In the last week or so, the CANYON//SRAM Racing team have announced their development squad riders, and the team incredibly features five, yes, FIVE African women again! They can now claim to be the true owners of the term “Africa’s Team”.

This week the team – to be known as ‘CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto Generation’ from 1 January – announced that the five African women on their books in 2024 have all had their contracts renewed for 2025. A brilliant moment of support, and investment, in these young women, and we hope that they all seize this opportunity with both hands!

This team was created to forge a unique pathway for talented cyclists aiming to reach the highest levels of the sport. It focuses on identifying and developing riders from underrepresented countries while also welcoming talent globally. 

The women are: Florence Nakagwa (20) from Uganda / Ese Lovina Ukpeseraye (25) from Nigeria / Selam Amha Gerefiel (27) from Ethiopia / Diane Ingabire (23) from Rwanda /Maddie Le Roux (27) from South Africa.

You can read full quotes about their hopes for 2025 from Maddie, Ese and Selam HERE; Florence and Diane HERE; and all the rider’s professional biographies and results on the ProCyclingStats website HERE.

With five African riders on the squad, the CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto Generation team now can truly claim the title of “Africa’s Team”, previously held by the various iterations of the MTN / Qhubeka / Dimension Data* team, which had six African riders on the team in 2020. (*Sadly with the departure of Negasi Haylu Abreha, this team will have no African riders in 2025.)

These announcements complete eight of the nine spaces on the team, with the final rider being the winner of the 2024 Zwift Academy, and will be announced next year.