Milkias Maekele may look young for a professional cyclist, but the 19-year-old already has the confident air of a champion.

Following victory in a one-day race in Algeria this year, the Eritrean sprinter is drawing comparisons with a compatriot who has reached the pinnacle of the sport.

Rumours abound that Maekele’s power output and associated data match levels recorded at a similar age by Biniam Girmay, the green jersey winner at last year’s Tour de France – fuelling a growing excitement about his potential.

“Many people have told me I might become the second Biniam,” Maekele told BBC Sport Africa. “I am incredibly happy about this and it gives me so much motivation.”

Yet his fledgling career has already provided several challenging moments. “I was nervous and doubted myself,” he said. “I asked whether I was good enough or if I should, like many others my age back home, go into the military.”

Fellow Eritrean Metkel Eyob, who also raced at the event, sees Maekele as a rider with “real sprinting talent”. “His explosive acceleration and fearless racing style mark him as another future contender from Africa in world cycling,” Eyob said. “He has the natural speed and hunger to become Eritrea’s next great sprinter.”

You can read the full story on BBC Sport/BBC Africa HERE

Reproduced from a BBC article published on 16 April.