Eritrean Cycling: The Legacy of Resilience and Stellar Accomplishments

By Aklilu Lijam

We Eritreans are about to celebrate our 35th anniversary of independence. During these 35 years, significant progress has been achieved in the economic, social, cultural, environmental, and public health sectors, despite numerous external challenges. An equally impressive milestone has been reached in sports in general, and cycling in particular.

Cycling in Eritrea has its roots in the Italian colonization. It was introduced in the late 1890s as a means of transport for the postal system. The Eritrean people embraced this “new machine,” and it did not take long before it became part of their daily life as a mode of transportation and a means of competitive sport 

Pioneering cyclists like Gebremariam Gebru (1939) and Weldemichael Asgedom, nicknamed Berbere (1946), paved the way for today’s youth, serving as powerful examples of resilience and triumph. Both of these cyclists proved that Black Africans, specifically Eritreans, were not in any way inferior to the Italian colonialists by beating them in competitive cycling races in the capital, Asmara.

Then came the second-generation pioneers. Despite competing under the banner of the occupying Ethiopian Empire, they achieved immense success on the global stage. The second-generation cyclists were numerous and showed immense qualitative growth. While they achieved widespread success, this article highlights only their most significant milestones.

• In 1956, Olympians Tsehaye Bahta and Mesfin Tesfai, made history as the first Black African athletes to compete at the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. While they competed for the Ethiopian Olympic team, both cyclists were Eritreans. At the time, Eritrea was federated under the Ethiopian Empire, which meant athletes from the region competed under the Ethiopian flag.
• In 1960, Olympians Alazar Keflu and Giovanni Mazzola, among three Ethiopian riders, represented the Ethiopian cycling team in both road and time trial races at the Olympic Games in Rome, Italy. 
• In 1964, in Tokyo, Japan the entire Ethiopian cycling squad was represented by four Eritrean Olympians, namely: Saglimbeni Carmelo, Feshazion Gebreyesus, Yemane Negasi and Solomon Embaye.  
• In the subsequent Summer Olympics, the 1968 Mexico City Games and 1972 Munich Games, prominent cyclists including Fessehazion Gebreyesus, Saglimbeni Carmelo, Yemane Negassi, Tekeste Woldu (Gigante), and Mehari Okbamichael made up the entire Ethiopian cycling squad.
• At the 1973 All-African Games, in Lagos, Nigeria demonstrating continued dominance, an all-Eritrean squad representing the Ethiopian cycling team made history by securing two gold medals: the individual road race and the team time trial. These cyclists, who delivered an outstanding performance, were Tesfalidet Hailom, Tekeste Weldu (Gigante), Beyene Simon, Russom Gebremeskel and Gebretnsaie Mehari. 

The generations that followed—especially the newest one, comprising both men and women—have seamlessly carried the torch, taking their predecessors’ (Ayatatom) legacy to new heights by consistently winning on the world’s biggest stages.

After independence, it did not take long for Eritrean cyclists to become the undisputed powerhouse of African cycling, establishing a rich sporting culture that has broken barriers on the world stage. Furthermore, they are fully capable of continuing to leave their mark on the world Grand Tours – the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España.

Thanks to continuous skill development and ongoing support from the Eritrean National Cycling Federation, a new generation of riders has secured contracts with professional cycling teams worldwide. This pipeline has paved the way for them to compete in cycling’s most famous stages, including the Grand Tours.

Detailing the extensive successes of young Eritrean cyclists would fill volumes, so this article highlights only a handful of their crowning achievements.

➢ Tour de France 2015: Daniel Teklehaimanot and Merhawi Kudus made global cycling history by becoming the first Black African professionals to race in the Tour de France.Daniel made cycling history by becoming the first Black African to wear a leader’s jersey in the event. Racing for South African squad MTN-Qhubeka, Daniel claimed the iconic polka-dot King of the Mountains jersey and proudly held the classification lead for four days. Also racing for the same team, Merhawi successfully completed the Tour, placing an impressive 10th in the Young Rider classification at just 21 years old.

➢ Tour de France 2024: Biniam Girmay became the first Black African to win a Grand Tour stage, the first African to win a Tour de France stage, and the first African to capture the Tour de France’s prestigious Green Jersey. He won three stages (Stages 3, 8, and 12) and, at the conclusion of the 2024 Tour, secured the overall points classification.

