Moroccan cyclists Mouhcine Kouraji, Adil Arbaoui, and Driss Alouani claimed victory on Friday in the first stage of the 35th Tour International du Faso, which is held in Burkina Faso from October 25 to November 3.
Kouraji completed the 136-kilometer stage from Koulbila to Tenkodo in 3 hours, 2 minutes, and 45 seconds, with an average speed of 44.8 km/h, earning him the yellow jersey.
Arbaoui took second place, and Alouani finished third, ahead of Burkina Faso’s Bamassi Soulama, who came in fourth.
Morocco has a strong track record in the Tour International du Faso, with previous wins in 2002, 2007, 2009, 2015, and 2017.
This year’s competition features teams from Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Nigeria, along with international teams from Belgium, Russia, and the Netherlands. Three local teams from Burkina Faso are also participating.
The 35th Tour International du Faso covers a total of 1,193.8 kilometers in ten stages. The shortest stage is the fifth, 85.5 kilometers from Bobo Dioulasso to Banfora, while the ninth is the longest, 145.8 kilometers from Kombissiri to Kaya.