All is set for the 29th Edition of Tour cycliste internationale du Togo commencing from the 3rd June – 9th June, 2024.
The final list of the six Ghanaian combatants includes; Victor Cudjoe Akpabli, Solomon Tagoe, Emmanuel Sesi, Joseph Nii Armah Quaye, Eliasu Issah and Abdul Majeed Sandah.
The 7 stage spectacle will culminate a total distance of 1640.9km with 952km coming by way of vehicular transportation and 688.9km by main ride.
The first stage will be from Lome to Kpalime involving a distance of 109.5km.
The Team will then be transported by Road to the beautiful city of Kara. A 7km × 12 laps spinning a brutal criterium of 84km will light up in Kara.
The Third stage is from Mango to Kara rolling in a distance of 131.7km
Pagoda,Kara to Sokode will feature the 4th stage over another heated distance of 101.1km.
Stage 5 will be increased in distance of 157.2km from Sotoubua to Amou Oblo.
The final stage will be a colourful circuit in Lome over 5 laps in 105.4km.
Background
The first edition of the Tour du Togo was held in the year 1989 producing fantastic riders in the likes of Basiru Konte of La Cote Divoire, Hamidu Bameogo of Burkina Faso,Diego Agbefou of Togo, Minougou Noifou of Burkina Faso and the late Samuel Anim of Ghana.
Ghana’s Participation
The Golden Pedals have printed a solid impression in Togo so far as this Tour is concerned and which has drawn commendations from the late celebrated organizer Francis Ducreux and the Togolese Federation.
In 2007, the sixth Edition of the event, Ghana won two Gold medals,three silver and one Bronze when they competed alongside Burkina Faso, Cote Divoire,Benin and Niger.
Crack riders like Ayittey Akoto, Aminu Osman, Adnan Mohammed and William Afful were in the form of their lives.
In 2011, Ghana paraded two sets of Teams comprising Henry Tetteh Djangmah, Prosper Agbo, Samuel Anim,Francis Tetteh, Aminu Mohammed, Isaac Odonkor and Adnan Mohammed. The rest included debutant and late Yakubu Moro Egala, Abdul Razak Mumin, William Nartey of His Majesty cycling club, Stephen Kabu and a young Anthony Boakye.
Aminu won two elegant jerseys. Anthony Boakye won the combativity jersey . Minougou Noufou won that particular competition and Samuel Anim was taken off as a result of injury. Ghana recorded an average speed of 42km/hr.
Ghana’s strength in this particular competition is solid with impressive performance. And especially after some series of local engagements and the passage of the just ended Africa Games, the fear factor is visibly absent and the Golden Pedals are poised to shake Togo and match every country boot for boot next week.
Story By: Dennis Kweku Moore
Senior Cycling writer
