Garango: Burkinabe cyclist Mahamadi Ilboudo won the 7th stage of the Tour International du Faso on Thursday, a 71.63 km race between Guiba and Garango. This victory marked Burkina Faso’s third stage win out of seven in the competition.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the stage was the shortest of the race, and the conditions were favorable for the sprinters. The only intermediate sprint, at Niaogho at kilometer 44.2, saw a victory for Belgian rider Timmy De Boes, the same rider who had won in Po the previous day.
After this intermediate sprint, the peloton remained together and calm until the final 15 kilometers, where eight riders, including two Burkinabe and six others, decided to take matters into their own hands. They initially opened up a gap of 37 seconds, then 45 seconds on the peloton.
Yellow jersey wearer Paul Daumont, escorted by his lieutenant Saturnin Yameogo, was marking El Alouani, second in the general classification, and Yaxano Smet, third. This opened the door for those less threatening the yellow jersey.
It was in this situation that Mahamadi Ilboudo of Burkina Faso, who had been among the breakaway group, launched a devastating attack nearly 1km from the finish, dropping all seven of his rivals to celebrate at the finish line. Siriki Diarra of Mali, who had followed Ilboudo’s attack, took second place, leaving third to Soumaila Ilboudo of Burkina Faso.
The yellow and green leader’s jerseys remained on Paul Daumont’s shoulders, 21 minutes behind the Moroccan El Alouani Driss and 31 minutes behind the Belgian Yaxano Smet. Saturnin Yameogo of Burkina Faso is fourth overall, 41 seconds behind the yellow jersey.
The pink jersey for intermediate sprints went to Belgian Timmy De Boes of Team Flanders.
Mahamadi Ilboudo achieved a good average speed, the highest of the competition so far, at the finish (47.245 km/h) of the stage.
The 8th stage, the second shortest distance of the competition, will be run between Tenkodogo and Zorgho (75.5 km). This is another distance that favors sprinters.