Meron Teshome with 2nd place at ITT Nationals in Eritrea – Lechner takes great 15th in Germany

Patrick Lechner with 15^th place at André Greipel’s win in Erfurt with another good performance in a bunch sprint while Meron Teshome was taking silver medal behind Daniel Teklehaimanot.

It was the weekend where (almost) everywhere all over the world the countries were looking for their national champions. Most of them are allowed to wear those famous jerseys with the flags of their country on that everybody of the riders wants to wear throughout the next 12 months.

The nationals in Germany took place in a very old city named Erfurt. The history of this city goes back to the year 742 ac when it was first time officially named. And this city shows really a lot of this history when visiting it with its old houses and the huge cathedral in the city center. But not only the city has a huge tradition, also the German Championships do, as already so many famous names won this race and took the jersey with the black-red-gold ring on it, such as Erik Zabel, Jan Ullrich or Didi Thurau.

This time, all focus was on the two best sprinters in the world: André Greipel and Marcel Kittel. The latter was very motivated as he originally comes from Erfurt and it was his “home-race” and everything was set to welcome Kittel with the stripes after the race. But a lot of riders want to wear this beautiful jersey and the fight was on. 215 long kilometers, windy and fast. Almost 50 Kilometers on the clock for the first hour, suffering legs and hard fights for any position in the bunch. It was a real Championship. And when the end had come, it was the expected showdown in a bunch sprint final between the two giants of cycling. After a long sprint it was André Greipel who won for the third time the title of German Champion. And the young guy Max Walscheid from Giant –Alpecin left Marcel Kittel only the third place.

And what did the boys from Stradalli – BIKE AID do? They did great! They all fought a hard fight and brought Patrick Lechner in a good position and only with a chaotic final he missed a even better place than his 15^th. And also Niko Holler finished in the Top 20 with his 19^th rank.

Meanwhile in Eritrea: Meron Teshome took in a breathtaking fight with Daniel Teklehaimanot the silver medal only beaten by 34 seconds from the Eritrean hero and werarer of the polka-dot jersey in last year’s Tour de France. A great week-end for all Stradalli – BIKE AID riders! Well done!

Stradalli - Bike Aid's Patrick Lechner with 2nd Place in Bolanden – Niko Holler takes 6th in Landshut

Today was an exciting race day with 2 German classics at the same time. In Bolanden (Rhineland – Palatinum) and Landshut (Bavaria) the guys from Stradalli – BIKE AID proved again they're in great shape.

With its name “Rund um den Donnersberg” (means „thunder“ in German) the race in Bolanden already expected a lot. And indeed it is a race where all year the Elite of the German road cyclists come together to fight against each other and make them suffer a lot. It is one of the few remaining real road races in Germany with 140 hard kilometers. Every single lap from 17 in total there is a 1,5 kilometer climb to leave behind. It doesn't sound  really long, and compared to the alps it is really not, but everyone who ever did a race like this, perfectly knows that if you have to do this 17 times, that is what kills you at the end. And especially when there is a hard sprint at the top of the climb for a prime: that is even worse.

After the first or even second lap everything still feels quite comfortable but then, the 5th or 6th lap, the suffering starts. And you just wish you wouldn’t do this kind of racing.

What is the solution for a situation like this? Not so easy to answer but today three guys found a solution after lap 4 and made their way alone after the top of the climb. Among them: Patrick Lechner from team Stradalli – BIKE AID. He already proved to be in great shape in the Tour of Ireland and after giving his body the needed rest, he continues with great racing! The 3 lads in front harmonized well and quite soon they had a comfortable gap between them and the main bunch of 4:30 minutes.

As they went into the last lap, the gap remained at the same time and it was sure they will race for the victory. After a breathtaking final it was Simon Nuber from Team Möbel Ehrman who won the race and beat Patrick Lechner in the Sprint. The 2nd place is a great result for Patrick and the team, and Meron Amanuel rounded the day up with his 7th place in the following group.

