Premont prevails on Faso's longest stage
Schick maintains lead over Ouedraogo
Former race leader Christophe Premont may have lost any chance at the overall victory after missing the key breakaway on stage four, but the Belgian scored a stellar solo stage win today on the longest stage of the 2010 Tour du Faso.
The 177km route from Boromo to Bobo-Dioulasso took in rolling hills, but fortunately for the tired peloton enjoyed buttery smooth roads as pleasant and scenic as anything in Europe, and in sharp contrast to the previous day's stage.
Much like stage six, a breakaway slipped off the front before the first hot point sprint. Of the nine riders in the move, there was only one French rider (Team Cantal) amongst the enthusiastic racers from Burkina Faso, Senegal, Cameroon, and Ivory Coast. With the peloton content with the status quo in the general classification, the break easily gained four minutes. Could this finally be an opportunity for an African national team to claim a stage?
After six consecutive stage wins by European riders, there was talk in the peloton of deliberately letting a local team win a stage. However, as a UCI 2.2 stage race, the Tour du Faso is no place for gifts. To the dismay of the French Reine Blanche team which had been setting tempo, the pursuit came from Cameroon and Burkina Faso, who launched numerous attacks in pursuit of their escaped countrymen.
These attacks accelerated the pack over the undulating hills outside Bobo-Dioulasso. Within the last 20k, the nine leaders split apart as riders from the peloton bridged to the move.
On the last long gradual hill of the day, Premont of Belgium came from behind to attack the leaders ten kilometers from the finish. He opened up a substantial gap, and sped through the wide boulevards of Bobo Dialaso solo. Showing his Belgian Kermesse experience, Premont easily negotiated the twists and turns of the final 5k that took the race through the heart of Burkina Faso’s second-largest city.
Turning onto the final boulevard with a 57 second lead, Premont had ample time to celebrate Belgium’s third stage win. Two groups raced in behind, including a mix of riders from the early breakaway and newly bridged riders. Abdoul Aziz Nikiema of Burkina Faso won the field sprint for second place.
Julien Schick of Team Reine Blanche finished safely in the peloton to retain his yellow jersey. A frustrated Rasmané Ouedraogo remains in second place and in the top African rider jersey, while Belgium's Laurent Mars claimed the points classification lead.
Friday’s eighth stage will head back north, covering 124.8km from Bobo-Dioulasso to Pâ.
1 | Christophe Premont (Bel) Belgium | 4:38:39 |
2 | Abdoul Aziz Nikiema (Bur) | 0:00:57 |
3 | Martinien Tega (Cmr) Cameroon | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Boukare Kagambega (Bur) | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Wim Botman (Ned) Netherlands | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Abdou Sokondo (Bur) | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Joseph Sanda (Cmr) Cameroon | 0:01:03 |
8 | Harouna Ilboudo (Bur) | 0:01:05 |
9 | Zbigniew Gucwa (Pol) | 0:01:10 |
10 | Leander Schreurs (Ned) Netherlands | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Bram Delie (Bel) Belgium | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Laurent Mars (Bel) Belgium | 0:01:21 |
13 | Bassirou Kante (CIv) Ivory Coast | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Rasmane Ouedraogo (Bur) Burkina Faso | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Joris De Boer (Ned) Netherlands | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Peter Van Agtmaal (Ned) Netherlands | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Cédric Chartier (Fra) | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Jérémy Burton (Bel) Belgium | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Julien Schick (Fra) | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Ngock Yves Ngue (Cmr) Cameroon | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Bolodigui Ouattara (CIv) Ivory Coast | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Abdul Wahab Sawadogo (Bur) | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Becaye Traore (Sen) Senegal | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Damien Leguay (Fra) | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Nkama Kouamé (CIv) Ivory Coast | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Damien Tekou (Cmr) Cameroon | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Augustin Amoussouvi (Ben) Benin | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Guillaume Soula (Fra) | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Tidiani Sanogo (Mli) Mali | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Siaka Mariko (Mli) Mali | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Guillaume Tourret (Fra) | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Massamba Diouf (Sen) Senegal | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Flaubert Douanla (Cmr) Cameroon | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Mbaye Mor Diop (Sen) Senegal | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Noufou Minoungou (Bur) Burkina Faso | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Clovis Guewa (Cmr) Cameroon | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Mamadou Coulibaly (CIv) Ivory Coast | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Yacouba Yameogo (Bur) | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Benjamin Trouche (Fra) | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Oumarou Minoungou (Bur) | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Edem Daku (Tog) Togo | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Etienne Tarbagdo (Bur) | 0:01:34 |
