Hibapress
Moroccan Anouar Rahmou won the 9th stage of the cycling Tour of Morocco, run on Saturday between Meknes and Rabat, while Frenchman Axel Narbonne Zuccarelli took the leader’s yellow jersey.
Rahmou covered the 134.1 km of the stage in 3h 15:04, respectively ahead of his compatriot Ibrahim Sabahi and the Frenchman Rayan Boulahoite, authors of the same time.
Rahmou, member of Vini Monzon, was part, from the 25th km, of a breakaway of nine runners, including the Moroccans Salaheddine Merouani (Morocco team) and Minoual Soulayman (regional Morocco).
This leading peloton widened the gap to 10.25 at Oued Beht and was able to resist until the finish line, in particular a second breakaway formed, among others, of the holders of the leaders’ jerseys of the different rankings, who set out in pursuit at Sidi Allal Behraoui, to finally settle the race at the finish.
In a statement to MAP, Rahmou indicated that the winds and injuries made this stage difficult, adding that he had to work hard to stay in the leading group until the end.
For his part, Zuccarelli affirmed that the yellow jersey was won thanks to the serious work of his team, adding that he aspires to maintain his first place during the last stage.
This is the third stage won by a Moroccan, after the first (Adil Arbaoui) and the eighth (Oussama Khafi).
The 10th and final stage is scheduled for Sunday between Rabat and Casablanca over 124.5 km.
