Paris Olympic Games welcomes record number of African riders in women's cycling

When the competitors line up at the start of the women’s elite road race at the Paris Olympic Games on August 4, it will be 40 years since the first-ever event took place in  Los Angeles in 1984. 

History will be made at these Games, too, because for the first time, there will be equal numbers of male and female competitors – 90 riders in each road race.

The history-making doesn’t stop there. A record nine African women will take part in the road race, and a total of thirteen will compete across road, mountain bike cross country and track racing.

While there has been a focus on African men’s presence in top-level cycling in recent years, we take a look at the women who will represent their nations in cycling events at these Olympic Games.

South Africa and Namibia have led the way with riders like Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio and Vera Looser featuring in the past few Olympic Games, but riders from other African countries have been missing from the start lists. Obtaining work permits to race in Europe, where riders can develop their professional careers and fulfil the qualification criteria, has complicated matters for many riders. 

Certain countries like Rwanda and Burkina Faso have developed a training structure. Organisations such as Team Africa Rising have been instrumental in helping women to gain access to training and development possibilities, and the UCI training and development facilities in South Africa, as well as at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland, have provided the launch pad for talent-spotted riders with potential, a few of whom have gained contracts with European teams.

Furthermore, teams like Canyon-SRAM have played their part by signing up women riders from African nations onto their development squad, Canyon-SRAM Generation.

The qualification criteria have now been widened to include the top 45 nations by UCI ranking, allowing more African nations to field competitors to participate in the 33rd Olympiad.

The Tokyo Olympics saw the first appearance of female Black African riders when Mosana Debesay of Eritrea and Selam Amha of Ethiopia raced in the shadow of Mount Fuji.

Selam Amha Gerefiel

Selam Amha has had to contend with civil war in her home region of Tigray and remained away from her family at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland, as it wasn’t safe to return there. She has since been able to return to her country and now races for Canyon-SRAM Generation. 

Speaking to Cycling News, Selam recalls her time at the Tokyo Olympics.

“I was happy to do the Tokyo Olympics, but I was sick two days before the race. Then, in the race, with the bad weather, my feelings were bad. I tried my best – I was in the breakaway, but I couldn’t finish it.

“I hadn’t felt nervous about the Olympic road race because, for the last three years, I was nervous because of the war. From 2020 to 2023, there was a war in my region, and everything was closed. No internet, no phone line, no bank – all closed. I was very nervous about my family. So I wasn’t nervous about the Tokyo race.

“When I rode in the peloton, I was trying to learn about positioning and how to ride out of the wind to save energy. The peloton was smaller, which made it easier. But then you’re against all the best riders in the world, so getting a good result was hard.

“I was happy to race with the best riders in the world, and now being in a big team [Canyon-SRAM Generation] is my dream.

“I’m very happy to see Eyeru [Tesfoam Gebru] in the Olympics. It’s good to have African riders in the Olympics, but I’m even happier to see Ethiopian female riders at the Paris Olympic Games.”

An increase in the total number of participants in the women’s road race and the widening of qualification criteria has meant that more women can take part from a broader range of countries.  

At the Paris Olympics, the African continent will be represented by nine women in the road race, two in the time trial, three in the mountain bike cross country event and two in track racing.

Ese Lovina Ukperseraye

Nigeria has had athletes in the Olympics for many years, though mainly in track and field events.  

Ese Lovina (Canyon-SRAM Generation) is about to buck that trend, and will make history as the first Nigerian, male or female to take part in the Olympic road race.

After winning the African Continental Championships in Ghana and the Nigerian National Championships in 2023, the 25-year-old was told the good news.

“I never expected to go to the Olympics, but I just tried my best. When they told me I’d qualified for the Olympics, I was so happy,” she said.

“I have been to Paris before for the World Track Championships but I haven’t ridden on the course for the road race. I have just seen it on my phone.

“My first international competition was at the Road Race World Championships in Glasgow last year. That was so scary. I couldn’t believe I was there and was so overwhelmed. I was thinking, ‘Wow, is this for real?’ I’m not scared anymore. To be frank, in Paris, I just want to finish the race. Nobody who goes to a race doesn’t want to win, but I know cycling is not an easy sport, so I will try my best to be in a good position and stay with the group.”

For the Girona-based rider, who also juggles racing with jointly managing a hair and beauty business with her sister in Abuja, things are a far cry from growing up on a farm in the Delta region of the country of Nigeria.  

