The next wave of talented young African riders are ready to test themselves when they tackle the Bestmed Tour of Good Hope in and around Paarl from Monday to Friday.
Presented by Scicon and the City of Drakenstein, South Africa’s premier stage race over 491km will see a six-strong outfit from the World Cycling Centre Africa competing against some of the country’s top riders.
The team members are part of a select group of cyclists from various countries in Africa who were chosen to spend a year at World Cycling Centre Africa following the Continental Road Championships in Rwanda.
Ethiopian Redwan Salih will be part of the World Cycling Centre Africa team which will compete in the five-day Bestmed Tour of Good Hope in and around Paarl, starting on Monday. Photo: Supplied
Initially based in Potchefstroom, the centre has moved to Paarl under UCI development director JP van Zyl, a former South African Olympian.
“We are the development arm of the international cycling body [UCI] and select the best young riders in Africa to undergo specialist training at the centre,” said Van Zyl.
Under the guidance of team coach and manager Peter-Lee Jeffries, Van Zyl said the riders would be a competitive outfit in the Tour of Good Hope.
“I believe they will be up there with the best teams, capable of challenging outfits such as Dimension Data Continental and BCX.”
He added that they had a well-rounded team comprising sprinters and climbers and would be hoping “to win a stage or two and end on the podium”.
The team members for the Tour of Good Hope are Gregory Rougier-Lagane (Mauritius), Christopher Rougier-Lagane (Mauritius), Stephan Belle (Seychelles), Redwan Salih (Ethiopia), Temesgen Mebrahtu (Ethiopia) and Kiflom Gebreselassie (Ethiopia).
