The 10-day QNET Sponsored Tour du Faso is underway in the African country of Burkina Faso through to 3 November with Stage 4 between Tenkodogo and Fada N’Gourma likely to test all teams in 128 km of blazing sun today.
QNET, which was also a sponsor at last year’s event, is featuring prominently in the race with QNET hoardings and jerseys worn by winners at each day’s prize giving.
A selection of elite cyclists from North Africa and two European squads have converged on Burkina Faso for the race which is one of the country’s top social and sporting events of the year.
There are sixty-three riders from ten teams consisting of three from Burkina Faso and one each from Algeria, Cameroon, Mali, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Germany and the Netherlands.
The first stroke of the pedal took place last Friday with the 124.4 km Boussé to Ouahigouya first stage.
The race got off to a shaky start for some teams with many racers recording punctures in the first 20 km but they went on to achieve an average speed of 39.3 km / h.
The race was watched by His Majesty Naaba Kiiba, King of Yatenga, and the mayor of Ouahigouya, Gilbert Noël Ouedraogo.
The host’s national team, the Burkina Faso Stallions took out stage one and two with Côte d’Ivoire’s Cisse Isiaka taking stage three.
Overall Ranking End of Stage 3
Yellow Jersey (General Leader): Abdoul Aziz Nikièma (Burkina Faso)
Green Jersey (Points Leader): Rasmané Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso)
Red Jersey (Fighting Spirit): Harouna Ilboudo (Burkina Faso)
10 Stage Tour du Faso
| Date | Stage | Winner | Distance (Km) |
| 25-Oct | Stage 1 | Boussé » Ouahigouya | Kabré Issaka (Burkina Faso) | 124.4 |
| 26-Oct | Stage 2 | Yako » Ziniaré | Bikienga Salfo (Burkina Faso) | 142.1 |
| 27-Oct | Stage 3 | Koulbila » Tengodogo | Cisse Isiaka (Côte d’Ivoire) | 137.6 |
| 28-Oct | Stage 4 | Tengodogo » Fada | Barbari Adil (Algeria) | 128 |
| 29-Oct | Stage 5 | Fada » Koupéla | Hannachi Abdelbaset (Algeria) | 80.8 |
| 30-Oct | Stage 6 | Ouaga » Koudougou | Bamogo Saidou (Burkina Faso) | 99.3 |
| 31-Oct | Stage 7 | Pa » Bobo | Kanté Bassirou (Côte d’Ivoire) | 132 |
| 01-Nov | Stage 8 | Bobo » Banfora | Barbari Adil (Algeria) | 84.6 |
| 02-Nov | Stage 9 | Bobo » Boroma | Weinburg Marcus (Germany) | 169.4 |
| 03-Nov | Stage 10 | Kokologho » Ouaga | 105.9 |
Photos
Read more
- More QNET stories about Tour du Faso
- Pivot to Africa but What Sport is QNET Sponsoring Next?
- Tour du Faso 2013 stats and points courtesy of ProCyclingStats.com