Far more south the second hard race took place. 130 kilometers with more than 2500 meters of climbing makes the “Grand Prix of Baier Bike sport world” to one of the most prestigious races in the south of Germany. Nikodemus Holler on his full carbon Bitonto road bike also made his way into the break-away othat was dominated by the host team with 4 people in it. After a lot of attacks and a lot of rain, Nikodemus tried to put all his cards on the table in the final lap and attacked the break. 1 Kilometer to the finish line the guys behind could catch him with all they had and it was Florenz Knauer who won the race. Niko finished on a great 6th place and continues to show he's in great shape.

A really good race day with good results from the guys of Stradalli – BIKE AID! Well done and keep going next week at the German national Championships!  

In Cologne on the rollercoaster with the world-class – 100th edition “Rund um Köln”

For the 100^th edition of one of the most traditional races in Germany, many World Tour teams were at the start line. Together with Giant – Alpecin, Lotto – Soudal or BMC the guys from Stradalli – BIKE AID had a hard day.

The first edition of this race started in 1908 and since then the riders found the finish year by year in the city of Cologne, one of the biggest cities in Germany with a huge history and tradition. The history of Cologne goes far back to the Romans who named it “Colonia” and it was one of the major cities at the times of the Roman Empire. Lots of battles and war between Romans and Germans took place – a big history that marked all of Europe. Now, more than 2000 years later on a cloudy Sunday morning, there was another battle that took place. But this time on a different kind of battlefield with different kinds of knights using modern kinds of swords to fight. Horses that have two wheels were ridden through the hilly landscape around the city of cologne.

A battlefield with a total distance of 205 Kilometers was ahead of the “black knights” from Stradalli – BIKE AID team. Their mission: conquer the empire of the “dark Lord” André Greipel from the Lotto – Soudal kingdom.

Well, maybe the text would have been like this couple hundred years ago. Today it is more like: Continental Teams trying to present themselves among the Top riders of the World. For sure it is a fight with very different weapons, but still it is worth to fight this fight again and again. Among the best riders were names like: André Greipel (Lotto – Soudal), Taylor Phinney (BMC), Nikias Arndt (Giant – Alpecin) or Sep Vanmarcke (Lotto – Jumbo NL). And what was the plan of the guys from Stradalli – BIKE AID? Well, to put a tiny guy from Eritrea in the middle of the sprint. So far so good. Meron Amanuel, a very fast guy has to sprint against the best of the world. And all other riders would have to protect him and keep him out of all the wind and trouble that can happen during such a long race.

The plan went well, until 30 kilometers to the finish line, when Meron’s back tire punctured in a very bad moment. All that effort for nothing? No, we still had Niko to make an impact. And the small climber made it with his 55 kilos to the top 20 again, among all those sprinters. But he is a very smart guy who knows how to keep position and that led to 17^th place at the end.

A great race, a nice day and an awesome city! Thanks a lot Cologne and see you next year! 

Stradalli – Bike Aid’s Nikodemus Holler Places 6th In Oberhausen

With a great start to the season including strong outings in Frankfut and Belgium, the Stradalli – Bike Aid team has shown they can ride with the top teams in the world. That includes pro racer Nikodemus Holler who is having a great season.

Holler and teammate Dominik Merseburg competed in the Grand Prix of Modelstadt Ruck in a 120 kilometer long crit-race. It is a challenging race that demands a lot from the riders and thanks to the big money prizes, is always a battle. Riders from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands compete in the race.

After a really tough start, Holler showed his ability to read a race and made it up into the decisive break of the day where he was able to continue fighting on his Stradalli Bitonto full carbon road bike. An exceptional climber but not known for his sprinting it was a challenge for Holler to hang in with the lead pack. He finished 6^th in the race won by Daniel Klemme.

The rest of the Stradalli – Bike Aid were heading to another part of Germany for a race in Villingen – Schwenningen. Patrick Lechner, Matthias Schnapka Joschka Beck are joining Janvier Hadi and Jean-Bosco Nsengimana from Rwanda in the 130 kilometer road race that will be full of tough windy conditions and a strong field. The team battled and stayed around the lead the entire race with Lechner and Beck finishing 14^th and 16^th. 

