Fred Vubem
7 April 2008
Cyclists from Slovakia, Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire eyed the yellow jersey won by Cameroon.
Despite the organisational hitches during the 6th international cycling tour of Cameroon, the competition was hotly contested. Among those who fought frantically most the most prestigious jersey of the race, the yellow jersey, was host country Cameroon, the team from Slovakia, Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire.
Cameroon took a good option by sending cyclists to Maroua four days before the beginning of the competition to get used to the hot weather of the Far north province. This strategy paid off as Sanda Joseph, a native of the Far North, took a 7minute10second leads on the first day of the competition. While the others were still warming up for the race as they were still suffering from the scotching heat of the sun in the Far North Province. Cameroon won two lap victories in the Far north and Adamaoua provinces.
As the race came down South, Slovakia took over, equally winning two lap victories in the West and South provinces seriously threatening Sanda's yellow jersey as they reduced the 7 minutes lead to barely over 2 minutes. The suspense dragged on until the last lap of the race in Yaounde for Cameroonians to have a sigh of relief that they had won the race for the second time since the race was initiated some six years ago. Cote d'Ivoire also won a lap victory in Buea.
Those who made a mere figuration included the team from Italy which was participation in the race for the first time, Vipersport of France and Einstein velo-club who were also in their first participation. The team from Italy abandoned the competition along the way and instead indulged in tourism. Meanwhile, Vipersport of France, after realising they could do nothing to win the race, started protected their European brothers of Slovakia to enable them catch up with the Cameroonians.
All the cyclists were agreed on one thing, that the tour was beautiful and tedious as it comprised level lands, hills and undulated phases. To avoid the organisation hitches, some cyclists suggested that the tour of Cameroon be done in certain parts of the country rotating manner instead of the whole country, just as is the case of the Tour of France.
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