So, all 64 events at the combined 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships, hosted here in Zurich, are at an end, and we wanted to share our highlights, and some thoughts, about the African contingent’s performance:
Women Elite Individual Time Trial (22 Sep): 3 African participants, best performance: Eyeru Gebru (Refugee Team, Ethiopian born) at +8:05.34 (#56 of 70). A shout-out for Hermionne Ahouissou who became Benin’s first ever female elite rider in a World Championships.
Men Elite Individual Time Trial (22 Sep): 3 African participants, best performance: Charles Kagimu (Uganda) at +6:27.00 (#38 of 59). He made history in 2024 as Uganda’s first Olympic Road Race finisher.
Men Junior Individual Time Trial (23 Sep): 4 African participants, best performance: Sam Dupuy (Mauritius) at +5:05.85 (#59 of 66). A shout-out for Exodus Saizonou who finished at +8:53.37 and became Benin’s first ever male junio rider in a World Championships.
(Para) Men B Individual Time Trial (23 Sep): 1 African team: Oyindamola Abdullhai Tijani / B Vitalis (Nigeria) at +24:56.67 (#12 of 12).
(Para) Men C4 Individual Time Trial (23 Sep): 1 African participant: Reginald Courtenay (South Africa) at +7:12.44 (#14 of 19).
Men U23 Individual Time Trial (23 Sep): 11 African participants, best performance: Dillon Geary (South Africa) at +3:36.15 (#36 of 60).
Women Junior Individual Time Trial (24 Sep): 2 African participants, best performance: Alaliaa Ahmed Benbella Darwish (Egypt) at +4:57.70 (#53 of 58).
(Para) Men H1 Individual Time Trial (24 Sep): 1 African participant: Nicolas Pieter du Preez (South Africa) at +2:58.23 (#4 of 12).
(Para) Men T2 Individual Time Trial (24 Sep): 1 African participant: Goldy Fuchs (South Africa) at +2:31.26 (#8 of 13).
(Para) Men B Road Race (25 Sep): 1 African team: Oyindamola Abdullhai Tijani / B Vitalis (Nigeria) at +6 laps (#14 of 14).
Team Time Trial Mixed Relay (25 Sep): 2 African teams, best performance: Rwanda at +14:27.49 (#18 of 20).
Women Junior Road Race (26 Sep): 4 African participants, best performance: Alaliaa Ahmed Benbella Darwish (Egypt) at +15:37 (#98 of 120). A shout-out for Georgette Vignonfodo who finished at +28:34 and became Benin’s first ever female junior rider in a World Championships.
Men Junior Road Race (26 Sep): 12 African participants, best performance: Alexander Erasmus (South Africa) at +20:54 (#74 of 159).
(Para) Men T2 Road Race (27 Sep): 1 African participant: Goldy Fuchs (South Africa) at +8:07 (#9 of 13).
Men U23 Road Race (27 Sep): 19 African participants, best performance: Travis Stedman (South Africa) at +14:54 (#43 of 186).
Women Elite Road Race (28 Sep): 14 African participants, best performance: Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (South Africa) at +10:10 (#36 of 197). Ashleigh was the only African woman to finish the race.
Men Elite Road Race (29 Sep): x African participants, best performance: Natnael Tezfazion (Eritrea) at +12:09 (#53 of 201). Natnael was the only African man to finish the race.
Looking through these results, the highlight performances would be: Natnael Tezfazion of Eritrea in the Men Elite Road Race, and South Africans Travis Stedman (U23 Road Race), Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (Women Elite Road Race) and Alexander Erasmus (Men Junior Road Race).
On the para-cycling side, we would like to give a big shout out to Nicolas Pieter du Preez of South Africa for being the best African result in the para sports. Proportionately, his 4th place (of 12 participants) in the Men H1 ITT was equally the best African result of the whole Championships, with Travis Stedman – both top quartile of participants – Kudos to Nicolas and Travis!
A special shout-out must go to the Eritrean fans who attended the Men’s Elite Road Race on Sunday in Zurich. There were thousands lining both sides of the finish line for 6-7 hours, cheering on the Eritrean riders, even the team car, as they flew by, culminating in a huge party to celebrate Natnael Tesfazion’s excellent ride in the race. Even David Lappartient, President of the UCI, came to get a photo with them!
So no medals for any African riders this year, and worryingly, not many close calls either.
With the announcement this week of the course for the first African-hosted World Championships – taking place in Rwanda next September – hopes were high for a course which might favour ‘home advantage’ for the leading African nations. Sadly, a 267km course with 5,500m+ of total climbing was announced, which pretty much kills any chances of an African medal in the U23 or Elite disciplines. Speaking to the Eritrean team after the end of the Men’s Elite Road Race in Zurich, their coaching staff pretty much guaranteed that Africa’s #1 male rider – Biniam Girmay – will not be entered for this race.
With this in mind, our plans for the nations and clubs with whom we currently work – in relation to the World Championships 2025 – will now become laser-focused on Junior (male and female) riders.
We have some very big plans in development (continent-wide) in this regards also, more on this soon….
#AfricaRising #Africa2025
