The Namibian who rides for Bike Aid of Germany won the 11th edition of the race which ended yesterday in Yaounde. Dan Craven of Bike Aid club of Germany won the 11th edition of the international cycling tour of Cameroon which ended yesterday in Yaounde.
Though he didn't win the last lap between Bafia and Yaounde; Craven outsmarted the others on time as he covered the eight-lap race in 28h05'18". Craven's victory came as no surprise as he had a six-second lead ahead of the runner-up of the competition, Stauder Benjamin of Suisse Centrale cycling club of Germany. The Namibian also emerged the best climber of the competition. The third on the general classification on time was Patrick Kos who happened to also be the first on the general classification on points. The Dutch appeared on the podium at every lap of the competition either as lap winner, best climber or leader on points. Both Craven and Kos attained their goals in the competition as Craven declared he was looking for qualification for the world championship while Kos said he was looking for points to qualify as a professional cyclist.
However, it has been a disappointing performance from the Cameroonian cyclists who had raised hopes of winning the race by conserving the yellow jersey for two laps, only to find their dream thwarted at the end of the 6th lap in Bafoussam. The first Cameroonian on the general classification on time came in the 5th position in the person of Kamzong Abossolo who also happens to be the best youth of the competition. Cameroon got consolation by winning the first three positions of the 8th and last lap of the competition with Sikandji Ghislain, Yemeli Herman and Kamzong Abossolo coming in the first, second and third positions respectively. Yves Ngue Ngock after a promising start of the competition gradually glided into oblivion and finally abandoned the race on the lap together with Thiam Malick of Senegal. Another consolation for Cameroon was the first position won by SNH velo club on team classification, followed by Nederlandse Brabant and Club de la Defense of France in the second and third positions respectively.
Meanwhile the prize award ceremony at the end of the last lap of the race was presided at by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, Samuel Wonyu in the company of the president of the Cameroon cycling federation, Moustapha Dogo and the director of projects, François Njele. It was characterized by demonstrations with bicycles by some youths of the nation's capital. It is worthy to mention that the race caravan had problems with police and gendarmes upon entry into the capital which may tarnish Cameroon's record with the International cycling union.