The UCI Road Cycling World Championships in Rwanda 2025 has put the spotlight on the African cycling directed. Whether the development is sustainable remains to be seen - but there are initial success stories. The World Cycling Centre (WCC) Continental Team has set a significant milestone in women's cycling. For the first time in the history of professional cycling, a team has been confirmed in which half of the ten-strong squad is made up of African riders. The five athletes come from Algeria, Benin, Ethiopia, Mauritius and Rwanda. Of particular note is Georgette from Benin, who is making history as the first ever professional female cyclist from her country. This development is the result of years of support for African cycling by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the World Cycling Centre.
Female foremen outperform their male colleagues
Another notable trend is emerging in terms of professional contracts for the 2026 season: African women's national champions are more successful at securing professional contracts than their male counterparts. Seven out of 17 female elite national champions have already secured contracts with World Tour, Pro Continental or Continental teams for the coming season. This development underlines the growing importance of women's cycling in Africa and the increasing recognition of African talent at international level.
Distribution of female drivers from Africa
The successful African champions will compete in various international teams in 2026. The most prominent female riders include Kim Le Court from Mauritius from Insurance - Soudal Team and Monaliza Araya from Eritrea, who were CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto Generation Team is under contract. The South African champion S'annara Grove has signed a contract with the Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team. In the second tier, Jazilla Mwamikazi from Rwanda, Nesrine Houili from Algeria, Mary Aleper from Uganda and Haftu Eyerusalem Reda from Ethiopia have signed professional contracts. This development marks an important step for African cycling, especially for women. The fact that more and more African riders are represented in a professional team shows the continent's growing potential in international cycling. Particularly noteworthy is the case of Georgette from Benin, a pioneer who is paving the way for future generations of female cyclists in her country. The work of national coaches such as Adrien Niyonshuti, who himself has Olympic experience (OLY), is bearing fruit and promoting new talent. This positive development could lead to a further strengthening of African women's cycling in the coming years and create more opportunities for female athletes from the continent.
New podcast about cycling in Africa
For years, the Africa Rising Cycling Centre (ARCC) has been working to promote cycling in Africa. A new podcast offers a look behind the scenes of the road cycling scene on the African continent. The Africa Rising Cycling Podcast is available on SpotifyApple, Amazon Music and Pocket casts.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
