An attack for nothing
The peloton shows its appetite immediately from the start with a break of 5 riders taking place in the first kilometres of the stage. Desiré Kaboré (Bur), Mahamadi Sawadogo (Bur) also known as “the man who attacks quicker than his own shadow”, Boukari Kagambega (Bur), Julien Dely (Fra) and Karel Pattyn (Bel), are rapidly joined by Fabrice Debrabant (Fra) and Gunter Cuylits (Hol) but are eventually caught by the peloton at kilometre 14.

In two periods
Then comes a move with 4 Burkina riders and an Angolan at kilometre 23. Five kilometres later, for men well inspired decide to launch a counter-attack. They eventually make it to the lead after 40 kilometres and that's when questions start occurring. The group is heterogeneous and it isn't easy convincing African riders, who aren't the best of sprinters to collaborate in a break.

It works out!
This time everyone decides to work together and the group looks strong: Laurent Zongo (Bur), A.Wahab Sawadogo (Bur), Mahamadi Sawadogo (Bur), Seydou Sanfo (Bur), Marcio Mucanza (Ang), Tidiane Ouedraogo (Bur), Abdoulaye Thiam (Sen), Denis Flahaut (Fra) and Michel Lelièvre (Fra) take off for a common adventure. Despite the team mates of yellow jersey holder Pierre Chevalier (Fra) trying to ease up the pace of the peloton, the gap with the escapees increases: already over a minute as they go through the first border in the history of the Tour. The gap grows to a maximum 3'20'' at km 74.

Who for yellow?
As the riders enter the Sikasso circuit where a crowd has gathered for an impressive welcome, it looks obvious: the winner of the stage is among the group of 9. But who? The second question concerns the gap with the peloton and more specifically with Pierre Chevalier. As of the sprint finish – no-one managing to break clear in the three laps of the circuit – it logically goes to Denis Flahaut. Young specialist of such an effort, it is said that he could soon move to a top team! Concerning Pierre Chevalier, he loses the yellow jersey to A. Wahab Sawadogo, finishing 2'07'' after the winning group… One can only imagine the celebrations of the Burkina people!

Yellow suited them so well

There are mixtures that have a peculiar taste and sometimes ends up stranger than expected. Who would have had the bizarre idea of building up a mixed French and Japanese team? Well it appears that the idea actually came from race Laurent Bezault, who sometimes has funny ideas. When it was time to finalize the starting teams he was able to count on the precious help of his friends Nobuhito Kubo and Chantal Fedele, who took command of such a project.

Chantal Fedele, who two years ago had built a team coming from the French area of Isère, had first been asked to work on a team from Guadeloupe (French West Indies). The group looked set to cross the Atlantic and head to the Faso, butt the initial project was finally cancelled for unexplained reasons: “I was in despair and even depressed not to be able to come to the Faso this year”, she explains. Laurent Bezault's proposition immediately touched the one that is today called from Bobo to Ouaga, “the white queen of the Faso”. The plan: a Japan France mixture that Bezault had talked about with Nobuhito Kubo, manager of Japanese cyclists.

A few phone calls later and the group was built just two weeks before the start of the race. Alexandre Perret, Thierry David and Pierre Chevalier have not the slightest problem in being associated with Takamitsu Tsuji, Daï Fukuhara and Kentaro Eshita. The first meeting happened at the Roissy airport, the evening of the departure to Africa. Of course, difficulties in communicating are obvious. The three Asians don't speak a word of French and aren't a lot better in English. Luckily Nobu, who has been living for 5 years in France, turns out to be the perfect translator.

And in an excellent spirit, things almost turn out beautifully. It all started with Pierre Chevalier's victory in the opening stage after a courageous attack 10 kilometres from the finish. The “France-Japon”, as they are called in the peloton capture the yellow jersey. The following day, in Houndé, it's Thierry David's turn to conquer the stage while Pierre remains in yellow. “Everyone would tell me I was the lucky charm of the team because my previous teams had always won stages. But I had never had the yellow jersey”, explains Chantal.

Of course, the record of the Japanese members isn't as filled, but they have been showing a real “Samourai” style of courage. Slightly touched by “a good old stomach bug”, Takamitsu and Kentaro finished the stage to Sikasso completely exhausted but inside the official time delay. “For them, the main goal is to finish in good health” insists their manager slightly worried. Things look bright on a marriage point of view between Nobu and Chantal “we have decided to carry on for other events next year…”