Paul Daumont Retains Yellow Jersey and Secures Stage 2 Victory in 34th Tour International du Faso
OUAGADOUGOU — Burkinabè sprinter Paul Daumont clinched victory in stage 2 of the 34th Tour international du Faso on Saturday, a feat that came a day after his triumph in the first stage.
According to a new release by Burkina Information Agency, the race stretched over a distance of 107.2 km between Nioryida and Ziniaré.
“The objective was to keep the yellow jersey today and not to win,” Daumont stated upon his arrival. He elaborated that the strategy involved making other teams, including those from Belgium, Morocco, Ivory Coast, and Cameroon, do the bulk of the work. This allowed his team to conserve energy, setting him up for a stage victory.
Before the stage commenced in Nioryida, 2018 yellow jersey holder Mathias Sorgho and coaches from Burkina Faso offered valuable advice to Daumont. Sorgho’s experience was particularly crucial, as he had similarly secured the yellow jersey early in past races and contributed to the victory of Harouna Ilboudo in 2016.
Daumont, a member of AS Bessel, completed the stage in 2 hours, 25 minutes, and 45 seconds, averaging a speed of 43.829 km/h. He finished ahead of Belgians Heylen Wannes and Wouters Rutger, maintaining a 9-second lead over Wouters.
The Burkina Faso champion continues to hold both the yellow and green jerseys, while the pink jersey for intermediate sprints went to his compatriot Mouni Vincent, who won at the hot spots of Kombissiri and Ouagadougou.
The event was sponsored by the National Fund for the Promotion of Sports and Leisure. After the first stage, two riders withdrew from the competition: Ghanaian Benezer Frank and Nigerian Ibrahim Sani.
The next stage, a 14 kmx10 criterium, will be held in Ouagadougou and will cover a distance of 144 km.