AFRICAN CYCLING Weekly Wrap-Up

2023 – Week 11

Over the past week, we’ve seen more outstanding performances by African cyclists on the World Stage.

Over 50 riders competed in thirteen different events in seven different countries, Algerian Youcef Reguigui riding for Terengganu Polygon Cycling Team won the GP de la Ville d’Alger UCI 1.2 after his stellar performance the week before with three stage wins at Tour d’Algeria. The 33-year old continues to perform on the World stage.

Youcef Reguigui winner of GP de la Ville d’Alger

FEATURED RIDER OF THE WEEK

Our featured rider of the week is Aklilu Arefayne riding for Circus-ReUz-Technord. Aklilu is an 18-year-old cyclist from Eritrea. He is ranked 30th in the UCI Africa Tour Ranking, 662 in the UCI Ranking.

After a successful start to the 2023 season at the Tropicale Amissa Bongo, where Aklilu placed in the Top 30 in all 7 Stages on the GC, placing 3rd in the Mountain Category and 10th overall in the Youth Category. He then continued his successes in the African Continental Championships Team Time Trial and U23 African Continental Championships Individual Time Trial placing 2nd and placing 10th overall in the African Continental Championships Road Race. However, it does not end there, in Tour du Rwanda, Aklilu placed in the Top 30 in three stages, placed 2nd overall in the Sprint and Mountain Categories and 12th overall in the Youth Category.

Aklilu Arefayne Stage 7 of Tour du Rwanda © tour_du_Rwanda

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS THIS WEEK

In the GP de la Ville d’Alger, Eritrean rider, Meron Teshome Hagos took the silver medal. Travis Stedman placing 4th, Hamza Amari 5th, Oussama Cheblaoui 6th, and Nahom Mekonen 9th all 00” behind the winner.

With Volta Catalunya, Coppi e Bartali, and Cape Epic underway, African riders have performed incredibly and produced some great results like Mauritian Kimberley Le Court De Billot and Namibian rider Vera Looser winning two Stages and South African Amy Wakefield and Candice Lill winning two Stages of the Cape Epic, and Matthew Beers winning 3 Stages of the Cape Epic.

We look forward to the upcoming week of racing for the African riders.