Three Eritrean Riders To Compete in Tour de France

From left to right: Natnael Berhane, Merhawi Kudus and Daniel Teklehaimanot

Three Eritrean Riders To Compete in Tour de France

By Bereket Kidane

For such a small country, Eritrea is becoming epic in the cycling world.  Its cycling team is becoming among the best in the world, its riders winning in top European contests.  Per capita, Eritrea probably has the most cycling medals in international competitions.   Its cycling team, Team Eritrea, is unquestionably the reigning heavyweight in Africa.  Asmara has once again become the cycling capital of Africa because that is where the champions live.

There are many reasons why Eritrean riders are enjoying a lot of success in the international arena and why cycling as a sport is popular in Eritrea.  To name a few: Eritrea has bike friendly cities, its love of sporting culture in general, great weather, and an investment in the sport by the Government of Eritrea.

Natnael Berhane, Daniel Teklehaimanot, and Merhawi Kudus will represent their professional team, MTN Qhubeka,  and their native country Eritrea in the Tour de France in July, the oldest and most prestigious tour in the world.

 Eritrean riders are expected to do well because they are experienced mountain riders and have always done well in mountainous time trials as they did in Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana.  Daniel Teklehaimanot recently defended his Polka dot jersey by winning the mountainous classification for the second straight year.

Cycling as a sport has a long history in Eritrea with legends like Saglimbeni, Tesfaldet Hailom,  Zeragabr, Giovanni Massola, Yemane and Gegante to name a few.  Those legends of yesteryears were denied glory on the international stage because of politics.  Even during the dark days of Ethiopian occupation, thousands of fans used to line up early in the morning to get the best view in the Sunday competition on the main palm-lined boulevards stretching from St. Mary’s Coptic Church (Enda Mariam) to Fiat Tagliero in Gejeret.

Daniel Teklehaymanot, Natnael Berhane, Merhawi Kudus, Frekalsi Debesay and others are the descendants of Salambini and Tesfaldet.  They are carrying on Asmara’s proud cycling legacy. They are living the dream that was denied to those Eritrean legends of yesteryears and enjoying the fruits of independence.  We wish them well in this year’s Tour de France.

 Go Team MTN-Qhuebka! Go Team Eritrea!

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