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 Sunday 30 October 2005 |
| stage 5Kombissiri > Kaya - 143.5 km |
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| Ouedraogo takes it all |
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Before the rest day, the Burkina armada present on the Tour took a serious option for final victory, placing four riders in the top six positions of the overall. Jérémie Ouedraogo, already a winner of the opening stage, proved again to be the fastest of the pack, conquering in the same time the yellow jersey. He’s now in the same second as Saïdou Rouamba and their Cameroon rival Martinien Tega. The national champion also claims the pink and green jerseys!
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Rouamba well placed
The first four days of effort looked to have an effect on the legs of the riders at the start in Kombissiri. Indeed, other than Cuylits (BEL) and Fofana (CIV), no one really tried anything in the first 20 kilometres. At km 22, Abdul Wahab Sawadogo, Kaboré (BUR), Tekou Foukou (CAM) and Schilliger (SUI) took off but were caught by the pack at km 25. Meanwhile, a fall occurred in the pack ending Sivere Ackermann’s (SUI) adventure as he was forced to leave the race in an ambulance. No serious attack happened until the circular road around Ouaga, where the first intermediate sprint was staged. Clinching a bonus second, Saïdou Rouamba moved closer to yellow jersey holder Martinien Tega (CAM), in the same second.
Gassmann on his own
After this virtual change in the overall, the race again lost in pace with the first attack taking place at kilometre 58 thanks to Schnell (FRA) and Gassmann (SUI). The Alsace rider was the first to stop his effort (km 68), while Gassmann carried on increasing his advantage (1’10’’ at km 74). But a group of twelve counter-attacking riders, seriously moved closer to the leading man at km 76. Only three men, L.Zongo (BUR), M.Thiam (SEN) and Silva (ANG), eventually caught the escapee at km 89.
Sawadogo decides to make a move
With the exhaustion, groups of counter-attackers started forming in various numbers during about 15 kilometres. Finally 21 riders bunched together in the lead at kilometre 104 enjoying an advance of 1’50’’ on the main pack. But ten kilometres later, their lead had dropped down to 35’’. Olivier Derquenne (FRA) managed to break away, followed by Mahamadi Sawadogo (BUR). The race lead even counted three riders when Gassmann had the same attacking idea (junction at km 128). Sawadogo, tired of missing out on the good attempts then decided to take off on his own (km 131).
The top three overall in the same second!
But the fastest attacker of Western Africa was once again caught back. While enjoying a 24’’ lead on a group of 4 counter-attacking riders and 43’’ on the pack with five kilometres to go, he was to be caught in the final kilometre where the specialists were preparing the sprint. The one that many call the ogre of Burkina cycling, Jérémie Ouedraogo, beat his rivals to the line and claimed the yellow jersey. The new hero of the Burkina nation takes the overall leadership thanks to the addition of his good finishing positions in the previous stages. Indeed, alongside Saïdou Rouamba and Martinien Tega, all three riders are within the same second.
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Back for victory
Cameroon’s cycling team is definitely faster on bikes than in a plane. The 2004 edition of the Tour du Faso had to do without the presence of the Lions because of a flight problem that had kept them far from Ouagadougou. This year, their air tour finally allowed them to be on time for the team presentation ceremony, but what an effort it was! “In two days, we went from Douala to Nairobi, then to Dakar, Bobo-Dioulasso and eventually Ouaga”, detailed national coach Charles Bana hoping that his riders wouldn’t be to exhausted after the tiring moments spent between the flights and the waiting rooms.
Apparently, the best prepared group to annoy the Burkina riders on their soil looked fit enough with 5 members of the team finishing in the top ten of the opening stage. A performance that didn’t however surprise their team director Joseph Evouna, well aware that he could count on a strong squad. “We don’t have a leader in the team. I know that I basically have four riders of the same level and who are very motivated. To win the Tour du Faso is our main goal this season and all of the boys are able to perform for this main event. The rider that will be the best placed in the overall will be able to count on the help of his team mates.”
The next day, the Cameroon riders proved their ambitions even more by claiming the yellow jersey thanks to Joseph Sanda. Pascal Bouba, recently third of the Tour du Sénégal, remained within shooting distance while Martinien Tega, best young rider of the 2003 edition (5th overall) was also one to watch. He indeed was to take over the event leadership and carry the yellow jersey after the following stage going from Bouroum-Bouroum to Pa. Arriving in Koudougou, where title holder Abdul Wahab Sawadogo claimed the stage, the overall was still dominated by Tega. And as expected the rivalry between the two main powers of African cycling looked to be the main issue of the event: the yellow jersey hadn’t left the shoulders of a Cameroon rider for three days but the race leader had never enjoyed more than a three second advantage on his closest rival, always from Burkina. “It isn’t a strategy, regrets Bouba. We intend on increasing the gap and confirming our yellow jersey but we know how good they are. And added to that, they have many good riders. Anyhow, as every second counts, we are going to fight for them and attack at every intermediate sprint to gain bonus seconds”.
Bouba was perfectly right at the start of stage 5, where the Cameroon riders should have been more inspired when it came to intermediate sprints, which their main rival, Jérémie Ouedraogo managed to do. On the finish line in Kaya, after 696 km already covered since the start of the Tour, the first three riders in the overall standing are within the exact same second. In the following order Ouedraogo, Rouamba and Tega are in the first three spots thanks to the addition of the best places so far in all stages. Cameroon now is the challenger, having to start all over again!
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