As the start of the 37th edition of the Tour du Faso approaches, Paul Daumont expresses measured confidence. The winner of the 2025 edition, the Burkinabé cyclist believes the efforts of the national cycling team are beginning to pay off. While he prefers to wait for the first stages to truly assess the team's level, he already notes two positive points: recent performances and harmony within the group.
Received this Tuesday at the palace of Mogho Naaba Baongo with his teammates as part of the competition preparations, Paul Daumont was cautious yet confident. For him, it is on the field that the riders will provide the first answers, starting October 30, the date of the departure for this edition.
“I think we will have the answer starting on the 30th, when we will truly have set off. What is certain is that the entire national team has been preparing accordingly for some time,” he stated.
The Burkinabé champion thus refuses to draw conclusions before the start of the event. However, he considers that the work done beforehand provides an encouraging foundation. He has also continued his preparation in collaboration with his technical staff, aiming to approach the Tour in the best conditions.
Despite the fatigue accumulated during the journey, his recent performances have allowed him to regain positive sensations and appreciate the results of his work.
“I think the preparation is starting to bear fruit. Despite the fatigue from the trip, I managed to have a good race and I am very satisfied with the result,” he confided.
Beyond his own result, Paul Daumont highlights the level of the riders during recent competitions. The high speeds and the grouped arrival of the peloton are, in his opinion, interesting indicators. These elements provide benchmarks ahead of the Tour, even if the nature of a stage race requires remaining vigilant. Consistency, recovery, and effort management will be crucial to stand out.
However, the main source of satisfaction for the defending champion remains the collective dynamic. In cycling, a leader's performance also depends on the support of teammates, who can manage a breakaway, protect their captain, or assist him in key moments. On this point, Paul Daumont is reassuring.
“Cohesion is present, the group gets along well and is performing,” he insists.
A message that emphasizes the importance of the collective in Burkinabé ambitions. After his victory in 2025, Daumont will be particularly watched on the national roads. However, retaining the title will require a team capable of adapting its strategies against opponents and managing various race situations.
The rider prefers, however, to let the course speak for itself. Training and preparatory races provide indications, but only the unfolding of the stages will allow for an assessment of the true strengths at play.
“The necessary preparations have been made beforehand so that we arrive in the best conditions,” concludes Paul Daumont.
With just days to go before the start, the national cyclists are preparing for this event with encouraging signs and a group that their leader considers united and effective. Now it remains to transform this preparation into results, with the ambition to defend the colors of Burkina Faso in this 37th edition of the Tour du Faso.
