Dano: Burkinabe cyclist Paul Daumont struck again during the 5th stage of the Tour du Faso, covering the Gaoua-Dano distance of 111.7 km. This marks his second victory in the race, as he continued to impose his pace against his competitors.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Paul Daumont's effective pedal stroke was evident in Dano. He strategically prepared for his victory from the first intermediate sprint in Bouroum-Bouroum, which he won ahead of Morocco's El Alouani Driss, his closest competitor in the general classification. Daumont expressed his determination, stating, "The gaps were tight this morning. Yesterday I wasn't able to sprint as I wanted, and the Moroccan grabbed a second. It hurt a bit, and today I didn't want it to happen like that. I played by listening to regain my position by first winning the first intermediate sprint and finishing in style."
In the final kilometers, Daumont overtook Moroccan El Alouani Driss to cross the finish line first, completing the 111.7 km in 2 hours 36 minutes 49 seconds, achieving an average speed of 42.737 km/h. He bested Morocco's Ed-Doghmy Achraf and the Tour's first yellow jersey holder, Belgian De Cabooter Lance.
Daumont retains his yellow and green jerseys with a 21-second lead over El Alouani Driss, who placed 12th in this stage. Belgium's Yaxano Smet holds 3rd place overall, while Saturnin Yameogo is in 4th.
This stage marks the first time the Tour du Faso has concluded in Dano since its inception. Previously, the Tour caravan passed through Dano twice in 2005 and once in 2008, with a departure given in Dano in 2017. Daumont reflected on the significance of this stage finish, noting his previous visit to Dano in 2023 for a charity race. He stated, "The people of Dano have fond memories of me since 2023, when I came to participate in a charity race in my yellow jersey at the time. They wanted to see the Tour du Faso caravan because it's been a long time since we've been here. We were asked to please the people of Dano. It gives us the courage to continue for the rest of the race."
The caravan will proceed to the 6th stage tomorrow, covering the distance between Ouagadougou and Po, which is 144.2 km.