Zakayo Nderi is a shoe-shine boy and Samwei Mwangi is a Kikuyu tribesman who bought his first bicycle at the age of 16 and never looked back. Daily, they ride distances between 100-200 km for work. They both have the small stature and high endurance of the typical Kenyan marathon runner, which is the perfect build for a climbing specialist in cycling.
So far, they’ve ridden a timed ascent of Genting Highlands, voted by Pro Cycling Magazine as the fifth hardest climb in the world. Their time was comparable to the champion of the Tour de Langkawai, Anthony Charteau. When he could not compete in a cycling competition, Zakayo took part in stair-climbing competitions. Last September he won the Swissotel Vertical Marathon.
There are currently no professional black African cyclists. It is the last major professional sport without any black African presence at all. Many cyclists from Africa, and in particular, East Africa, have been restricted in their opportunities to compete at prestigious cycling events.
A contributing fact is the high cost of the sport which is a significant barrier to their entry and participation. Traditionally, cycling events such as the Tour de France require sponsorship by companies in order to field a team to participate.
Nderi and Mwangi have endured poverty and hardship, including ethnic cleansing in their villages. This ride is the next lap in these Kenyans’ hopes of getting sponsorship and putting together a multi-ethnic African world-class cycling team.
Lance Armstrong, retired professional cyclist and seven-time Tour de France winner took 39 minutes and 41 seconds to climb this route. Nderi and Mwangi want to pit themselves against his time, and prove that with the limited training and support they’ve received, they’re on par with the top 20 cyclists of the Stage 16 time trial at the 2004 Tour de France.
We invite you to witness this historical event in the making. With the right support, they could be the next Tiger Woods of pro-cycling!
For more information, please visit www.theafricancyclist.com
Contact: Annie Kwan (UK)
Tel: 44-7795285022
Email: 27thstring@gmail.com
Contact: Nicholas Leong (Manager)
Tel: 65 97694454
Email: mail@nicholasleong.com or chaletmichelle@
