Tom Meeusen & friends in Senegal (+ videos)

[Echoes]

http://www.veloafrique.be/de-tour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4Fh0me3Zo4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4Sb-2Y5e28&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c4bFjBODNQ&feature=related


Some insights about the Touba Mosque they passed by during the first stage:
http://www.galenfrysinger.com/senegal_touba.htm

It's mountainbike but with a famous cross rider, so I think the thread belongs here.

To be continued !

 

[Echoes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAtNp6Pf7AE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckVjSVcmOA8&feature=related

 

[Echoes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdYgYWfFHcU

 

[Echoes]

Final note:

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=G6H387CFB&subsection=132

To put it shortly in English:

Each participant had to gather €3500 for subscribing with which the charity Bonjour Afrique would built a school in a poor area in Dakar. Tom put one of his bikes up to be raffled and that way he paid his subscription.

According to the roadbook, they had to cover 400km but Tom says he had 536.

"The organization mainly consisted of Telenet employees and they saw in me the perfect patron." says Meeusen

It was the first time he'd been to Africa and was shocked by the contrast between rich and poor. You find great luxury hotels and a few inches further the population in poverty. [every people I know who have been to Africa tell me that actually]

He passed by baboons and hyenas.


What comes next is Mountainbike again. He'll do the first two World Cup and see how far he goes. He also has more than 20 road races in his summer programme.

 

[Echoes]

The 2016 version of Velo-Afrique starts tomorrow. The participants arrive today in Senegal, though.

http://www.veloafrique.be/edities/senegal-3-maart-13-maart-2016

March 4: Saint-Louis - Gandiol 21+38km
March 5: Gandiol - M'Boro 109km
March 6: M'Boro – Ndiaganiao 89km
March 7: Ndiaganiao – Niassam 98km
March 8: Rest Day in Niassam
March 9: Niassam – Ngaparou 83km
March 10: Ngaparou – Lac Rose 125km
March 11: Lac Rose - Dakar 40km (+ visit to the earlier schools raised by Velo-Afrique)

It seems to me that they are moving more Southwards than in the previous editions.

 

[Echoes]

Hmm it seems to me that Tom is not a part of it this year. He was at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp for the Sven Nys farewell event. My bad!