Last Sunday's Observer newspaper had a brilliant article on professional cycling in Rwanda. It focused on Team Rwanda, the first ever pro team in the country. Many of the cyclists on Team Rwanda lost family members in the genocide that took place there in 1994, but the team hopes to make Rwanda famous for more than just that awful conflict. "If I go outside the country and I am wearing this shirt," Rafiki, one of the cyclists, says, tugging at his Team Rwanda jersey, "people will know about Rwanda for something else." They're trying to become the most successful pro team in Africa, and hope to send a team to the Tour de France within the decade. It's an inspiring article. Read it here.
The article in the Observer is by Steve Bloomfield, and the photo above is by Riccardo Gangale.
2 comments:
Hay Mr Hipster...this is not just a cycling story of war ,hope and redamption but also adventure n' fun just look at the pics those pedals are being turned with more feeling than most of could muster in a life time...one day a black guy will wear the yellow jersey or rainbow hoops the French are going to go in to a whole country hart attack...
There was a great article about the coach, Jonathan Boyer, in Bicycling magazine. Boyer was the first American in the Tour De France but will also always have to register as a sex offender in California.
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