After a rather tough start for Ghanaian cyclists at the Sixth Tour Du Ghana competition on Monday, experienced rider Rudolf Mensah showed the class he is made of as he powered his way to win the second stage in the cape Coast-Takoradi encounter.
Despite the stiff opposition the City Migro team cyclist had from Togolese Agbefu Didie and compatriot Nurudeen Aliu of River Park, Rudlof managed to exhibit an amazing stamina to upstage his opponents.
The three Ghanaian teams were given a wake-up call on the first stage of the competition on Monday when veteran Abdulai Troare, a 40-year-old cyclist from Cote d'Ivoire, won the Road Race in Cape Coast.
Sensational Ayitey Akoto failed to replicate the performance he produced in Cote d'Ivoire during the recently held La Route de L'est as he could only manage a second place ahead of Birba Wenceslas and Eugene Houinsinoue, both from Burkina Faso.
Rudolf's victory seemed to have given the host teams the needed boost to improve on their performances but it fizzled out on Wednesday during the third stage.
Cote d'Ivoire won the third stage in the Team Time Trial in the Sunyani-Techiman race and was closely followed by Benin and the Pepsi Team of Ghana.
The cyclists will cover a total distance of 623 kilometres across some principal towns in the country in the competition, which ends on Sunday, October 17.
Main sponsor Pepsi has injected 100 million cedis for cycling's biggest event in Ghana and it is supported by Pens and Plastic (BIC), Bivac International, SDV Ghana, Wienco Fertilizer, Woodin, Novotel and Glico Insurance.
Three other teams from Togo, Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire are competing.
Traore still maintains the yellow jersey he won on the first stage on Monday.
He also won the Green jersey and the Stage Winner jersey in same event, sponsored by Wienco Fertilizer and SDV.
Rudolf was decorated with the Stage Winner jersey plus the Green jersey in the second stage.
Pepsi is the sponsor of the yellow jersey, Novotel - fair play, Woodin- Elegance and Ghana Telecom- Hotsport.
The fourth stage is scheduled for Tamale on Thursday.