Alongside the 24 national teams entered for the UCI Nations’ Cup Men Under 23 event, two regional teams from France were at the start in La Roche-sur-Yon (Vendée Department) as well as a mixed African team sporting the colours of the UCI World Cycling Centre.
The team from the UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) comprises three Ethiopians, a Rwandan, an Algerian and a South African, all of whom have been selected for their talent and potential. Most of them have been part of the UCI World Cycling Centre development programme either in Aigle (Switzerland) or at the UCI WCC African satellite in Paarl (South Africa).
That is the case of Ethiopian Hagos Berhe, who trained in Aigle as a Junior in 2019, alongside Eritrean Biniam Girmay, who is already making his mark on the UCI WorldTour. Berhe is part of EF Education Nippo Development Team and recently finished 7th overall in the Giro Ciclistico della Valle d'Aosta - Mont Blanc, a five-day Class 2 Under-23 event.
The UCI WCC’s Education and Detection Project Coordinator Jean-Jacques Henry explains: “This selection of African riders already has a certain level. Someone like Berhe can expect to arrive with the best in the mountains, particularly in the three last stages.
“The Tour de l’Avenir will give these riders exposure which could lead to a signing for some with a UCI WorldTeam.”
South African Travis Stedman and Ethiopian Negasi Abreha are members of UCI Continental Team, Team Qhubeka, whose Assistant Sport Director Kevin Campbell will manage the UCI World Cycling Centre’s team during the Tour de l’Avenir. The team also comprises Algerian Hamza Amari, African Continental Champion in the Under 23 road race, and Ethiopian Kiya Rogora, National Champion in both the road race and individual time trial. Meanwhile, Eric Muhoza, who rides for the Association Rouler pour Rwanda, has finished fourth in the Youth Classification of two stage races this year: the Tour du Rwanda and the Tour du Cameroun.
Hagos Berhe and Kiya Rogora trained at the UCI WCC in Aigle last week to put the finishing touches to their preparation for the Tour de l’Avenir.
Former winners of the Tour de l’Avenir have gone on to shine on the UCI WorldTour stage, not least 2017 winner Egan Bernal (COL) and 2018 winner Tadej Pogačar (SLO).
This year, the Under-23 stage race will kick off with a 4km team time trial followed by nine stages covering a total of 1133 kms (16,296m of altitude difference).
Team from UCI World Cycling Centre for 2022 Tour de l’Avenir
Hamza Amari (ALG), 19
Hagos Berhe (ETH), 20
Eric Muhoza (RWA), 20
Negasi Haylu Abreha (ETH), 22
Kyia Rogora (ETH), 19
Travis Stedman (RSA), 20.
Photo (©Anouk Flesch): before the prelude, a short team time trial (3.9km)