High pace from the start
The fact that today was the longest stage of the Tour didn't however prevent the riders from giving everything they had. The pace from the start is just as fast as the previous days and the attacks are numerous. Around twenty riders are therefore dropped after only the first 10 kilometres.

Un duo infatigable
In the leading positions, Mahamadi Sawadogo and Gunter Cuylits are the first riders to manage a significant break. Both riders have managed so many duo breaks together that they could well decide to one day share their holidays. This first adventure of the day started at kilometre 24 but only lasts 6 kilometres.

A 2'30'' gap
A bit later, it's alongside Tidiane Ouedraogo and Alexandre Perret that the yellow jersey holder's little brother gives it another go, in vain... After another solo effort, Sawadogo takes off with his favourite breakaway companion Gunter Cuylits. They are rapidly followed by Saïdou Tall and Marcio Mucanza, with whom they increase the gap on the peloton to 2'30''.

The yellow jersey in the good group
All these courageous attempts are old memories as the riders move closer to the last kilometres of "dust and stones" where the race is due to change completely. After catching the escapees, another group takes off including 13 riders. Sawadogo Junior is not among the leaders, the young and talented rider even suffers a fall in the first kilometres of the final part. His big brother with the yellow jersey on his shoulders is on the other hand in the good break.

Rouamba in green
On the final track, there are just as many attacks than punctures. Former yellow jersey Karel Pattyn manages to break away twice before being caught. In the last turn, Mucanza's fall creates chaos in the little group preparing for the final sprint. Abdul Wahab Sawadogo eventually wins the battle ahead of Saïdou Rouamba. The captain of the stallions, with his 4th second position on the Tour captures the green jersey from Denis Flahaut, who suffered stomach problems during the whole stage.

The “Oranges” of the Faso

One makes funny discoveries on the Tour of Faso. We already know the Dutch curb in the climb up the Alpe-d'Huez. The meeting of Dutch fans has become a tradition in the legend of the Tour de France. But maybe the village of Boudtenga, and more precisely the track portion that heads to Ziniaré, is on its way to becoming the same kind of meeting point. If such is the case one day, one will have to pay tribute to Mariska Van Zanten and Robert Van Kats, pioneers of this new tradition.

To tell the truth, this young Dutch couple didn't only come from Utrecht to see the Tour of Faso peloton go by. He is an architect, she is a teacher for deaf and mute children, and these two travellers have taken some time off in their professionnal lives. Six months exactly with a journey across, Belgium, Spain, Morocco, Senegal and now Burkina Faso behind the steering wheel of an old Land Rover bought 7500 €.

When preparing for their long journey, Mariska and Robert remembered a documentary they saw on the Tour a few years ago on a Dutch channel. After checking out their itinerary, the dates turned out to be perfect: this cycling fan and his companion were to live “for real” the Tour of Faso.

After three months of travelling, here they are already on the site of stage 6 on the dirt track portion between Sabou and Koudougou. “It's even more impressive than what we had expected. And it really is quite something to live it: there are thousands of people on the roads and we are the only Europeans”, they admitted with joy. Other good surprise, the young couple finds out that a Dutch team is competing in the event. Like them, they have a charity project. A good reason to wear there orange T-shirts each time they head to the side of the roads of the Tour.

The six Dutch riders present, who are all competing in the young rider category, are members of the “Right to Play” team, an fund-raiser founded by former Olympic speed-skating champion Johan Olov Koss of Norway, twelve years ago. Riding for the same reason that “every child has the right to play”, the idea is to send toys and help develop sports in 17 countries in difficulty. In Burkina-Faso, having a cycling team on the Tour helps create a first contact with the country before further operations.

And the project is in good hands. The team manager is none other than Teun Van Vliet, a former Tour de France yellow jersey holder back in the 80s. On the roads, his “youngsters” suffer: they are indeed the most unexperienced riders of the peloton and worst of all they aren't really familiar with the heat. Despite all this, Jorry Walgien managed to win the difficult stage on a circuit in Bobo-Dioulasso. Fantastic moments for Mariska and Robert, who will carry on their journey with fond memories in their mind. Their trip could now take them on the course of the Telefonica-Dakar rally in January, in the heart of Mauritania. They will know more on the 17th of November when the race itinerary will be revealed.