Cycling Tour of Eritrea 2008 has uncorked on Friday 11th April 2008 with 117 km road race and Abrham Belay from Debub zone has become stage one winner while Gigante Cycling Team leading the race in the first day of the race. The national race will continue up until Sunday 20th April for 9 grueling stages with only a day off after five consecutive races. The tour will cover a total distance of 1178 km with an overall 11 climbing contests. More than 100 riders are taking part at the tour that is being held for its 8th time consecutively. An overall 276,700 Nakfa prize money is at stake for individual and team winners.
The participation of representative teams from each zonal administration makes this tour first of its kind. According to the President of Eritrean National Cycling Federation Mr. Mengesteab Tekie, a UCI representative is on her way to witness Tour of Eritrea for the first time. This is expected to help acknowledge the standard of the national tour competition as an international race recognized under the rules and regulations of the UCI. This is surly the result of the finely honed riders who have been busy registering overlapping victories in different kinds of international competitions in Nairobi (Kenya), Algiers (Algeria), Yaounde (Cameroon) and in different cities of Ivory Coast.
Promising Eritrean riders like Daniel Teclehaimanot, Merhawi Gebrhiwot, Frekalsi Debesay, Dawit Haile and others have been bringing exceptional victories to their home country since their inclusion to the national team every time they participate in different international competitions in the past one year and three months.
In December 2006, Eritrea excelled in international cycling races at ANOCA competition held in Nairobi, Kenya where Daniel won golden medal in the opening time-trial race. Eritrea stood first with overall two gold, silver and bronze medals in the two days race.
The Eritrean National Cycling team in Algiers 2007 All Africa Games was on the podium in almost all kinds of prize ceremonies. The team secured its place to win gold medal as best African team of the competition. Individually, Frekalsi Debesay was adorned a historic All Africa Games bronze medal which is first of its kind to Eritrea after Independence. Merhawi Gebrhiwot stood 5th as Dawit Haile and Daniel Teclehaimanot squeezed themselves within the list of top 10 winners, claiming 9th and 10th place. At that moment, Eritrea topped the continent with an overall cycling result both in the junior and senior level, which handed the country unbelievably great honor. It is to be recalled that during the colonial era Tekeste (Gigante) had won gold medal in All Africa Games time-trial competition back in 1970s in Nigeria.
In November 2007, Eritrean cycling national team took part at the African Continental Championship in Yaounde, Cameroon where about 17 strong African national teams with some professional riders participated. Bereket Yemane pedaled at a speed of 37.762 km/hr to cover a 22 km time-trial competition. He stood 3rd and climbed on the podium with bronze medal. Frekalsi Debesay followed him for a 4th standing pushing 37.273 km/hr as Daniel Teclehaimanot stood 5th pedaling 36.483 km/hr.
What is more! Looking at this mammoth performance, the Eritrean National Cycling Team received an invitation from the Ivorian Cycling Federation to participate in a prolific Ivorian Tour competition from March 6th to 12th, 2008 where 5 strong European teams and 9 African National teams appeared. Eritrean riders once again were the icing cover to the cream standing ahead of all the other African national teams. Heroic Daniel Teclehaimanot individually outclassed all African riders. Beaten by four European teams, the Eritrean National team took an overall 5th standing. Top of Africans Daniel, on his turn, beaten only by 37 seconds ranked 5th standing behind three French and one Italian riders. Just one month after this particular competition, our top riders are engaged in the on going another enjoyable but hectic competition -- Tour of Eritrea 2008.
By Essayas Fessahaye (essayasf@yahoo.com)
Tags: Eritrea Eritrean Tigrigna Amharic Tigrinya Asmara Ethiopia Ethiopian addis Africa Sudan Somalia world sports
