Grand Prix Chantal Biya cycling team resumes training

After suspending training due to the postponement of the race, the cycling national team resumed training yesterday in Mbalmayo in preparation for the upcoming Grand Prix Chantal to run from November 5 to 9.

According to the vice president of the Cameroon Cycling Federation, Yossi Honore the cyclists will be in Mbalmayo for five days and return to Yaounde on Monday evening to have time to rest before the competition proper begins on Wednesday.

On the organizational part, Yossi Honoré said everything was ready for the kick off of the competition. He said part of the funds for the race has been disbursed already and they have received assurances from the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education that remaining part will be disbursed before the effective start of hostilities.

He disclosed that seven foreign countries have already confirmed their participation in the competition namely; Bike Aid of Germany, Selection Auvergne from France, CK Banska Bysterica and Cote d’Azur of France.

On the African continent, the confirmed participations are Cote d’Ivoire, Morocco, Senegal and of course Cameroon who will be fielding three teams; SNH Velo club, Centre selection and the Inter Regional selection. Gabon and Rwanda are yet to confirm their participation. Yossi said they have up to the end of the week to do so.

The race this year has been placed under the sign of remorse following the untimely death of the federation president, Moustapha Dogo and the mother of Chantal Biya. Though they are mourning, the vice president said they will make every effort to make the event a success. He called on the public to turn out en masse to cheer the Cameroonian cyclists to victory.

The four-lap-race will begin with a prologue at the 20th May Boulevard in Yaounde. The first lap will be run between Yaounde and Bafia, the second between Yaounde and Ebolowa. The third lap will be from Zoetele to Meyomessala passing through Sangmelima. The last lap will kick off from Sangmelima and end in Yaounde. The referee from the International Cycling union is Jan Van Gestel.