The second Biniam Girmay? Eritrean teen Milkias Maekele tipped for big future

Maekele, a tall, thoughtful and articulate young man, now aims to repay Bike Aid’s faith.

He began to do that at the Tour of Mersin in Turkey, securing third place in Sunday’s final stage and finishing 13th in the points classification.

Fellow Eritrean Metkel Eyob, who also raced at the event, sees Maekele as a rider with “real sprinting talent”.

“His explosive acceleration and fearless racing style mark him as another future contender from Africa in world cycling,” Eyob said.

“He has the natural speed and hunger to become Eritrea’s next great sprinter.”

While Girmay is the poster boy for African cycling on the elite stage, the number of professionals from across the continent is steadily increasing.

There were a total of 17 entrants from Africa among the 171 declared starters at the Tour of Mersin, making it the largest ever such contingent at a professional road race sanctioned by the world governing body (UCI) on European soil.

According to Team Africa Rising, a non-profit organisation which helps riders and teams access equipment and training, there are almost 150 male and female riders from the continent who hold professional deals this season.

Those are encouraging numbers just five months away from the UCI Road World Championships, which will be held in Africa for the first time when Rwanda hosts in September.

“Seeing the start list for the Tour of Mersin, I had a real feeling of affirmation that all the work we have been doing since 2007 is really paying off,” Team Africa Rising chief executive Kimberly Coats said.

“This year is a key moment for cycling in Africa. It is just brilliant to see the growth.”