UCI and ANOCA agree to strengthen the development of cycling in Africa

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) celebrated Africa Day by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding meant to raise the level of cyclists across the continent ahead of the 2025 UCI Road World Championships.

The agreement covers identifying and training prospective riders, as well as providing them with opportunities to gain critical race experience in Europe.

UCI President David Lappartient explained, “when I stated in my Agenda 2022 that I wanted to take the UCI Road World Championships to Africa for the first time, it was part of a wider vision to strengthen our development work on the continent.”

“I am incredibly excited to work alongside the ANOCA to ensure that African athletes will be [a force] to be reckoned with in Kigali in three years’ time,” added Lappartient. “The continent is teeming with talent, and we will make sure that the whole world will be witness to that at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships and beyond.”

Work on developing new talents will begin this year at the UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) Satellite in Paarl, South Africa. Cyclists will be selected for a training camp at the facility based on physiological testing, results from international races and recommendations from UCI certified coaches, or officials connected with the project, such as Jean-Pierre Van Zyl, Director of the UCI WCC Satellite in Paarl.

Those selected for the training camp will also be given the opportunity to train at the UCI WCC in Switzerland, while honing their race craft over the next three years at various races throughout Europe.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the UCI headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland in the presence of UCI President David Lappartient, UCI Director General Amina Lanaya, UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) ad interim Director Jacques Landry, ANOCA President Mustapha Berraf and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Chief of Development of Sport in Africa Yassine Yousfi.

It is hoped the agreement will increase the podium chances of African nations at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships. However, the program will target junior and under-23 division riders with an eye on success at the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles as well.