Burkina Faso's Abdoul Aziz Nikiema won the final stage of the Tour du Faso, but Frenchman Julien Schick was not dislodged from his overall lead that he held since stage four. Schick won with 1'17 over Belgian Laurent Mars.
The race is considered the Tour de France for the African continent, in the past even organized by the Amaury Sports Organisation, which also runs the Tour de France. With several European teams on the start line, a victory for the Africans was going to be tough. But in 2010, they managed to snatch stage eight (Boukare Kagambega) and now stage ten through Aziz Nikiema.
The Tour du Faso is not only difficult due to the hot temperatures. There are also unpaved sections - miles of road resembling the Strade Bianche from the Eroica race (except the dusty roads are more like a dirty red rather than white).
Stage ten winner Nikiema confirmed the difficulties. "The race was really gruelling. In the beginning of the section there was a dog who caused a crash and the derailleur from Rasmané Ouédraogo was bent. He took another bike but the pedals weren't adjusted to his shoes." The home riders did not have an advantage over the Europeans. "During our preparation, we didn't check out the off-road sections. We discovered them like anybody else," Nikiema said.
Overall winner Schick was quite happy with the unpaved parts. "I love the dirt. I appreciated everything [at the Tour du Faso] and especially these [offroad sections]. It is long and it was good. I was afraid it would be in bad shape. My teammates put themselves on the front and controlled it."
In the beginning, the European teams dominated the race, with four of the first five stages going to riders from Belgium and the Netherlands. Only Zbigniew Gucwa of Poland was able to take stage two. Stage six went to Frenchman Cedric Chartier, before stage seven was taken again by a Belgian, Christophe Premont.
Finally Burkina Faso pulled one off, when Boukare Kagambega took stage eight, giving the crowd somethin to cheer.
Stage 10 : Korsimoro - Ouagadougou (115.9 km)
1. [BUR] NIKIEMA Abdoul Aziz - 2h52'57"
2. [BEL] PREMONT Christophe
Stage 9 - Boromo - Koudougou (111.9 km)
1. [NED] BOTMAN Wim - 2h54'26"
2. [BUR] MINOUNGOU Oumarou st
3. [FRA] SCHICK Julien 0'05
Stage 8 - Bobo Dioulasso - Pâ (124.8 km)
1. [BUR] KAGAMBEGA Boukare - 2h55'51"
2. [BUR] NIKIEMA Abdoul Aziz - 0'10
3. [SEN] NDOUR Saliou -
Stage 7 - Boromo - Bobo Dioulasso (177 km)
1. [BEL] PREMONT Christophe PCW 4h38'39"
2. [BUR] NIKIEMA Abdoul Aziz - 0'57
3. [CMR] TEGA Martinien
Stage 6 - Kokologo - Boromo (128.9 km)
1. [FRA] CHARTIER Cedric - 3h20'21"
2. [CIV] BASSIROU Konté WOB
3. [POL] GUCWA Zbigniew
Stage 5 : Linoghin - Koupela (98.3 km)
1. [BEL] MARS Laurent - 2h27'41"
2. [BEL] PREMONT Christophe PCW 0'06
3. [POL] GUCWA Zbigniew - 0'09
Stage 4 : Bani - Kaya (126.7 km)
1. [NED] SCHREURS Leander - 3h43'21"
2. [BUR] OUEDRAOGO Rasmane - 0'05
3. [CMR] NGUE NGOCK Yves
Stage 3 : Kaya - Dori (163.5 km)
1. [BEL] BURTON Jeremy PCW 4h22'31"
2. [FRA] SCHICK Julien -
3. [BEL] PREMONT Christophe PCW 0'06
Stage 2 : Yako - Ziniaré (141.5 km)
1. [POL] GUCWA Zbigniew - 3h39'59"
2. [BUR] OUEDRAOGO Rasmane
3. [BEL] MARS Laurent
Stage 1 : Boussé - Ouahigouya (129.5 km)
1. [NED] VAN AGTMAAL Peter - 3h21'51"
2. [BEL] MARS Laurent -
3. [FRA] SOULA Guillaume
Final GC
1. [FRA] SCHICK Julien -
2. [BEL] MARS Laurent - 1'17