Two Eritrean cyclists to make history for MTN-Qhubeka at Tour de France
By Associated Press
Two Eritrean cyclists will be the first from their country to compete in the Tour de France after being picked by the MTN-Qhubeka team.
The South Africa-based team, the first from Africa to gain a Tour place, selected the 21-year-old climbers Merhawi Kudus and Daniel Teklehaimanot in their final nine-man group on Tuesday.
Five of the nine are from Africa; the other three are South Africans – Jacques Janse van Rensburg, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg and Louis Meintjes.
MTN-Qhubeka will also have the American sprinter Tyler Farrar, the Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen, Britain’s Steve Cummings, and the Belgian Serge Pauwels.
MTN-Qhubeka was given a wild-card entry for the Tour.
Two Eritrean cyclists to make history for MTN-Qhubeka at Tour de France
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God bless Daniel and Merhawi. Good luck guys!
ReplyDeleteLet Eritrea shine brighter for all to see. Here they are the first Eritreans and the first black African making history. Here are the Deki Halal Meriet, making them selves, their families, their team, and Africa proud. This is "history
ReplyDeleteCould this be happening on the day or the week when we celebrate the bigger than life Eritrean Heroes the history of the bigger than life Eritreans was being told and shown to all? There must be divine force or power behind it. Here were the heroes of Eritrean to have performed miracle to liberate their land and here the young ones of today taking Eritrea to the pedestal of glory and fame. I do not think this is human but a divine intervention
Thanks Daniel Teklehaimanot and Merhawi Kudus! Then again, can you help it for you are WELEDO WARSAI/WULAD SAWA, the Lions of Africa.
I am disappointed that Natnael Berhane was not included. But that's ok. He is a young man. He will have plenty of time to participate in the Tour de France. Next year and the year after that and the year after that. Eat your heart out Europe! Eritreans are coming. There are others also like Frekalsi Debesay and some others. Eritreans are going to enjoy cycling success for many years to come. This is just the beginning.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Daniel and Merhawi. We are very proud to be represented by our Eritrean brothers, the best the continent has to offer. We can't even imagine how hard you had to work to reach just to be qualified. It must be an awesome feeling.
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Eritreans are destined to make history. Just yesterday, countries like Switzerland were refusing visas to Eritrean Cyclist, because they knew Eritreans will lead black Africa in changing the face of European cycling.
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Viva Eritrean Cycling
Viva PFDJ for setting the platform to success.
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P.S. Let us look on the resumes of 2 MTN members where the South African (Jacques
Janse van Rensburg ) is selected to Tour De France and the Eritrean (Natnael Berhane) is not. Let us assume the two men were both from South Africa, Which one would you select to Tour de France?
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Jacques Janse van Rensburg (born 6 September 1987) is a South African racing cyclist
2009
6th Overall, Tour de Langkawi
2010
6th Overall, Le Tour de Filipinas
2011
6th Overall, Tour of South Africa
2012
1st Overall, Tour of Eritrea
1st Stage 2
2014
1st Overall, Mzansi Tour
1st Stage 1
6th Overall, Tour de Langkawi
2015
1st South African National Road Race Championships
3rd road race, African Continental Championships
5th Overall, Tour of Oman
9th Overall, Tour de Langkawi
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Natnael Berhane (born 5 January 1991 in Asmara) is an Eritrean professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team MTN-Qhubeka.
***He is a two time African cycling champion in 2012 and 2013.
2010
1st Overall Tour of Eritrea
1st Stage 1
2nd Overall Tour of Rwanda
1st Stage 7
2011
1st African Road Race Championships
1st Stage 6 La Tropicale Amissa Bongo
3rd Overall Tour d'Algérie
1st Stage 1
2012
1st Overall Tour d'Algérie
1st Stage 3
1st African Road Race Championships20131st African Team Time Trial Championships
1st Overall Tour of Turkey (First African Ever)
1st Stage 3
2014
1st National Time Trial Championships1st Overall La Tropicale Amissa Bongo (FIRST AFRICAN)
1st Sprints classification
5th Tour du Finistère
2015
1st African Team Time Trial Championships
thank you Daniel and Merhawi, and Natnael you are our hero too, continue working hard.and good luck for the race. Eritrea is number one in Africa.
ReplyDeleteCongratulation to both my Eritrean brothers for being the first Eritrean and purely real first African to be on competitive for the tour de france and win or loose we are proud of you. You're. representing Eritrea, Eritrean, Africa, African.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy in a short time we are presented by two Eritreans the first black Africans in the tour of France with a third one our hero Natnael as a reserve.My prediction is Merhawi Kudus only 21 years old kid is going to have a lot of success in the category for under 23.We will see him winning in that category multiple times if not from beginning until the end 21 days and more than 3000kms.Growing up as a fanatic of cycling never crossed my mind i will witness our children to race in the tour de France.It is like dreaming Eritrean football playing in world cup.That too will happen in my lifetime.Inshallah.Everything is possible when you are Eritrean.
ReplyDeleteWhere is Natnael Berhane? Why are you guys presenting this as good news?
ReplyDeleteDid you seriously expect Daniel Teklehaimanot to be left out, after his
strong performance in Dauphine? And Merhawi Kudus, is the greatest
talent in Africa let alone Eritrea. Did you seriously expect MTN to
leave out a future Tour de France winner? These two had their spots
already secured.
Just look at some of the riders going with the team.
Jaques van Rensburg? Has not shown anything, over the last few years.
Certainly not more than Natnael Berhane, whom (as apparently some
forgot) won the Tour of Turkey recently. Two Eritreans is not enough. I
know this is a South African team, so I understand the bias somewhat,
but three South Africans and two Eritreans is not an accurate reflection
on the way African cycling is now. Eritrea is number one
then............ South Africa and then the rest.
Thanks to our comrades Dani and Merhawi for their fantastic performance..Great Eritrea, you'll shine despite devil, evil acts made on you by SHAMEFUL un corporation and his masters..
ReplyDeleteNatnael should start looking for a new team. In cycling, one is considered old at a young age because new talents are always popping up.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean to be in reserve? I guess it´s until the first day of the long race, in case someone gets sick or hurt but if all are present the first day, then it´s only them who can continue racing. There´s no way to jump in as in football.
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