A powerful winner of the first and last stages of the 22nd Tour of Burkina Faso, Guy Smet wore the yellow jersey from start to finish. He could count on solid team-mates who helped him complete the Belgian domination on the race. With six stages wins out of ten, three of the top four places on GC, the green and pink jerseys, the best young rider classification and the team classification, they won absolutely everything they could! Africa could save the honour only once with Sadrak Teguimaha’s stage win in Houndé. The Cameroonian also climbed on the final podium as he claimed the 3rd place on GC 47 seconds down on Smet. Local riders from Burkina Faso had a harder time as their best representative Saidou Tall finished 16th overall.
Since 2001, the organisers of the Tour du France are involved in the development of the Tour du Faso, the major cycling competition of the African continent. Insuring the solidity of the event, implying the different actors (riders, journalists, etc) and respecting the spirit of this incredible competition are part of A.S.O’s missions that is especially keen to share its knowledge and competence with the Burkina organisers.
Fascinated by cycling, the French State Secretary for Cooperation and Francophonie is especially interested in the Tour du Faso, for which he will follow the riders’ presentation and the first stage between Kokologo and Boromo. Very sensitive to the initiatives led both by the European and African structures, Alain Joyandet will be able to see for himself the way the A.S.O. teams work with the services of the Burkina Ministry for Sports and the Burkina Cycling Federation to organise the biggest cycling event on the continent. A decent amateur, he will also have the opportunity to go from theory to practice by being among the pack on a part of stage one.
The European teams mainly selected for their sporting profiles are also encouraged to lead actions in favour of the development of Burkina Faso, whether it concerns school material supplies or the development of exchange programs. This year the organisers have been approached by the different cycling schools that had benefited from a great deal of equipment during the “1000 vélos pour le Faso” (1000 bikes for Faso) operation in 2005. The educators witnessing problems to replace their material (tire tubes, chains, etc) have asked the European teams if they could come and collect material in order to function on a regular basis. A total of over a ton and a half was shipped over and will be distributed via the FBC.
A former team mate of Eddy Merckx in the seventies, Herman Beysens witnessed a new passion by becoming a team manager during the Tour du Faso. Ever since 1997, he has taken part in every edition of the event, supervising at the same time and all year around, drilling yards to supply villages with drinking water. “I promise that until I die, I will come to make six drills every year in this country”, he had declared in 2006. The “Burkinabelgian” is still around for this 2008 Tour.
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Leading event of African cycling, the Tour du Faso represents the major meeting of the year on the African continent. The fight between the riders of the different African nations adds up to a confrontation with European riders, educated on different terrain with different means and based on distant sporting traditions. For several years now, the organisers have focused on producing, on the roads of Burkina Faso, a balanced match, giving opportunities to every single team. To do so, the choice of the European squads invited is based on an extremely careful study. This year, five European teams will be starting the Tour on the 24th of October.
The attraction for the Tour du Faso other than that of the faithful riders from the neighbouring countries is part of the major trend that marks the event and confirms its status on the continent. Indeed the pack of this 22nd edition will welcome three new African countries with Libya, Sierra-Leone and Congo Brazzaville. While the references of their riders remain difficult to interpret, the Tour du Faso will give them the opportunity to face more experienced teams like Burkina-Faso, Senegal or Morocco for instance.
TOTAL: 1,245 km, including 12,7 kms of dirts tracks.
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After failing to clinch victory in their national Tour ever since the triumph of Jérémie Ouedraogo in 2005, the Burkina Faso Stallions are getting ready to host the continent’s elite riders as well as a selection of European squads for the biggest moment of their season that will be held from the 24th of October to the 2nd of November.
After a last series of checks managed by the A.S.O. team, the Burkina Ministry for sports and the Burkina Cycling Federation, the course of the 22nd edition has been officially set. Following its tradition, the 15 teams that will be competing on the Tour will visit the country throughout a star course, with Ouagadougou as its final destination and start place to the different provinces of the nation.
In a first part, the journey west with a circuit stage in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso, will be completed by a trip all the way to Banfora. Especially showered by heavy rains this summer, this part should offer the riders and followers green landscapes.
In the northern part, the pack will visit Ouahigouya while the east will be explored all the way to Fada N’Gourma where Moroccan Adil Jelloul had designed his victory in 2007. Before that, the riders battling for the yellow jersey will have to deal with the 12.7 kilometres of dirt tracks, divided on two stages where the destiny of the race can be decided.
TOTAL: 1,245 km, including 12,7 kms of dirts tracks.
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From start to finish! From the first day heading to Leo, the Morrocan team proved to be impressive in the pack of the 21st Tour du faso. First of all to defend the yellow jersey held by Mouhssine Lahsaini, the riders from the Atlas were forced to maintain a constant effort at the front of the race. Despite all this wasted energy and the many attacks, Adil Jelloul found the necessary ressources to manage a master-piece during the dtage to Fada N’Gourma. With a 51" lead overall over his only real rival Sadrack Teguimaha, the Morrocan champion then controlled the race helped out by his team.
At 25, the recent winner of the Tour of Senegal looks to be the new strong man of Morrocan cycling in the footsteps of his team mate and 2002 winner Abdelati Saadoune.