“We would use bikes to go to the farm and to fetch water. Then somebody from my village saw me and said, ‘You could be a cyclist’, and I said, ‘What is cycling?’. I was at school thanks to a running scholarship. I didn’t know anything about cycle racing, but I decided to have a go at it. At the start, it was somewhat stressful for me because the road bike was very different from my home bike and very uncomfortable. But after one month, and with encouragement from my mum, before I lost her, I was able to do it.”

Ese worked hard in her training and rode with different groups. The head of the Nigerian Cycling Federation, Giandomenico Massari, helped her develop her career, despite there being no sponsorship by the Federation. Based on her victories in continental and national championships, she eventually secured a place in the Canyon-SRAM Generation team in early 2024.

Although Ese receives a lot of encouragement from her sisters, in general, women’s cycling in Nigeria is not encouraged.  

“People said things to make me feel discouraged. They said, ‘What is cycling? Go and look for a proper job. Cycling is not something that you have to do! Cycling will make you look like a man; you will have crashes and hurt your body.’ Parents are worried about all the cars and think cyclists may be killed. I think that if a child would really like to do cycling, their parents should give them support.”

Ese’s focus is now fully focused on the 158km race on August 4.

“I have learned so much since joining Canyon-SRAM Generation. If it wasn’t for the team and being in Girona, I would not have had this improvement. It’s not going to be easy for me as it will be my first Olympics. But I want to make my team proud and to make my sisters happy.”

Diane Ingabire

Also taking the start line at Trocadero, close to the Eiffel Tower will be one of Ese’s teammates, Diane Ingabire, representing Rwanda. Diane qualified for the Olympics when she won the Rwandan National Road Race and Time Trial Championships. 

The 23-year-old, who is in her second season with Canyon-SRAM Generation, is looking forward to racing in Paris in August.

“I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to compete in the Paris Olympics. It’s a dream come true and a chance to showcase my hard work and dedication. I’m looking forward to representing my country and experiencing the incredible atmosphere of the Games. It’s both an honour and a motivation to push myself even further.”

Diane talks about her cycling journey:

“I decided to become a racing cyclist in 2018 because I was drawn to the thrill of competition and the freedom cycling offers. It’s a challenging sport that pushes me to improve my physical limits and develop resilience. Plus, being part of a community and sharing this passion with others is incredibly rewarding.

“I received significant support from my family, friends, and the local cycling community. They encouraged me to pursue my passion, helped me with training, and provided resources to get started. This was crucial in building my confidence and skills as a racer.

“To other women who would like to get into cycling racing, I would tell her to follow her passion and believe in herself. Start by getting involved in local cycling clubs, don’t be afraid of challenges, and surround yourself with supportive people. Remember, every small step counts towards achieving your dreams.”

Eyeru Tesfoam Gebru

In 2021, as a racer for the UCI World Cycling Centre team, she was due to represent Ethiopia at the World Championships in Ghent. 

However, war had broken out in her native Tigray region and it was impossible for Eyeru to return there. The then 23-year-old fled her country and was granted asylum in France. 

Thanks to assistance from the French National and Olympic Sports Committee, the Olympic Refugee Foundation, and the UCI, Eyeru was accepted onto the Refugee Athlete Scholarship scheme. 

She gained a contract racing for Team Komugi-Grand Est and was selected to compete for the Refugee Olympic Team.

Djazilla Mwamikaze

While Diane Ingabire represents Rwanda in the time trial and road race, and her compatriot Djazilla Mwamikaze will be competing in the time trial and mountain bike cross country events.

With the Road Race World Championships being held in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2025 (the first time on the African continent), the inclusion of more African women in top-level racing is a positive sign for women’s cycle racing on that continent. 

However, while it is important to have visibility of African riders in front of a global audience at the Olympics, work and funding will still need to continue in order to give more African women more opportunities to race regularly in Europe so that they can be competitive against the world’s elite women racers.  

African women competing in the Paris Olympic Games cycling races

Individual time trial on July 27:

• Diane Ingabire (Rwanda)
• Djazilla Mwamikazi (Rwanda)

Mountain bike cross country on July 28:

• Djazilla Mwamikaze (Rwanda)
• Candice Lill (South Africa)
• Aurelie Halbwachs (Mauritius)

Road race on August 4:

• Nesrine Houili (Algeria)
• Awa Bamogo (Burkina Faso)
• Eyeru Tesfoam (Ethiopian competing for Refugee Olympic Team)
• Kimberley Le Court-Pienaar (Mauritius)
• Vera Looser (Namibia)
• Ese Lovina (Nigeria)
• Diane Ingabire (Rwanda)
• Tiffany Keep (South Africa)
• Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (South Africa)

Track cycling from August 5-11:

• Ebtissam Zayed Ahmed (Egypt) Women’s Omnium