http://www.bikeaid.de/racing/racing_artikel/title-meron_teshome_und_amanuel_mengis_im_interview/article-56baec091f729
Meron Teshome and Amanuel Mengis Interview
Wednesday, February 10, 2016 in Racing
They come from a country that has about 4 million inhabitants and the so-called "Horn of Africa" is. The neighboring countries are Ethiopia, Djibouti and Sudan.
The country, of which we speak, is Eritrea and the two guys hot Meron Teshome and Amanuel Mengis. In a small interview to tell you about your hopes, expectations, and first impressions of Europe.
BIKE AID : Amanuel, you're still a very young man. At 21, it is now for the first time for you to be so far separated from your environment and your home so long and. How are you feeling right now?
Amanuel Mengis (21) : I am very happy to be here. Clearly it is not easy for me to from home and my family so far away. But for me it is the chance of my life, even though I'm still so young - of which many dream in Eritrea to obtain such a possibility. For us the sport - and particularly cycling (in Eritrea is cycling sport # 1.) - A unique opportunity to present ourselves outside the country and build us a future. However, I already miss my family and hope it will not be too bad, but I am strong (laughs).
Meron, for you it's different. You now have two years in South Africa in the youth team of MTN - Qhubeka spent and there could already gain some experience. What are your expectations from the time in Europe?
Meron Teshome (23): It is always difficult to talk about expectations. Yes, I have been able to gain some experience in South Africa and also with the national team and also already the Tour de l'Avenir (most important itinerary of the U23 category) denied. Nevertheless, this is now a very different task, finally I have to now largely compete with the best riders in the world and that's especially. So I hope to be able to make a lot of experience. But of course it would be nice to put up with a few good results also accents.
Amanuel Mengis : (laughs again) Yes, the Meron sometimes downplays something. He has finally made some achievements. But he is quite right, for us this is a huge experience here and we can not have great expectations of us. It is the first year in Europe and my goal is to develop myself and adapt to the level here. The race calendar, we may deny of course is very challenging and gives us the possibility that we can develop just at the highest level.
Meron, you said the level here in Europe is another. What is your opinion exactly is the difference?
Meron Teshome : I do not want to be misunderstood. Racing in Africa are also very hard, but it is in its own way. This makes it evident that the race in Africa expire little control and is driven very aggressively from the beginning to the end. That makes it very tiring. The races here in Europe have an extremely high base level, run contrary controlled from and significantly influenced tactical. But physically that's another effort.
Now you two already here at the Mallorca Challenge drove with the "greats" of the scene Race. What was your feeling about this?
Meron Teshome: (bright eyes) It was an incredible moment when I next Daniel Teklehamaymanot (Eritrean cyclist at Dimension Data, World Tour) ran and suddenly my idol Fabian Cancellara appeared beside me. That was like a dream for me and I also said to Daniel (Teklehaymanot) in our native language that I can not believe what just happened.
Amanuel Mengis: yes yes, that was my thought when Bradley Wiggins went all the time next to me. I could watch the whole race, which just someone does who has won the Tour de France. Just incredible feeling. And in my first race with BIKE AID.
Good keyword. What BIKE AID mean to you and how important BIKE AID in Eritrea?
Meron Teshome: For me, this team is more than just a normal cycling team. It's more like a family. This becomes clear if one other "normal" Teams look at the hotels or in races. While many sit together, but they hardly speak or are more concerned with themselves. We associated with a lot of fun. We laugh a lot and get along well with each other. Often look at the other and wonder why with us there is so much fun. In Eritrea, it is so that many people BIKE AID know and talk about it. For them it is the team that promotes their drivers. Just after it now Mekseb (Debesay) managed by BIKE AID in the World Tour, rising expectations on the whole. But it is also a great example of how important it is Africans for us to get this opportunity: by BIKE AID Mekseb could develop his talent and learning what he needs to go on the World Tour.
At the conclusion to both of you: what you like to Europe / Germany:
Amanuel Mengis: The roads here are great! As you can already work out very well. It also pleased me very much, as we have always placed on Mallorca in training a coffee break.
Meron Teshome: (starts laughing) Yes, that's nice. But when I arrived here, it snowed. At first I looked forward, as it was the first time in my life that I've seen snow. But this cold and sunny, which is not so nice
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Received on Wed Feb 10 2016 - 08:28:00 EST