Chartier sprints to victory in Boromo

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While the first five stages showcased some of the smoothest roads in Burkina Faso, stage six took the peloton into the southwestern region where potholes and gravel fulfill stereotypes of rural Africa. With the French teams firmly in control of the GC, stage six would once again provide a chance for the opportunists on the 128.9km course from Kokologo to Boromo.

The pace started hot from the beginning, and a group of six escaped before the first hot point sprint. Representing Burkina Faso, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Holland, this breakaway offered good odds for a stage win by a West African team. The group rolled in a smooth paceline, maintaining a lead of 1-2 minutes as the French Team Reine Blanche set tempo in the peloton to protect their yellow jersey on the shoulders of Julien Schick.

As the race entered the menacing potholes of the last 50km, the breakaway should have had the advantage, negotiating obstacles more gracefully than the peloton. According to Sbigniew Gucwa of Team Reine Blanche, the French teams were happy to let the breakaway succeed because it posed no threat to their overall lead. However, a series of attacks within the peloton raised the pace, and the breakaway was absorbed with 20km remaining.

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With the stage victory up for grabs, a flurry of attacks tore apart the peloton in the approach to Boromo. In addition to the furious pace, numerous crashes and mechanicals split several small groups off the back.

Wearing the pink jersey of intermediate sprint leader Poland’s Sbigniew Gucwa accelerated with 800 meters remaining. The other sprinters followed his wheel, and Cedric Chartier emerged 200 meters from the line, accelerating towards the first stage victory for team Ile de France. Once again, the GC remains unchanged, as Julien Schick retains the yellow jersey ahead of Burkina Faso’s Rasmané Ouedraogo in the green points jersey.