43 | Hamidou Yameogo (Bur) Burkina Faso | 0:01:37 |
44 | Abdoulaye Roamba (Bur) | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Idissa Ouedraogo (Bur) | 0:02:39 |
46 | Gueswende Sawadogo (Bur) Burkina Faso | 0:03:07 |
47 | Moustapha Diaw (Sen) Senegal | 0:05:02 |
48 | Hamidou Diarra (Mli) Mali | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Saidou Tall (Bur) Burkina Faso | 0:05:06 |
50 | Idrissa SAWADOGO | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Ben Zakalia Fofana (CIv) Ivory Coast | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Oumar Sangaré (Mli) Mali | 0:06:03 |
53 | Aubiege Soglo (Ben) Benin | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Yacouba Togola (Mli) Mali | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Inoussa Guébré (CIv) Ivory Coast | 0:06:44 |
56 | Rabaki Jeremie Ouedraogo (Bur) Burkina Faso | 0:07:18 |
57 | Dodji Toulassi (Tog) Togo | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Johan Procee (Ned) Netherlands | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Laurent Zongo (Bur) | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Saliou N'dour (Sen) Senegal | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Armand Kossavoun (Ben) Benin | 0:10:58 |
62 | Sébastien Destruel (Fra) | 0:13:15 |
63 | Dorian Albouy (Fra) | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Géoffrey Decarvalho (Fra) | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Kowouvi Dossouvi (Tog) Togo | 0:18:20 |
66 | Chadas Kakpo (Ben) Benin | 0:23:07 |
1 | Julien Schick (Fra) | 25:37:02 |
2 | Rasmane Ouedraogo (Bur) Burkina Faso | 0:01:17 |
3 | Damien Leguay (Fra) | 0:01:49 |
4 | Guillaume Soula (Fra) | 0:01:55 |
5 | Ngock Yves Ngue (Cmr) Cameroon | 0:03:05 |
6 | Laurent Mars (Bel) Belgium | 0:03:29 |
7 | Bassirou Kante (CIv) Ivory Coast | 0:03:42 |
8 | Abdul Wahab Sawadogo (Bur) | 0:04:02 |
9 | Hamidou Yameogo (Bur) Burkina Faso | 0:05:31 |
10 | Martinien Tega (Cmr) Cameroon | 0:08:19 |
11 | Becaye Traore (Sen) Senegal | 0:10:12 |
12 | Joseph Sanda (Cmr) Cameroon | 0:10:28 |
13 | Abdoul Aziz Nikiema (Bur) | 0:18:31 |
14 | Wim Botman (Ned) Netherlands | 0:23:40 |
15 | Peter Van Agtmaal (Ned) Netherlands | 0:23:45 |
16 | Zbigniew Gucwa (Pol) | 0:24:15 |
17 | Christophe Premont (Bel) Belgium | 0:25:56 |
18 | Leander Schreurs (Ned) Netherlands | 0:26:25 |
19 | Oumarou Minoungou (Bur) | 0:29:49 |
20 | Benjamin Trouche (Fra) | 0:31:55 |
21 | Boukare Kagambega (Bur) | 0:33:15 |
22 | Jérémy Burton (Bel) Belgium | 0:34:00 |
23 | Clovis Guewa (Cmr) Cameroon | 0:34:29 |
24 | Idissa Ouedraogo (Bur) | 0:37:20 |
25 | Noufou Minoungou (Bur) Burkina Faso | 0:43:05 |
26 | Etienne Tarbagdo (Bur) | 0:46:37 |
27 | Siaka Mariko (Mli) Mali | 0:48:03 |
28 | Damien Tekou (Cmr) Cameroon | 0:50:19 |
29 | Yacouba Yameogo (Bur) | 0:50:33 |
30 | Ben Zakalia Fofana (CIv) Ivory Coast | 0:51:18 |
31 | Abdou Sokondo (Bur) | 0:52:41 |
32 | Saidou Tall (Bur) Burkina Faso | 0:53:43 |
33 | Cédric Chartier (Fra) | 0:55:56 |
34 | Laurent Zongo (Bur) | 0:56:36 |
35 | Gueswende Sawadogo (Bur) Burkina Faso | 0:58:34 |
36 | Rabaki Jeremie Ouedraogo (Bur) Burkina Faso | 1:02:45 |
37 | Bolodigui Ouattara (CIv) Ivory Coast | 1:05:54 |
38 | Massamba Diouf (Sen) Senegal | 1:10:12 |
39 | Bram Delie (Bel) Belgium | 1:10:42 |
40 | Guillaume Tourret (Fra) | 1:11:02 |
41 | Joris De Boer (Ned) Netherlands | 1:11:19 |
42 | Harouna Ilboudo (Bur) | 1:13:35 |
43 | Mbaye Mor Diop (Sen) Senegal | 1:14:17 |
44 | Moustapha Diaw (Sen) Senegal | 1:18:31 |
45 | Sébastien Destruel (Fra) | 1:19:21 |
46 | Tidiani Sanogo (Mli) Mali | 1:27:48 |
47 | Aubiege Soglo (Ben) Benin | 1:36:07 |
48 | Abdoulaye Roamba (Bur) | 1:40:53 |
49 | Idrissa SAWADOGO | 1:47:38 |
50 | Johan Procee (Ned) Netherlands | 1:47:59 |
51 | Hamidou Diarra (Mli) Mali | 1:55:43 |
52 | Géoffrey Decarvalho (Fra) | 1:58:53 |
53 | Nkama Kouamé (CIv) Ivory Coast | 1:58:54 |
54 | Oumar Sangaré (Mli) Mali | 2:03:33 |
55 | Saliou N'dour (Sen) Senegal | 2:03:47 |
56 | Dorian Albouy (Fra) | 2:06:17 |
57 | Flaubert Douanla (Cmr) Cameroon | 2:16:14 |
58 | Edem Daku (Tog) Togo | 2:22:11 |
59 | Mamadou Coulibaly (CIv) Ivory Coast | 2:25:38 |
60 | Augustin Amoussouvi (Ben) Benin | 2:27:39 |
61 | Dodji Toulassi (Tog) Togo | 2:29:21 |
62 | Yacouba Togola (Mli) Mali | 2:55:21 |
63 | Chadas Kakpo (Ben) Benin | 3:15:53 |
64 | Inoussa Guébré (CIv) Ivory Coast | 3:17:14 |
65 | Kowouvi Dossouvi (Tog) Togo | 3:28:04 |
66 | Armand Kossavoun (Ben) Benin | 3:59:40 |
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