➢ World Championship 2021: Biniam Girmay won a silver medal in the Under-23 road race at the Union Cycling International (UCI) Road World Championships in Leuven, Belgium. This historic finish marked the first time an African rider medaled at the championships.

➢ Giro d’Italia: Over the years, riders like Daniel Teklehaimanot, Merhawi Kudus, Natnael Tesfatsion, Henok Mulubrhan and Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier have regularly competed at this Grand Tour. The most notable achievements were Biniam Ghirmay winning Stage 10, at the 2022 Giro d’Italia, Natnael Tesfatsion securing a mountain stage win and Henok Mulubrhan receiving the combativity award on Stage 7 in 2023.

➢ Vuelta a Espana: Daniel Teklehaimanot made history in 2012 as the very first Eritrean cyclist to compete in a Grand Tour when he lined up for the Vuelta a España. Merhawi Kudus boasts multiple Vuelta appearances, famously securing a spectacular 2nd-place finish on Stage 5 of the 2017 Vuelta a España.

➢ African Continental Championship: Eritrea is the undisputed powerhouse of the African Continental Cycling Championships, having won the overall team championship a record-breaking 10 times between 2011 and 2025. The nation consistently dominates both the men’s and women’s elite and under-23 categories, regularly topping the continental medal tables. A few of their most notable milestone achievements include:

• The Hat-Trick Legend: Star cyclist Henok Mulubrhan made history by winning the elite men’s continental championship three times in a row (2022, 2023, and 2024).

• Recent Triumphs: At the most recent continental championships held in Kwale County, Kenya, Eritrea hauled an impressive 10 medals (3 gold, 5 silver, and 2 bronze). Olympian Merhawi Kudus famously took gold in the elite men’s road race, while compatriot Awet Aman secured the under-23 gold.
• Long Legacy: Trailblazers like Natnael Berhane, Tesfom Okbamichael, and Mekseb Debesay built the foundation for this dynasty by securing individual continental titles throughout the 2010s
• Eritrean Women Cyclists: Eritrean women cyclists have made groundbreaking strides, overcoming significant cultural barriers to become dominant forces in African and international cycling. They consistently lead continental championships and are breaking into elite European and American professional teams. Below are some of their key achievements:

• Mosana Debesay: Created history as the first black African woman to compete in a road race at the Olympics, representing Eritrea at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. 
• Monaliza Araya: Widely considered one of the top female riders in Africa, she is the first Eritrean female to ride for a professional team, the UCI Continental team – canyon//sram zondacrypto. She has earned bronze medals at the African Continental Championships.
• Yohana Dawit: Broke barriers as one of the first female Eritrean cyclists to join the international professional racing circuit, securing a spot to race in the United States. 
• In the 2025 Africa Cycling Championships (Kenya): The Eritrean women’s team delivered outstanding performances, with riders like Adiam Dawit taking gold in the Under-23 category and Birikti Fesehaye and Suzana Fesehaye capturing medals in both road races and time trials.

This year’s Independence Day slogan, “Our Resilience: Our Guarantee!” perfectly mirrors Eritrean cycling history. Today, brave male and female athletes continue to guarantee that success through their sheer resilience.

For Eritrea, becoming the Champion of Africa in cycling or winning stages at the Tour de France represents much more than a trophy. Each victory is a defiant reminder that Eritrea’s story is one of resilience and triumph. Far more than a sporting achievement, it is a declaration of identity, a projection of strength, and proof of a nation building its future with pride and unity. 

References: 

• https://shabait.com/
• https://globalpeloton.substack.com/
• https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/17/sports/cycling/biniam-girmay-giro-ditalia.html
• https://velomotion.net/2019/07/cycling-tour-de-france-history-daniel-teklehaimanot/
• https://adf-magazine.com/2015/12/eritrean-rider-is-king-of-the-mountains/
• https://eritrea-focus.org/eritrea-cements-its-legacy-as-africas-cycling-powerhouse/
• https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/biniam-girmay-worlds-silver-is-for-eritrea-and-for-africa/
• https://www.olympics.com/en/olympic-games/tokyo-1964/results/cycling-road/individual-road-race-men    
• https://www.olympics.com/en/olympic-games/munich-1972/results/cycling-road/individual-road-race-men   
• https://africanarguments.org/2024/09/eritrean-cycling-a-colonial-legacy-becomes-a-national-passion/
• https://www.olympics.com/en/olympic-games/mexico-city-1968/results/cycling-road/individual-road-race-men