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Team says the Eritrean is an exceptional talent

Merhawi Kudus – remember the name because you might be hearing it a lot more, if his team is to be believed. MTN-Qhubeka directeur sportif Kevin Campbell praised the intelligent ride by the 20-year-old Eritrean that saw him take second place in the general classification at the Tour de Langkawi.

“We knew he was a great climber, but he showed that he was something out of this world almost. So we were very happy with the way that he went, but it’s not surprising,” Campbell told Cyclingnews.

“He rode a great ride on Genting, because he obviously didn’t panic when the move went. We had two riders in the move and then, as we had told him before, rode up the climb at his own pace. He rode fantastically well and even at the top he caught the escapees and still had the wits to race for the win.”

The Tour de Langkawi is Kudus’ first race after joining the South African team for this season. He was supposed to have a ride with MTN’s feeder team in 2013 but visa problems meant he went to Switzerland to ride for the UCI’s World Cycling Centre instead. The Eritrean put in some solid victories in Europe, including overall victory at the Tour de Côte d’Or, which told MTN that they were onto a winner with the young rider. However, there was still an element of uncertainty as to how he would perform when he took the step up to the professional level.

“We didn’t know what to expect. He’s been racing well at a continental level, as he did last year. Now we are racing against some really top quality riders,” said Campbell. “It’s very encouraging to see that he’s right up there with the top guys. As he matures, in terms of racing strategy, tactics and physical strength we know that the sky is the limit, he really is a fantastic talent.”

Kudus was one of two Eritreans at the Tour de Langkawi this year. Europcar rider Natnael Berhane finished 19th in the general classification. Cycling is huge in their home country, with almost a million people turning out to watch the final stage of the Tour of Eritrea. Despite this passion, they have been massively under-represented at a professional level with visa issues being one of the many barriers that make it difficult.

However, in recent years young riders have been creeping into the top two tiers of the sport. There are now six professionals from the cycling crazy country, including Daniel Teklehaimanot who became the country’s first Grand Tour rider at the 2012 Vuelta a España, and Kudus says there is more to come. “The Eritreans little by little they improve but still we have some good riders in our country,” he told Cyclingnews.

“They have a lot of fans and they have a lot of support. In Eritrea everybody likes the bicycle. I don’t know how to explain but they have good motivation. The dream for an Eritrean is to compete in the Tour de France and hopefully after two or three years I will be there.”

MTN-Qhubeka hope that his second place in Langkawi is just an initial insight into what Kudus is capable of. They are being careful not to put too much pressure on the young rider. The team believe that he can turn into a great stage racer, but this year is all about learning the ropes. “We don’t want to put him under too much pressure, from a results point of view, we just want to give him every opportunity to develop. If he can pull out a good result in a race or on a stage like Giro del Trentino then it will obviously be good for him and good for us and good for Eritrean cycling ultimately.”

For Kudus, his ambition is to become the African Champion this season.

By: Cycling News

Eritrean beats Luis Leon Sanchez in Gabon

[jqdial code=”dialcd32123c7c”] [/jqdial]  Natnael Berhane (Europcar) became the first African rider to win the Tropicale Amissa Bongo stage race when he edged out Luis Leon Sanchez (Caja Rural-RGA Seguros) on the final stage in Libreville on Sunday.

The Eritrean entered the final day in third place overall, four seconds down on Sanchez, but with three intermediate sprints on the menu, the race was delicately poised as it reached its endgame. The Europcar squad managed to keep the peloton intact for two of the three sprints, while Berhane did the rest, picking up six bonus seconds to Sanchez’s one. While Fréderique Robert (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) won the stage, Berhane took overall honours, just one second ahead of the experienced Sanchez.

“It’s a real joy. I found it hard to believe that it would be possible to beat a rider like Luis Leon Sanchez, who has such a great palmarès. But in the end, I got there, and that means that I’m starting to make a place for myself with the pros,” Berhane said afterwards.

Berhane is part of a talented generation of Eritrean riders that also includes Daniel Teklehaimanot, formerly of Orica-GreenEdge and now at MTN-Qhubeka. African road champion in 2011 and 2012, Berhane made the move to Europe last season with Jean-René Bernaudeau’s Europcar squad.

The highlight of Berhane’s year came at the Tour of Turkey, where he won a stage and finished second overall behind Mustafa Sayar, a result that may yet be upgraded to first place due Sayar’s positive test for EPO at last season’s Tour of Algeria.

“I want to thank my teammates who did enormous work for me today,” Berhane told RFI.fr. “I worked a lot, thinking every day about this win. I dedicate this victory to Eritrea. I’m so happy that I don’t know what to say.”

Berhane’s Tropicale Amissa Bongo victory is the fifth in succession by a rider from Jean-René Bernaudeau’s team in the race in Gabon, but the first by an African rider in the event’s nine-year history.

“The Tropicale is the true barometer of cycling in Africa,” Bernaudeau told RFI.fr. “A few years ago, African riders were struggling, but now we’re discovering some talented riders.”

Bernaudeau paid tribute to Berhane’s victory and said that he believes the 23-year-old can beat a trail on the world stage for other African riders to follow. “I’ve discovered a fine African rider who will be, I hope, the ambassador for the African continent,” he said. “Sport is also about discovering talent. I’m emotional because I am the first one to place his confidence in a rider of great talent without looking at his colour.”

Berhane’s next target will be the Tour de Langkawi (February 27-March 8), where he will lead Europcar’s general classification challenge.

[jqdial code=”dial1d2f050b52″] [/jqdial]Eden Hazard, the only Belgian nominated for the Golden Ball, got eight points behind his name. Besides Marc Wilmots and Vincent Kompany of City also gave Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon captain and teammate of Hazard Chelsea), Haile Goitom (leader of Eritrea) and Kwon Oh Son (coach of Brunei) Hazard a point. Polish coach NawaÅ‚ka Hazard put in second place, accounting for three points.

Wilmots gave further five points to Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG) and three on Robert Lewandowski (Dortmund). Kompany put Ribéry (Bayern) and a teammate Yaya Toure in two.

The Olympic silver medalist is the guest of honor at their annual social.

What follows is a report posted on the Running USA Web site:

TLANTA  – Olympic Silver Medalist and New York City Marathon Winner Meb Keflezighi has been announced as the guest speaker at Atlanta Track Club’s 2014 Annual Social. The event will be held on Thursday, January 9 at 6:30 p.m. at The Foundry at Puritan Mill in Atlanta.

Keflezighi has participated in three Olympic Games for Team USA, winning a silver medal in the 2004 Olympic Games Marathon. He also placed first in the 2009 ING New York City Marathon, making him the first American to win the world’s largest marathon since 1982. Keflezighi was born in Eritrea, but fled the war-torn country with his family and later became a U.S. citizen in 1998. He now lives in San Diego.

“We are delighted to have Meb as our guest speaker for Atlanta Track Club’s 2014 Annual Social,” said Sue Payne, Atlanta Track Club’s interim executive director. “Meb had to work hard to achieve his success, as well as overcome incredible obstacles. We believe his story will be an inspiration to our members and other runners and walkers as they begin to work towards their health and fitness goals for the new year.”

Atlanta Track Club’s 2014 Annual Social will also feature hors d’oeuvres, drinks, desserts and a preview of Atlanta Track Club’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Tickets for the 2014 Annual Social are available through Sunday, January 5 atatlantatrackclub.org