Kaya: Moroccan cyclist Achraf Ed-Doghmy won the 9th and penultimate stage of the Tour du Faso between Ouagadougou and Kaya (118.2 km), ahead of Cameroonian Steve Auriol, marking the first victory for the Atlas Lions in this 36th edition of the Burkinabe cycling classic. The yellow jersey remains with Paul Daumont.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the path to Ed-Doghmy’s victory wasn’t entirely clear, however, as Belgian rider Timmy De Boes animated the day’s stage by winning the two intermediate sprints in Ziniare and Korsimoro. It was in the final 20km of the finish that Ed-Doghmy and Steve Auriol broke away from the peloton to contest the final sprint in Kaya.
There, Moroccan Ed-Doghmy found the necessary strength in his legs to prevail in the final 200 meters of the finish line. He covered the 118.2 km in 2 hours, 35 minutes, and 36 seconds, for an average speed of 45.586 km/h.
Paul Daumont, who finished third, is among the trio vying for stage bonuses. He therefore retains and strengthens his hold on the yellow jersey, distancing his Moroccan challenger El Alouani by 35 seconds and the Belgian Yaxano Smet by 49 seconds. Saturnin Yameogo of Burkina Faso is fourth overall, 58 seconds behind the yellow jersey. Timmy De Boes of Team Flanders, the Belgian, wears the pink points jersey ahead of Soumaila Ilboudo of Burkina Faso.
In the overall team standings, the Burkina Faso cycling Stallions are in the lead ahead of the Moroccan Atlas Lions with a time gap of 4 minutes 32 seconds.
The final stage, Sapone – Ouagadougou (with a 14.5 km criterium in Ouagadougou, to be covered five times, for a total distance of 113.25 km), will take place tomorrow, November 2nd, on Avenue Thomas Sankara.