constantly putting pressure on other teams. I truly believe this could be his breakthrough race.
“As for Itamar Einhorn, he deserves great respect from the team and the entire NSN organization. We always knew he is strong, but this time he arrived a week early, prepared perfectly, and we saw the result — two victories that could easily have been three. That shows professionalism at the highest level. I challenge him to take this now to Europe races and show he can do it there with success. I believe he can deliver that.”