Daniel Teklehaimanot

[l.Harm]

Thread about the best African cyclist.

I first spoke with GreenEDGE's first signing Daniel Teklehaimanot at the Bay Crits in Melbourne a couple months ago. He speaks a little English, but first language is Tigrinya, so it wasn't as detailed of a conversation as I had hoped. In this feature, European based cycling journalist Gregor Brown speaks to Daniel and various people who surround him in Italy to form a better picture of his incredible story.

http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2012/03/daniel-teklehaimanot-pride-of-africa/

“He only has 3 to 3.5 per cent body fat,” Bannan says, “The weather was too extreme.”

 

[hrotha]

I don't think he's necessarily the best African cyclist. There's a bit of hype surrounding him because of the novelty factor, but I believe there are more talented Eritreans climbing up the ladder right now.

 

[42x16ss]

I don't think he's necessarily the best African cyclist. There's a bit of hype surrounding him because of the novelty factor, but I believe there are more talented Eritreans climbing up the ladder right now.

Maybe not but when you consider the race experience and km's ridden that he gives up to other riders his age, Teklehaimanot has done quite well and doesn't look out of place on a WT team at all. Hopefully this leads to greater exposure and participation from African nations.

He rode well for Durbridge at Sarthe this year when GE were down to 3 riders and appears to have some potential. I hope he gets to ride the Vuelta this year.

 

[will10]

I have big hopes for Marco Polo's new venture into Africa, could be an influx of African cyclists into the sport over the next decade.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I'm a fan of Morocco's Adil Jelloul. I wouldn't say he's the most talented cyclist in Africa, but he probably has the best palmarès of an Africa Tour rider - 2007 Tour du Sénégal, 2007 Tour du Faso, 2008 nationals, top African 2009 Tropicale Amissa Bongo, 2009 nationals, 2009 Tour of Rwanda, 2nd 2010 Tour of Mali, 3rd 2011 Tropicale Amissa Bongo, 2011 Challenges Phosphatiers, 3rd 2011 Kwita Izina Tour (Rwanda), 2011 nationals, 2nd 2011 Tour d'Algérie, 2nd 2011 Circuit d'Alger, 2011 Pan Arab Games RR, 2011 Pan Arab Games ITT, 2nd 2012 Tour d'Algérie, 2nd 2012 Tour du Maroc (he's got a bunch of stages and top 10 finishes in his home Tour but has never managed to win), 3rd 2012 Tropicale Amissa Bongo, plus countless podiums and top 10s in Moroccan and Algerian one-day races over the last 7 years. The only African ranked above him on CQ this year is Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, who also merits a mention (only Andre Greipel has won as much as Janse van Rensburg this year).

There's also Rafâa Chtioui at Europcar, though his star appears to have waned a little since he arrived on the European racing scene with Acqua e Sapone in 2010.

Teklehaimanot is promising, there is no doubt about that, but he's not the finished article yet. Berhane looks like a very promising rider as well to follow in the same footsteps as Daniel.

Of course, if we wanted to be a bit more obtuse, there's only one African to have podiumed a Grand Tour recently, and that's my good friend Chris Froome...

 

[RedheadDane]

I remember they talked a bit about him during the Worlds (deciding to simply call him Daniel because of his name) because of the whole first Eritrean to finish a Worlds RR

 

[hrotha]

Maybe not but when you consider the race experience and km's ridden that he gives up to other riders his age, Teklehaimanot has done quite well and doesn't look out of place on a WT team at all. Hopefully this leads to greater exposure and participation from African nations.

He rode well for Durbridge at Sarthe this year when GE were down to 3 riders and appears to have some potential. I hope he gets to ride the Vuelta this year.

I agree, Teklehaimanot is good enough for the WT. I just don't think he'll be a star, but I'm convinced Eritrean cycling will explode in the next 5-10 years.

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

But what about Froome and Hunter?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

the best african cyclist? not by a longshot. there are numerous riders in sotuh africa and even in eritrea that are better than him. he was basically the first and thus hyped a lot.

 

[mb2612]

Hunter has been the best for the past several years, Impey is pretty close to him now, with Teklehaimanot probably third by virtue of being in the world tour, although Reinhardt will probably join a WT team next year, and looks very strong in uphill sprints.

Froome would be best had Sky not paid him to be British, while there are several more young talents in Africa with plenty of potential, but I don't think they have done enough outside Africa to be rated higher than the names above.

 

[will10]

Hunter has been the best for the past several years, Impey is pretty close to him now, with Teklehaimanot probably third by virtue of being in the world tour, although Reinhardt will probably join a WT team next year, and looks very strong in uphill sprints.

Froome would be best had Sky not paid him to be British, while there are several more young talents in Africa with plenty of potential, but I don't think they have done enough outside Africa to be rated higher than the names above.

Everything's a conspiracy on this forum.

Froome changed nationalities in May 2008 because the Kenyan cycling federation almost folded and there was very little support. I'd be interested to know what that has to do with Sky, sounds like you have some inside information.

 

[The Hitch]

I have big hopes for Marco Polo's new venture into Africa, could be an influx of African cyclists into the sport over the next decade.

I agree, Teklehaimanot is good enough for the WT. I just don't think he'll be a star, but I'm convinced Eritrean cycling will explode in the next 5-10 years.

I hope you are right.

The battle would then be for these African cyclists and potential supporters, to follow the sport itself, rather than see a 3rd place on a tdf stage as a greater achievement than all 5 monuments together, the way the anglophone boom in cycling has gone.

 

[will10]

I hope you are right.

The battle would then be for these African cyclists and potential supporters, to follow the sport itself, rather than see a 3rd place on a tdf stage as a greater achievement than all 5 monuments together.

I must be missing something...?

 

[spalco]

Hunter has been the best for the past several years, Impey is pretty close to him now, with Teklehaimanot probably third by virtue of being in the world tour, although Reinhardt will probably join a WT team next year, and looks very strong in uphill sprints.

Don't pretend to be obtuse, it was pretty clear what OP meant.

I have nothing against white South Africans, but the novelty about Teklehaimanot is that he's black and less the place of his birth.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Don't pretend to be obtuse, it was pretty clear what OP meant.

I have nothing against white South Africans, but the novelty about Teklehaimanot is that he's black and less the place of his birth.

black? black!?!?! BLACK!?!?!?!!?!? now that is absurd!!

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Don't pretend to be obtuse, it was pretty clear what OP meant.

I have nothing against white South Africans, but the novelty about Teklehaimanot is that he's black and less the place of his birth.

lol. there are way better black pro's in the wt peloton for years. yohan gene for instance

 

[mb2612]

Don't pretend to be obtuse, it was pretty clear what OP meant.

I have nothing against white South Africans, but the novelty about Teklehaimanot is that he's black and less the place of his birth.

Then the OP shouldn't have said he was the best African cyclist.

As far as Froome goes, of course he became British because he would get monetary support, he's a talented cyclist, he should take it while he can. It's just that he joins a long list of people who have been invited to become British for the money.

 

[will10]