Kimberly Coats

The Absence of Black African Cyclists at the Tour de France

July 19, 2022

There are no Black African cyclists in this year’s Tour de France.  Reinardt Janse van Rensburg and Louis Meintjes, both South Africans and accomplished multi-year participants, are the only cyclists from the African continent. Is this an indication of a…

Adrien Niyonshuti Rides Alpe d’Huez

July 14, 2022

Adrien Niyonshuti raced professionally from 2008 – 2017, with a South African based team MTN Qhubeka, later Team Dimension Data. He is, to date, the only Rwandan cyclist to race at the world tour level. He was never afforded the…

Team Africa Rising Reporting from the Tour de France

July 1, 2022

July 1, 2022, the 109th Tour de France. The first time Team Africa Rising is covering it live on the ground. Unfortunately, this year no Black African riders are on the start list. Not an Africa Rising moment at Le Tour. …

South Africa’s Qhubeka Charity announces the continuation of its Tour de France partnership, and its extension to the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift for 2022

June 23, 2022

Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) today announced the continuation of its partnership with the South Africa-based Qhubeka Charity (Qhubeka) as an official charity supported by the Tour de France for the race in 2022 (taking place from 1 to 24 July). Qhubeka will be supported by the 2022 Tour de France Femmes…

INEOS, Team INEOS Grenadiers and Eliud Kipchoge launch new cycling academy in Kenya

June 22, 2022

It was announced today that a partnership between multiple Grand-Tour-winning cycling team, INEOS Grenadiers, double Olympic champion, and world-record holder Eliud Kipchoge and INEOS will work together to create the new cycling academy at the renowned Kaptagat camp – Eliud…

Africa Rising — Growth of Cycling in Benin

May 13, 2022

Journalists, donors, and interested people often ask, “How do you decide which country to help? Why Benin?” It is complicatedly simple. Because of our limited financial and human resources, we only work with Federations, partners, teams, and cyclists who we…

Team Africa Rising Heads to Benin

April 12, 2022

Team Africa Rising heads to Benin to establish the country’s first online training center and report on Tour de Benin. With Eritrea topping the UCI’s latest Africa rankings and South Africa in close second place, West Africa has woken up…

The Day Belonged to Eritrea

March 28, 2022

Biniam Girmay, the rider from Eritrea, racing with Intermarche, once again makes history by winning the spring classic, Gent-Wevelgem. Words cannot begin to articulate the joy and elation we all feel. So, we will let the photos and video express…

Meet Chantal — A Rising Star in Benin

March 23, 2022

My name is Chantal Vidognonlonhoue. I am 26 years old. I am from a family of 14 children and cycling is my passion. My first race was in Aplahoue with an “ordinary” bike, and it was only 10 km long.…

In Memoriam: Michael Spicer, Board President of Team Africa Rising.

March 10, 2022

Today we are in sorrow. We have lost several good friends of our organization in recent months but today we mourn our President, Michael ‘Mike’ Spicer who has sadly passed away, aged 69. We first met Mike via our friend…