At the end of the month of October, the World elite of cycling lives at the rhythm of the transfer market, is concerned by the team strategies for the upcoming season and discovers the course of the next Tour de France. At the same time, an intense battle takes place on the roads of Burkina Faso where the best riders of the continent have been meeting for the past twenty years. Seduced by the mystery of cycling, the Burkina riders have endorsed the role of pioneers, especially determined and efficient in the spreading of their new passion to the athletes of the neighbouring countries.
Touched by the energy that is driven by this movement and the legitimate solicitation of its (not so) distant cousins, the directors of the Tour de France have accepted to help in the organisation of the Tour du Faso. Since 2002, it is therefore with the cooperation of the Burkina Cycling Federation and the Burkina Ministry for Sports that the teams of A.S.O. accompany their cyclists in a quest for performance. The people of Burkina have witnessed moments of national pride. They have also suffered upsets that forge a sense of humility, essential in high level sports. With a practice, use and different means, we have especially noticed that we share the same values. We hope that they are universal. This cycling made of simplicity, without helicopters of ear-phones learns from the Tour de France as much as it helps it to think. In the month of November, the capital of cycling is indeed Ouagadougou.
Christian PRUDHOMME
Director of the Tour de France
As we stand ready for the start of the Tour du Faso, I would like to take this opportunity to address all cycling lovers on behalf of the Head of Government.
This year’s Tour du Faso, the 22nd in its history, aims to build on the success it has seen so far.
Indeed, this event has now run uninterrupted for almost a quarter of a century, despite the ups and downs of an often unfavourable economic climate. But thanks to the motivation of men and women who believe in what they do, the Tour du Faso is today no longer a secret known only to the Burkinabe people.
Our successful partnership with Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.), established in 2001, has set a benchmark for the organisation of all such tours throughout Africa.
In addition, such is the number of teams around the world who are scrambling over each other to participate, that the pack would have grown enormously, if financial limitations did not oblige us to restrict the competition to only 15 teams.
The average speed of the pack increases every year and yesterday’s leaders are facing more and more serious challengers.
The number of media organisations expressing interest in attending the race with a view to reporting the event grows annually.
Given all this, we can all be certain that the Tour du Faso is on the right track.
That is why we must redouble our efforts, not only to stay the course, but, above all, to aim for excellence, in both organisation and performance. Today more than ever, let there be no more guesswork, we must set our sights higher.
I am pleased to express our gratitude to those sponsors who have renewed their support for us, and I would invite all those still reluctant to join us to come and see the race for themselves.
I must also reiterate my thanks to all the organisers.
A happy sporting event to all fans of the two-wheeled wonder!
Mori Aldiouma Jean-Pierre PALM
Ministry of Sports and Leisure
Officer of the National Order
