Synopsis

Culture clash on the sandy tracks of Burkina Faso. Africa’s biggest cycling race, the Tour du Faso, is a ten stage challenge for European amateur adventurers and African local heroes. It’s a a passionate race for making their dream come true. Yet the film does not focus on the question of who will win – instead, it pays particular attention to the value of the protagonists’ experiences.

Since 1987 the annual race has retained its unique and very African character as a ‘flawed’ – but much more sympathetic – copy of the Tour de France, its European model. The race is held in average temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius, the course includes dusty, challenging roads, the advertising ‘caravan’ consists of a single car and the cyclists are camping amid the African savannah during the race’s nights.

TOUR DU FASO takes the audience on a time travel back to pre-commercialised decades. Following the Tour du Faso, we will get to know more about cycling, Africa and the extraordinary fighting spirit of the underdogs. Here it is still the taking part that counts...