Eritrean National Cycling Championship: A Pinnacle Event in the Eritrean Cycling Calendar
Habtom Tesfamichael
The Eritrean National Cycling Championship, an annual event on the national cycling calendar, commenced its activities on Thursday with a time trial competition. The Road Race will be held today, June 15th, 2024. This year’s edition features a highly competitive field.
In addition to the promising domestic riders, over 20 high profile riders from World Tour, Continental, and Pro-Continental teams will be participating. Both the men’s and women’s categories will be contested.Given the caliber of athletes set to take the start line, the outcome of the championship is challenging to predict. Fans and spectators can expect an exciting and closely contested event that showcases the depth of cycling talent in Eritrea.
Dominant Performances from World Tour Riders in Time Trials
The national cycling championship kicked off with time trials on Thursday. Men’s Elite and U23 tackled a demanding 36km course over two laps, while Women’s Elite and U23 raced an 18km circuit. Additionally, Junior Men were slated to complete an 18 KM lap, and the junior women were scheduled for a 15 KM single lap course.
As anticipated, riders from the World Tour teams dominated the time trial discipline. Time trials are a brutal test of physical prowess and meticulous equipment optimization. The experience these top professional riders possess, coupled with their access to cutting-edge time trial bikes, proved to be a significant advantage.
Amanuel Gebreegziabher Retains Elite Men’s Time Trial Title
Amanuel Gebreegziabher, the defending champion and member of the American Liddle Trek team, successfully defended his title in the Men’s Elite category. He finished the 36-kilometer course in a remarkable time of 43 minutes, 32 seconds, and 29 microseconds, averaging an impressive speed of 49.6 km/h. Henok Muluebrhan (Astana Qazaqstan) and Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty) followed closely behind, securing second and third place, respectively. Amanuel’s consecutive victory marks him as the only rider to achieve this feat since Daniel Teklehaimanot’s back-to-back wins. Daniel holds the record for winning the time trial event at the Eritrean National Cycling Championship on five occasions – in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2017.
Ammanuel has amassed an impressive 7,578 kilometers of racing in 2024, achieved across 49 competition days. This total distance surpasses any other Eritrean rider’s annual mileage, underscoring his prodigious work rate and competitive schedule.
Following his successful defense of the national time trial title on Thursday, he expressed confidence and readiness for the road race event scheduled for today. Amanuel will look to replicate his previous road race victory at the Eritrean National Cycling Championship, which he secured in 2014 with the Asbeco team.
Adiam Dawit Defends Women’s Time Trial Title
In the women’s 18-kilometer time trial, Adiam Dawit from the Denden Club secured her second consecutive national title. She completed the course in 26 minutes, 37 seconds, and 26 microseconds at an average speed of 40.5 kilometers per hour. Adiam’s dominant performance also earned her the gold medal in the under-23 categories.
In the junior men’s event, Nahom Efriem from Eritel emerged victorious, cloaking 23 minutes and 16 seconds at an average speed of 46.4 kilometers per hour. Meanwhile, Adiam Isack, from the Southern Region, claimed the junior women’s title.
The Road Race: An Anticipated Showdown
As anticipation builds for today’s road race, cycling enthusiasts eagerly await a thrilling spectacle. The field will feature not only the nation’s top domestic talents but also several world-class riders that fans have grown accustomed to watching compete at the highest levels of the sport. Cycling fans who regularly watch these riders compete on television are expected to fill the streets of Asmara to witness the battle unfold live and in person.
Leading the charge of World Tour riders are Amanuel Gebreegziabhier and Natnael Tesfatzion, who compete for the American Lidl-Trek team. They will be joined by a formidable trio from the Intermarche-Circus-Wanty team – Biniam Girmay, Mewael Girmay, and Aklilu Arefaine, as well as Hienok Muluebrhan from Astana Qazaqstan.
In addition to the World Tour Team riders, the field is studded with accomplished riders from Continental and Pro-Continental teams. Eritrean cycling legends Merhawi Kudus and Metkel Eyob, representing the Malaysian Terengganu team, will be among the favorites.
