Republic of Upper Volta acclaim your beauty Towards the horizon look up Frisks with the tumultuous accents Of your proud children all trained Caressed promises of future Refrain: The work of your burning ground Endless will soak the ardent hearts, And the virtues of your children The girdle of a triumphant diadem. Refrain: May God keep you in his goodness, May the happiness of your beloved soil, The love of the brethren be the key, Honor, Unity and Freedom. This anthem has been replaced since 1984 by a new anthem, the Ditanyè. Republic of Upper Volta The Republic of Upper Volta (), now Burkina
2016 Volta a Catalunya the defending champion of the Volta itself. Other riders with a chance of high placings included Joaquim Rodríguez (), who had won the race on two previous occasions, and Dan Martin (), the 2013 Volta winner, as well as many other climbers. On account of the mountainous terrain, there were few pure sprinters starting the race. The strongest sprinter who was present was Nacer Bouhanni (), who had been strong in Paris–Nice and had been close to victory in Milan–San Remo until his chain slipped. 21 March 2016, Calella to Calella, The first stage of the Volta covered a course