The Tour Cycliste International du Faso is getting ready to set off again for the 2023 edition. There will be a total of 1259.200 kilometres to cover, starting in Ouagadougou for 10 stages, and a great show in store. Here's an update on this year's official route.
The Tour du Faso will take place from 26 October to 05 November 2023
From 26 October to 5 November 2023, the Tour du Faso will return after missing out in 2022 for security reasons, with a new edition starting from Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou. The race will comprise 10 stages covering a distance of 1259.200 kilometres, with 3 criteriums. The longest stage will be the 153km Koudougou - Boromo. What's on the menu? Flat stages, but also hilly stages, no mountain stages and no individual time trials. Major towns such as Dédougou, Banfora and Kaya will not be visited during this 35th edition.
A stronger line-up
Innovations include raising the standard of the teams invited, training drivers and holding two criterium stages in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. The aim of this year's Tour du Faso is to meet the standards of the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the expectations of participants and the public.
"Preparations are well underway. The political will has spoken. The Tour du Faso will take place this year.The Burkina Faso Cycling Federation (FBC) is hard at work with the Ministry of Sport. There are more and more meetings. There is a clear willingness on the part of the Ministry to support the Federation in its competitions. This is helping to prepare Burkina Faso's national teams even before the actual warm-up. The world of cycling was thirsty.It's a good thing we've got things back on track, otherwise last year when we said there wouldn't be a Tour du Faso, you yourself saw how sad people were," says Martin Sawadogo, the CBF's National Technical Director.
Paul Daumont wants to make history despite the competition
As in 2021, this Tour du Faso 2023 promises a great race and a fierce battle between the leaders of the new generation.Of course, we're all expecting the Burkinabè duo of Paul Daumont and Koné Souleymane to come out on top. But other riders could come from elsewhere to join the fray. On the Etalons cyclistes du Burkina side, Paul Daumont and Martin Sawadogo make no secret of their ambitions."The personal challenge for me this season will be the Tour du Faso. That means doing the double and joining the very select circle of riders who have had the privilege and ability to win both the national championship and the Tour du Faso in the same year," says Paul Daumont, who won the national championship for the second year running with his club, AS Bessel.
"The challenge for me is to win the yellow jersey through the development and promotion of cycling in Burkina Faso, both nationally and internationally.As you know, our Tour is ranked 2.2 on the UCI international calendar. Hence the participation of the big teams, which allows us to learn and share," says Martin Sawadogo. Who will succeed Germany's Daniel Bichlmann as winner of the 2023 Tour Cycliste International du Faso?The answer will be given on 26 October.
The official route of the Tour du Faso 2023
Stage 1: Ouagadougou - Pô (125 km)
Stage 2: Manga - Ziniaré (135 km)
Stage 3: Ouaga - Ouaga (criterium 5.2 km x 28 laps)
Stage 4: Ouagadougou - Koupèla (135 km)
Stage 5: Tenkodogo - Zorgho (78 km)
Stage 6: Ouaga - Koudougou (115 km)Stage 7: Koudougou - Boromo (153 km)
Stage 8: Bobo - Bobo (criterium 10.2 km x 13 laps)
Stage 9: Bobo-Dioulasso - PA (125 km)
Stage 10: Saponé - Ouagadougou (115 km plus a closed circuit of 5.1 km x 15)
