http://www.rfi.fr/sports/20151217-cyclisme-daniel-teklehaimanot-meilleur-coureur-africain-annee-2015
CYCLING SPORTS ERITREA
Cycling: Daniel Teklehaimanot, best African rider of 2015
Published on 17-12-2015 Edited on 17-12-2015
By Farid Achache
After Natnael Berhane in 2012, Louis Meintjes in 2013 and Mekseb Debesay in 2014, it is the Eritrean Daniel Teklehaimanot, 27, who was elected African Cyclist of the Year by a jury composed of twenty members and chaired by Bernard Hinault five times winner of the Tour de France.
It is not a surprise and it is almost a given. With his performances this season, including the Tour de France - of the Mountains jersey on his shoulders for four days - Daniel Teklehaimanot won this trophy created by the organizers of the Tropical Amissa Bongo in Gabon, which aims for four years to reward the rider of the continent that has most contributed to radiate and to make known the African cycling.
Teklehaimanot, a runner now expected
"Daniel Teklehaimanot winner of this award, it is quite normal. He wore the polka dot jersey of the Tour de France and won the Critérium du Dauphinée. He made known Eritrea to the general public, "says Jean-Jacques Henry, coach at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle, and who knows what runner. Note that the list of the 10 best African runners of the year, six have gone to Switzerland. Daniel Teklehaimanot was with fellow Eritrean merhawi kudus, the first black African rider entered in the Tour de France.
"People will expect a lot more of it"
If Daniel Teklehaimanot was invited with his team in the 2015 Tour de France, things will be different next season. The MTN-Qhubeka training has become Dimension Data. She changed status and is now ranked WorldTour (first division) with seventeen other teams. She will be required to run the three Grand Tours (Italy, France and Spain) and will also participate in all the classics of the International Cycling Union. The Teklehaimanot racing program will be different. He will have his calendar the most demanding races in the world cycling. "He is able to confirm. But he will have to have a competent circle to be at his best several times a year on the physical and psychological notes Jean-Jacques Henry. People will expect a lot more of it and they must be cashed pressure the sponsor or to the closest entourage. It should not be too shall begin to stress. "
Louis Meintjes heels Teklehaimanot
Behind Daniel Teklehaimanot include the talented South African Louis Meintjes. The small pocket climber will next season the colors of the Italian team Lampre-Merida, also ranked WorlTour. "Meintjes has shown that he is on a launch pad that must cause it to be a leader in races like Paris-Nice. I think he is capable, "explains Jean-Jacques Henry. Last season Meintjes finished tenth in the Tour of Spain and won the International Week of Coppi and Bartali in Italy, not to mention its performance in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the oldest classics. He arrived among the group was going to dispute the victory (11th).
The Tuinisien Rafaa Chtioui, brilliant winner of the last edition of Tropical Amissa Bongo completed the podium.
(Software translation)
Received on Thu Dec 17 2015 - 11:43:55 EST