A hill course awaited the 6 riders of Haute Route - Mavic, as teammates went head to head for the national title.
And as we reached the critical point of the race, 5 of them were in the thick of it. But Bakari was not.
Anguilet the strongest rider, but Ngandamba has stuck with him.
Ngandama is suffering, but he has the better sprint, and in the flatter final kilometre he gives it his all.
But Charles Anguilet will be the Gabon national champion!
1
Charles Anguilet
Haute Route - Mavic
2h13'42
2
Geoffroy Ngandamba
Haute Route - Mavic
s.t.
3
Cedric Thaouta
Haute Route - Mavic
+ 27
4
Paul Junior Maroga
Haute Route - Mavic
s.t.
5
Clenne Morvan Moulingui
Haute Route - Mavic
s.t.
6
Fake Rider
Amateurs
+ 3'22
7
Fake Rider
Amateurs
+ 3'55
8
Fake Rider
Amateurs
s.t.
9
Fake Rider
Amateurs
s.t.
10
Amadou Bakari
Haute Route - Mavic
s.t.
Uganda
There was a duel in the mountains in Uganda. Ssabagwanya defeating Schleck in a close battle. The Campari rider led throughout, and did not allow himself to be passed.
1
Samuel Ssabagwanya
Campari - Super Dry
2
Jordan Schleck
Statoil Pro Cycling
Madagascar
A duel of Nemiroff riders on this African island, and it will be raced on the flat.
Randrianambinina is the favourite, so Andriafenomananiaina knew that he had to try something - and he did become part of an early breakaway of amateurs, only to be chased down by allies of Randrianambinina.
It would come to the finish, and Andriafenomananiaina is on the attack again inside the final 3km. He manages to create a gap.
It's nearly 30 seconds with 2km to go, as Randrianambinina now starts his sprint.
Still Andriafenomananiaina leads, and is now clear of all amateurs, but the gap is closing.
Roger Randrianambinina has the speed though, and powers past in the closing metres to retain his national title!
1
Roger Randrianambinina
Nemiroff - ABBYY
1h36'27
2
Zouzou Andriafenomananiaina
Nemiroff - ABBYY
s.t.
Mauritius
Further out into the Indian Ocean, the first ever national championships in Mauritius will take place on the cobbles.
Two amateurs still led into the final cobbled section, and as Pirogue set the pace, teammate Le Court could not keep up.
Lecourt De Billot took the lead as the amateur riders were swept away, and with a sustained effort, created a gap on Pirogue.
Victory for Olivier Lecourt De Billot!
1
Olivier Lecourt De Billot
Sauber Petronas Racing
2h19'48
2
Yoan Pirogue
Podium Ambition
+ 59
3
Kim Le Court
Podium Ambition
+ 2'14
Cameroon
There were two professional riders in the Cameroon national championships, but really you couldn't tell.
Geremie Nzeke raced away in the hills, for a dominant victory.
1
Geremie Nzeke
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
2h12'42
2
Clovis Kamzong
Garmin - BikeNZ Cycling
+ 4'06
Morocco
More of a contest was expected in Morocco, with a flat course and a number of fast finishers. Saber is the man to beat, the nation's only ProTour rider, off the back of a strong end to the season - and also the fastest sprinter (81 sprint vs 77). Haute Route's pair of Ayoune and Haddi expected to be his closest rivals.
Mraouni is not the fastest here, but the Minions rider hired a few amateurs to protect him in the run up to the sprint. Surprisingly Haute do not look to press their advantage with a lead out of their own. Saber on his wheel, then Haddi and Aadel.
Chaoufi, Abelouacje, Er Rafai and El Abdia further back - with Ayoune also off the pace.
No actual lead out from the amateurs, as Mraouni bravely launches the sprint with over 2km to go.
Haddi jumps first, with Aadel still following - and Ayoune also now up there.
This puts Saber under pressure as he now needs to respond, while they leave Mraouni well behind.
What a sprint by Soufianne Haddi though. He pulls off a real upset, and takes the Moroccan title!
