Soupe Takes Opening Stage of La Tropicale Amissa Bongo

Team TotalEnergies notched their first win of the year with veteran French sprinter Geoff Soupe winning the bunch sprint on the first stage of La Tropicale Amissa Bongo in Gabon, the opening 2023 event of the UCI Africa Tour. 

The seven-day event started with Stage 1 riding 122km from Bitam to a circuit finish in Oyem. Riders faced a relatively flat course with three intermediate sprints and two climbs for King of the Mountain points. At about 18km to go, the race began two laps in Oyem, passing by the Presidential Residence. The punchy climb for the last KOM points at 14km left, and then repeating at 2.5km from the finish, forced sprinters to expend some effort to stay at the front for the final dash. 

The race started with El Houcaine Sabbahi (MOR) and Paul Daumont (BUR) breaking away from the peloton. Aurelien Achetkueyinyi (CAM) and Issiaka Cisse (IVO) joined the group, with Achetkueyinyi being the final member caught with about 40km left. Mario Aparicio launched his own attach shortly after, stretching his lead to over a minute. Bingoal-WB and the Eritrea National team lead the chase to bring the Spanish rider back. A final chance by Paul Ourselin (Team TotalEnergies) was brought back just before the 1km to go banner. In the finale, Soupe was able to hold off Louis Blouwe (Bingol-WB) and Antonio Angulo (Burgo-BH), to celebrate the win, the same result from the last time he visited the race in 2011.

“I’m really happy to win the first stage of La Tropicale Amissa Bongo for myself and the team,” commented Soupe. “The finale of the race was a bit difficult with two hard climbs in the last two laps and then a fast sprint from 250m out.”

Soupe will wear yellow for Stage 2 running from Oyem to Mitzic. The 108km stage will again feature two chances for the climbers and three for the sprinters before the peloton faces an uphill dash to the line.

Stage 1

1. SOUPE Geoffrey (TEN) 3h00’19”
2. BLOUWE Louis (BWB) 3h00’19”
3. ANGULO Antonio (BBH) 3h00’19”
4. MULUEBERHAN Henok (ERI) 3h00’19”
5. JEANNIERE Emilien (TEN) 3h00’19”

General Classification After stage 1

1. SOUPE Geoffrey (TEN) 3h00’19”
2. BLOUWE Louis (BWB) 3h00’23”
3. ANGULO Antonio (BBH) 3h00’25”
4. BARTHE Cyril (BBH) 3h00’28”
5. MULUEBERHAN Henok (ERI) 3h00’29”

KOM Classification After stage 1

1. APARICIO Mario (BBH) 5
2. DAUMONT Paul (BUR) 5
3. EFREM ARAYA Gebrehiwer (ERI) 3
4. SABBAHI El Houcaine (MAR) 3
5. MANIZABAYO Eric (RWA) 1

Sprint Classification After stage 1

1. DAUMONT, Paul (BUR) 6
2. ACHETKUEYINYI Aurelien (CMR) 4
3. SABBAHI El Houcaine (MAR) 4
4. TESHOME, Meron (ERI) 2
5. BARTHE Cyril (BBH) 1

Points Classification After stage 1

1. SOUPE Geoffrey (TEN) 30
2. BLOUWE Louis (BWB) 27
3. ANGULO Antonio (BBH) 25
4. MULUEBERHAN, Henok (ERI) 23
5. JANNIERE, Emilien (TEN) 21

BEst Young Rider Classification After stage 1

1. BLOUWE Louis (BWB) 3h00’23”
2. MULUEBERHAN Henok (ERI) 3h00’29”
3. ED-DOGHMY Achraf (MAR) 3h00’29”
4. PRITZEN Marc Oliver (EFD) 3h00’29”
5. AMARI Hamza (ALG) 3h00’29”

Team Classification After stage 1

1. Team TotalEnergies (France) 09h01’27”
2. Bingoal-WB (Belgium) 09h01’27”
3. Erythree 09h01’27”
4. EF Education-Nippo DT (USA) 09h01’27”
5. Rwanda 09h01’27”