Other big names include Dawit Yemane (crowned champion in 2021) and Yuel Habteab from the German Bike Aid team, Natnael Brhane (champion of 2015 and 2019), and Pietros Mengs (runner-up in last year’s championship) of the Turkish Beykoz team.
Nahom Zeray from the Q36.5 team and Aklilu Gebrihiwet and Even Yemane of the Philippine 7-Eleven team further boost the star power. Looming large over the proceedings is the defending champion, Awet Aman, who now plies his trade at the UCI World Team level.
According to the National Cycling Federation of Eritrea’s schedule, the elite and under-23 men’s race will consist of 17 laps covering a total distance of 173.4 kilometers. Meanwhile, the elite and under-23 women’s race will feature eight laps covering 81.6 kilometers. The junior men will compete in an 18-lap race covering 112.2 kilometers, and the junior women will race over four laps totaling 40.8 kilometers.
Among the Elite contenders, Biniam Girmay is one of today’s road race favorites. His performances thus far suggest he has the legs to stay with the peloton until the closing stages. If he can manage that, his teammates at Intermarche-Circus-Wanty, Aklilu Arefaine, and Mewael Girmay could be crucial in setting him up for a powerful sprint finish.
However, a pure sprint finish is uncommon at the Eritrean National Road Race Championship. The demanding course often leads to attacks and breakaways throughout the race, making it a test of tactics, endurance, and raw power. This could favor riders with a solid all-around skill set.
In 2022, the race was decided not by a sprint finish but rather by a successful breakaway. That year, Merhawi Kudus and Nathaniel Tesfazion escaped the peloton and stayed away until the finish line, securing the top two podium positions through an attritional, non-sprint conclusion to the event.
Last year, an unexpected turn occurred in the race’s closing stages. As the prominent contenders closely watched one another, Awet Aman and Pietros Mengs seized the opportunity to make a decisive move. With approximately 4 kilometers remaining, the two riders managed to break clear of the peloton and sustain their attack until the finish line. Their impressive resilience and opportunism culminated in Awet and Pietros securing the gold and silver medal positions.
Two-time Eritrean national champion Merhawi Kudus will be vying for his third title in this year’s competition. Having secured victories in 2018 and 2022, Merhawi has demonstrated his ability to perform at the highest level on the domestic cycling circuit.
With his recent strong showings at prestigious international events such as the Tour of Japan and the Tour of Turkey, he has further bolstered his credentials and proven that he has the potential to match the impressive record of three-time Eritrean champion Daniel Teklehaimanot, who claimed the national title in 2011, 2012, and 2016. All eyes will be on Merhawi as he seeks to solidify his place among the true greats of Eritrean cycling by securing a historic third national championship triumph this year.
Two-time African champion Henok Muluberhan, who currently rides for the Astana Qazaqstan team, is also expected to be a prominent contender in today’s race. Henok has demonstrated his versatility and all-around abilities with impressive performances on flat terrain, hilly stages, and sprints. His well-rounded skillset, tactical acumen, and race-reading capabilities make him a formidable challenger for the national title. As an experienced rider with a proven track record at the international level, Henok will undoubtedly be closely watched by his rivals as he aims to add the Eritrean National Championship to his growing list of accomplishments.
Given his fiery competitive spirit and impressive talents, Natnael Tesfatzion is another star who can roar to victory. Apart from the other international riders, the local riders are expected to challenge the professional contenders sternly. If they emerge victorious, the local riders have an opportunity to study abroad, which has seemingly given them added motivation and determination to upset the more established professional athletes. Therefore, unexpected things could happen for the big favorites from the domestic riders.
The 2024 Eritrean Cycling Championship is set to feature a robust field of participants across various categories. In the elite and under-23 men’s road race categories, 129 riders registered to compete. Meanwhile, the elite and under-23 women’s categories have attracted 22 athletes. The junior men’s categories have seen a strong turnout, with 133 riders signed up. Complementing this, the junior women’s categories have 14 participants registered. All in all, 309 riders have put their signature to participate in this year’s Cycling Championships.
