Morocco’s, Mochine El Kouraji silenced all the 63 cyclists that took part in the 2024 Tour du Faso to win the prestigious yellow jersey and the 35th edition of the West African cycling event.
The sensational North African sprinter demonstrated strength and skill from stage one to the last day of the Tour to grab the enviable yellow jersey.
The Moroccan team was able to control the peloton in every stage of the competition.
Mohcine El Kouraji had a cumulative total time in the overall individual ranking of 27h28m 21s.
He retained the yellow shirt with a few seconds ahead of the 2nd and 3rd team, who were his teammates.
Malien Tiémoko Diamouténé won on Sunday in Ouagadougou, the 10th and final stage of the Tour du Faso Boussé – Ouagadaugou with criteria, 119,800km in 2h 49mins 02seconds, an average speed of 42,524 km/h.
History will remember that cyclist Tiemoko Diamouténé of the cycling club of Boukarila in the circle of Kignan as he is the first Malian cyclist to win a stage victory as he climbed the podium.
Morocco controlled the 35th Tour du Faso in Ouagadougou on November 3, 2024, grabbing the yellow shirt with Mohcine El Kouraji, and the other 2 places on the podium of the General Individual ranking, the general team ranking and 3 stage victories.
Best young cyclist also went to Moroccan, Driss EL Alouni.
The other 8 countries that took part in the competition were the Tour’s left-outs, except for Russia, who pulled away with 4 stage victories – the green jersey by Anton Popov and the hot shirt by points (Mamyr Statsh).
Burkina Faso, winner of the 2023 edition, found itself with only one stage victory in 3rd place at the end of the 10th stage (Daouda Congo) and 5th place in the overall individual ranking (Bamassi Soulama)
Burkinabe Bamassi Soulama who is at 2mn08s and Cameroonian Abossolo Clovis Kamzong at 2mn11s.
At the end of the last stage, the Cameroonian snatches 4th place in the Cycling Estalon and ends up at 2mins 42secs while Bamassi Soulama finishes at 3mn19s.
He was the only Burkinabe in the top 10 of the overall individual ranking.
The victories of the stages:
Russia: 4 wins (3rd, 4th, 7th and 9th stages) | Anton Popov, Anton Popov and Artem Gomozkov
Morocco: 3 victories (1st, 5th and 8th stages) | Mohcine El Kouraji, Mohcine ElKouraji and Driss El Alouani)
Burkina Faso: 1 victory (6th stage) | Wahabou Bouda
Mali: 1 victory (10th stage) | Tiémoko Diamoutènè
Belgium: 1 win (2nd leg) | Lance De Cabooter
Russian Anton Popov is the racer with the most laps. He has a total of 3 stage wins against 2 for the Moroccan El Kouraji.
In the under 23 category Adil El Arbaoui unfortunately lost his green jersey to Anton Popov of Russia recording an average speed of 42.524kmh and a time of 2h 38min 59seconds.
The intermediate sprint jersey went to Mamyr Stash from Russia with the combativity jersey going to Harouna llboudo from BurkinaFaso.
The Tour Du Faso youngest white jersey went to Driss El Alouani of Morocco showing master class of determination throughout the competition.
The victories of the stages
Russia: 4 wins (3rd, 4th, 7th and 9th stages) | Anton Popov, Anton Popov and Artem Gomozkov
Morocco: 3 victories (1st, 5th and 8th stages) | Mohcine El Kouraji, Mohcine ElKouraji and Driss El Alouani)
Burkina Faso: 1 victory (6th stage) | Wahabou Bouda
Mali: 1 victory (10th stage) | Tiémoko Diamoutènè
Belgium: 1 win (2nd leg) | Lance De Cabooter
Russian Anton Popov is the racer with the most laps. He has a total of 3 stage wins against 2 for Moroccan El Kouraji.
Ghana’s Emmanuell Sesi and Elliasu also mounted the podium with combativity awards.
The President of Burkina Faso, Head of State Captain Ibrahim Traore was the special guest at the end of the10th Stage.
By Elizabeth A. Gyamfi
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