Kagambèga claims Burkina Faso's first stage since 2007

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The hometown Burkina Faso riders scored their first stage victory in the Tour du Faso since 2007, with Burkina Faso B-team's Boukari Kagambega launching a courageous attack with 23km to go and then soloing to victory ahead of a group led to the line by his fellow countryman Abdoul Aziz Nikiema.

The win came on the hilly 125km stage 8 through southwestern Burkina Faso. With the end of the tour fast approaching, the African teams were anxious for a stage win, and they set a furious pace leaving Bobo Dioulasso.

Much like the previous two stages, an African-led breakaway soon established itself, containing five riders from Burkina Faso, two Cameroonians, two Senegalese, one rider from the Ivory Coast, and a lone European from the Netherlands.

Once again, Team Reine Blanche set tempo at the front of the peloton, protecting the yellow jersey of their leader Julien Schick. With no GC threats in the breakaway, Reine Blanche let the break gain a comfortable lead of over 3 minutes at the halfway point. Unlike the previous stages, the local teams refrained from attacking the peloton, seemingly content to let their riders contend for the victory in the breakaway.

At the front of the race Kagambega attacked with 23 kilometers remaining. The riders from Cameroon, Senegal, and Ivory coast led the chase as Kagambega stretched his lead to 30 seconds. With 10km remaining, his lead dwindled to ten seconds and the Burkina riders prepared to launch another rider.

Undaunted, Kagambega kept his head down, tenaciously holding on to his small gap. Staying just a few hundred meters ahead of the breakaway, he came into the final kilometer with a 7 second lead. As the riders behind jostled for sprint position, Kagambega opened his lead back to ten seconds and crossed the line in victorious elation. Burkina’s Nikiema claimed the sprint for second place as the president of the Burkina Cycling Federation cheered from the follow vehicle.

After three virtually identical stages narratives, the breakaway finally succeeded to give Burkina Faso, and the African continent, it’s first stage victory in the Tour du Faso since 2007.

In the general classification, Julien Schick retains his yellow jersey. Laurent Mars will wear the green sprinters jersey into stage nine, while Rasmané Ouedraogo retains the jersey for Best African rider.

Saturday’ ninth stage covers 111.9km from Boromo to Koudougou, culminating in a 26km stretch of dirt track that’s sure to test the determination (and tires) of the 2010 Tour du Faso peloton.

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