An event rearranged at the last minute, two stages cancelled, participants deprived of their rest day, a case of severe dehydration recorded... The 19th Tour Cycliste International du Cameroun delivers its first batch of surprises.
Two stages cancelled
Financial difficulties have got the better of the Cameroon Cycling Federation. For this 19th edition of the Tour of Cameroon, which kicked off on 3 June, the participants will no longer have the route that was initially announced. There will be eight stages instead of ten. Two events have been cancelled altogether. These are the Douala - Limbe circuit (75 km) initially scheduled for Tuesday 6 June.
The Dschang - Bafoussam - Bangangté stage (101.3 km), originally scheduled for Thursday 8 June, has also been cancelled. According to indiscretions, the decision to cancel these two stages is based on budgetary constraints. Sources within the Federation confirm that they have not received the total budget requested from the Ministry of Sport.
No rest for the riders
Financial problems are forcing the organisers of the race to take additional measures to minimise expenditure. As well as cancelling the two stages mentioned above, the riders will not be entitled to their traditional rest day. Initially scheduled for Friday 9 June, this has been removed from the programme. Instead, the riders will ride the sixth stage from Loum in the Littoral region to Dschang in the west of the country. The transfer from Garoua to Yaoundé last Monday was considered a rest day.
Change of route
This transhipment also led to an unexpected rearrangement of the race route last Tuesday. The late arrival of the bikes from Garoua to Yaoundé the day before prompted the organisers to revise the programme for the third stage. Instead of the Pouma - Kribi route (150.6 km) initially planned, the riders had to travel by car from Yaoundé to Edéa (177 km), before picking up their bikes under the scorching sun at 2 p.m. for the Edéa - Kribi route (112 km).
Putting the heat to the test
The 19th Tour Cycliste International du Cameroun kicked off on 3 June 2023 with a closed criterium in the town of Garoua. Known for its dry climate and high temperatures (30°C in the shade), the regional capital in the north of the country put the riders through their paces. During the first two days of the competition, the heat was stifling.
In the front line are the cyclists, who also have to pedal for more than a hundred kilometres. With temperatures rising, a special briefing has been arranged. Dr. Elysée Yakana, head of the Medical Commission, recommended that the teams wet their necks and heads and, above all, drink water regularly.
A case of severe dehydration recorded
However, the advice given by the person responsible for the health of participants in the Tour of Cameroon is not always effective when cyclists are subjected to intense effort and extreme temperatures. The proof? Last Monday, a case of severe dehydration was recorded in the riders' caravan. "Apart from the heat, it could also be due to a problem with the food. It's a new diet for some of the participants, who may be exposed to problems of indigestion that can lead to diarrhoea with acute dehydration", explained Dr. Elysée Yakana. The Tour of Cameroon finishes on June 11.
