BREAKING NEWS: Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) – the organisers of the world-famous Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift races, have announced today the extension of their long-term partnership with Qhubeka Charity for both events in 2024.
In a press release issued today, Yann Le Moënner (A.S.O.’s CEO) said: “The Tour de France, and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, have a responsibility which goes well beyond that of sporting competition, we amplify a message to promote bike use globally. We are convinced that this is important worldwide and mobility has to be encouraged by all means. Our long-term partnership with Qhubeka allows cycling to be put forward as part of the solution for young people in unfortunate circumstances. Cycling a path for the future is what drives us.”
2,000 Qhubeka bikes for school children
Over many years, the support of both these prestigious events has led to the funding of around 2,000 of Qhubeka’s unique, African-made bicycles, which are being distributed to school children across South Africa. Many of these children would normally have to walk 1-2 hours each way to school, five days a week.
Anthony Fitzhenry, Qhubeka’s founder and the driving force behind the charity, said: “The announcement of this continued partnership with the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, is great news for us here at the Qhubeka Charity. It will allow us to continue to reach hundreds of schoolchildren and move their lives forward through access to a bicycle. The bicycle really can change lives.”
This relationship is a key part of Tour de France’s ‘École Solidaire – Un Vélo pour Tous!’ (School Solidarity – A Bicycle for all!) campaign, which aims, in 2024, to get over 100,000 school pupils across France on bicycles – delivered by the domestic Secours populaire français charity. To complement this on the international stage, both the men’s and women’s TdF races has committed significant funds to support Qhubeka’s ‘Scholar Mobility’ programme in southern Africa.
Tsgabu Girmay riding a Qhubeka bicycle
Moreover, the 7th stage of the Tour de France 2024 (July 5th) will be dedicated to the Qhubeka Charity. Ex-World Tour rider Tsgabu Girmay (Ethiopia) will take on the 25.3km Individual Time Trial stage on the unique Qhubeka bicycle to promote the charity that day. Tsgabu took part in three editions of the Tour de France in his professional career, visited several Qhubeka distributions during his time on the MTN-Qhubeka team (2012-2014), and is now coaching with the UCI’s World Cycling Centre. He will set off in the morning before the riders. At last year’s event, Eritrean Awet Aman (the National Road Champion at the time) took on the ITT on a Qhubeka bicycle also and, we are reliably informed, beat at least three Tour de France riders up the climb on that stage. Good luck, Tsgabu, on the 5th of July!
As the Qhubeka Charity says, Bicycles Change Lives.
