Lincoln for president

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Unfortunately for early yellow jersey wearer, Yannick Cornille, the first cross country stage, over 16 km, later in the day, was not technical enough for him. Yannick Lincoln, a Mauritian took control by winning the stage and taking over the GC.

Lincoln is using the race as preparation for the African Continental Road Cycling Championships in Namibia in early November. His face revealed a deep disappointment after the prologue; he was almost dismayed that he didn't win. He reasoned why he didn't perform, "Always in the first few kilometers I am a little tense. The more I go, the better for me. "

The Mauritian Lincoln pummeled the opposition in the cross country, winning ahead of Hugo Caetane. But it didn't start off like that. He waited, as he likes to do, on the early volcanic-ribbed jeep-track, and then pounced out of the corners with more road-like prowess than mountain-cat agility.

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Every lap of the four-lap event saw Lincoln snap the hangers-on: Hugo Caetane, Christian Emmanuelle, Christophe Gerard, Giles Guillaumin and a suffering Cornille. They all dropped backwards as a result of an interminable pace applied by Lincoln.

Cornille later revealed why he was having problems on the stage. "My tire pressure was too hard, and I paid for it."

The course was up-and-down and had competitors criss-crossing each other on the climb. Cut into the sweet potato fields, the climb treated riders to dental shock on the way down, and on the way up, it wore down their resolve. A shorter course exposes riders' weaknesses more quickly.

By lap three, the Mauritian had opened a 1:02 lead over the chasers.

At the finish he regained his confidence, "Every day I will push, push very hard," said Lincoln, a man on a mission. "I have got the African Champs in my mind. I will train very hard here."

With a 7km downhill coming up on Friday he said, "I will go cool, easy. I can make a huge gap in the marathon"

Lincoln may still have a short term in his presidential authority over the tour. Except that his message bodes badly for his competitors, it seems that his training pace is at the same level as the others racing pace.

Christophe Gerard showed his consistency and maturity to hang on to the last remaining podium spot.