1
Soufiane Haddi
Haute Route - Mavic
1h36'49
2
Lahcen Saber
Jayco - Cobra9
s.t.
3
Reda Aadel
Goldcorp - Nordstrom Rack
s.t.
4
Ismail Ayoune
Haute Route - Mavic
s.t.
5
Essaid Abelouache
Haute Route - Mavic
s.t.
6
Salah Eddine Mraouni
Minions
s.t.
7
Mohamed Er Rafai
Haute Route - Mavic
s.t.
8
Anass Ait El Abdia
Haute Route - Mavic
s.t.
9
Tarik Chaoufi
Garmin - BikeNZ Cycling
s.t.
Ethiopia
Hills in Ethiopia with Kebede as the favourite.
But when it came to the key moment in the race, he just wasn't interested. Grmay attacks but only Sendeku follows.
So having expected a real battle, Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay is left with a much easier fight, and he takes the title for Haute Route's 3rd victory of the day.
1
Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay
Haute Route - Mavic
2h16'50
2
Getachew Sendeku
Moser - Sygic
+ 46
3
Estifanos Kebede
Campari - Super Dry
+ 4'00
Cote d'Ivoire
A flat course in the Ivory Coast, and a clear favourite in Cisse.
Sanogo looks to catch him out though, and is the Orange rider boxed in?
Not for long, and Issiaka Cisse does indeed take the title.
All 8 nations then came together for the time trial, one race to decide all of the new champions.
The Uganda race was hardly worth mentioning, given that the riders were the two slowest riders of all. Ssabagwanya doubled up, fastest by nearly a minute.
For Mauritius, Pirogue has a lot of potential in the prologues and set off with a faster start. Leading Le Court de Billot by 25 seconds at the halfway mark.
His advantage fell to 6 seconds at the three-quarters point though.
And the Sauber Petronas rider carried forward his momentum, overturning the deficit for a 6 second victory - making him a double national champion as well.
Cote d'Ivoire: Issiaka Cisse another to double up, a comfortable winner today.
This run did not continue with Cameroon though. After a very poor road race, Clovis Kamzong delivered the time trial title for Garmin - BikeNZ.
On paper the Ethiopia race should have been a thriller, with the 67 TT Sendeku, 66 TT Kebede and 65 TT Grmay.
But that wasn't the case at all. Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay with a storming ride, to collect both national titles, beating Sendeku by 52 seconds.
The largest margin of victory came in Madagascar, at over 3 minutes.
Zouzou Andriafenomananiaina therefore focused more on his overall position in the race. Clocking only the 13th best time at the first checkpoint, he improved throughout the day, to 9th, then 5th, then finally the 3rd fastest time of all at the finish.
This leaves the two largest nations in the race. For Morocco, defending champion Mraouni is the favourite with 70 TT, prologue specialist Er Rafai (75 PL, 67 TT) as the closest rival, with the rest spread across 65 to 62 TT. Haddi (62 TT) not expected to threaten, but clearly on form.
Er Rafai was fasest of all at the first checkpoint. Haddi a surprising 2nd at 21 seconds back, along with Ait El Abdia. Abelouache, Ayoune and also Chaoufi all faster than Mraouni, who has managed to lose 43 seconds over the opening 13km.
Haddi's remarkable championships continued as he closed to 4 seconds behind at the halfway mark. Mraouni up to 4th best Moroccan, still 40 seconds behind.
Finally the Minions rider began to show his strength through the second half of the course, reducing the gap to 26 seconds at the next check. But only as far as 16 seconds at the finish, as Mohamad Er Rafai took the title for Haute Route - their 2nd upset in Morocco.
No doubt that they will win in Gabon too, but another upset looked on the cards at the first checkpoint. Anguilet (63 TT) opening 8 seconds faster than Ngandamba (73 TT).
Geoffroy Ngandamba was not going to be beaten by Anguilet again though. Only 4th fastest at halfway, but unstoppable in the second half, comfortably taking the national title - and also the wider race in general.
Gabon
Morocco
Cameroon
Cote d'Ivoire
Ethiopia
Madagascar
Mauritius
Uganda
