Leocadia Bongbeng
10 April 2008
Buea — After winning the yellow jersey in the first lap, Sanda was able to withstand the pressure until the end of the last lap.Sanda bags FCFA 800,000 as overall winner, FCFA 200,000 as youngest rider, FCFA 250,000 as best African and FCFA 294,000 for winning the first lap of the competition.
The President of the Douala Velo Club, where Sanda is member, said the victory is first Cameroonian before that of the club. This is the second time a Cameroonian is winning the tour after Shadrack Teguimaha won in 2004. The Mbalmayo-Sangmelima lap saw Ivan Viglaski from Middle Slovakia, Teguimaha of SNH and Robert Glajza emerging first, second and third respectively.
Teguimaha won the red and white jerseys for the best climber while Glajza won the green as the best sprinter classified on individual point count.The SNH Velo Club won the prize for the best team worth FCFA 300,000 while the Congolese team was encouraged for their spirit of endurance.
Meanwhile, in the last lap, a Burkinabey, Sawadogo Wahab, finished the 169 km from Sangmelima to Yaounde first, followed by Ivorian, Ouedrago Ahmed and Tiofack Toulouse.
UCI Commissioner Proposes Modification
The Commissioner of the Cycling Tour and member of the International Cycling Union, Jean-Michel Voets, has proposed a modification of the tour.He has requested the shortening of the transfer distances of competitors, a view also shared by foreign teams.
Voets said for the cyclists to rest, the distances have to be shortened. He maintained that the arrival and departure time need to be improved upon. Drivers have to make sure their cars are in order. He deplored the absence of communication on where to eat and lodge.
Tao Aboubakar, the Technical Director of the Burkina Faso team, grumbled about transportation."Transferring riders for a distance of 1600 km from Maroua to Garoua is tiring for the cyclists," he said. Besides, "there is a need to master the departure time," he added, stating that in Burkina Faso, measures are taken to ensure that time is meticulously respected.
In Burkina Faso, he continued, "spaghetti and not sandwich is served at every moment because sandwich causes stomach disorder to athletes."He was also bitter about lodging bias: "There is no segregation when it comes to lodging like in Cameroon and everyone is on the same level."
He urged the organisers of the tour to be more serious at doing their jobs and not take the tour as a pretext to amuse with women. However, Toa hinted that the Cameroon tour is the most beautiful in Africa.
Talking about the performance of the Faso riders, Toa said they are in form, have won a lap and are in the first ten positions.As for the Slovakian team, the best foreign team, the tour is used as training ground for other competitions. Glajza one of their riders, said, "this would serve as preparation for other championships and the Slovakia Tour."
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