Stradalli – Bike Aid take wins at German Elite State Championships

Stradalli – Bike Aid sent three riders to the German Elite State Championships this past weekend. A field of 130 riders from all regions of Germany lined up in Kassel Wolfhagen to compete for the title of their respective State regions.

Matthias Schnapka, Joschka Beck and Patrick Lechner fought through the hills and wind of Germany to bring home incredible results in a race which only saw 50 riders finish.

Inevitably, due to the wind and hills, a breakaway would slip away with Matthias Schnapka of Stradalli – Bike who would win his elite state championship title for 2016 Saarland .

Patrick Lechner drove the race hard from the beginning, allowing Schnapka to take advantage of the breakaway when the opportunity was presented. Though Lechner missed the breakaway because of his hard work, Lechner would still place second in his respective region’s championship in Rheinland Pfaltz.

Joschka Beck of Stradalli – Bike Aid also brought home a strong second place finish against riders of his region who are noted for being exceptional racers at higher levels. Joschka placed second in the Hessen state.

Stradalli – BikeAid pro cycling team recently returned to Germany after a large block of UCI racing in Belgium. The German Championships attract the best riders in Germany, but the UCI level racing truly brings the Stradalli – Bike Aid riders to another level. Racing against World Tour teams all season has taught the Stradalli – Bike Aid riders many lessons, but their fitness is reaching new levels allowing them to win at the UCI level.

The team has brought home podiums consistently in the UCI Africa Tour and was fighting in breakaways in prestigious races such as Challenge Mallorca and Vuelta Andalucia. Vuelta Andalucia is notorious for being one of the hardest early season stage races in the year and the Stradalli – Bike Aid riders still competed in breakaways throughout the duration of the race.

2016 has been an exceptional year so far for Stradalli – Bike Aid. The team is currently preparing for Tour of Qinghai Lake, the most prestigious race in the UCI Asia Tour. The success in the German Elite Championships gives the riders and management confidence Tour of Qinghai Lake will be another successful tour on calendar of Stradalli – Bike Aid pro cycling team

Team Stradalli – Bike Aid to Tour of Qinghai Lake again – a true peak of the season

The race also known as The Tour de France of Asia takes place in some of the most astonishing places on earth. The Tour of Qinghai Lake leads through the highlands of the Chinese region “Qinghai” near Tibet and along one of the biggest salt lakes on earth.

After participating the last two years 2014 and 2015, this will be the 3^rd year in a row in which Team Stradalli – Bike Aid has received invitation to this race. The 2016 Tour of Qinghai Lake will be a very special edition as it is the 15^thanniversary of the Tour. To be invited again to this race means a lot to the team as the Tour of Qinghai Lake is the most important race in Asia and ranked with HC category in the calendar of UCI. This is the highest category in rankings apart from World Tour races. Qinghai Lake will again give the team the opportunity to race side by side with big teams such as Lampre – Merida of the World Tour during the same time as the Tour de France in July.

The team has been proving their strength over the year against World Tour teams since the beginning of the year. The team first travelled to Challenge Mallorca where they were a constant factor in breakaway moves. The team then continued their aggressive racing style at Vuelta Andalucia Ruta del Sol. The team recently grabbed a 22^nd place finish at UCI 1.HC Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn – Frankfurt, widely known as one of the hardest races in Germany and Europe.

Florent Horeau, who will fill the role of head sport director for Stradalli – Bike Aid in Qinghai Lake, said preparations for Qinghai Lake are the most important for the team.

“The whole schedule and planning of the season is targeted to this race. We have been able to show good performances in the past two years with many Top – 10 results, but this year we want to achieve the next level and be focused on this race,” Horeau said.

Stradalli – Bike Aid will continue using the carbon Aversa frame for Qinghai lake. The Aversa frame has proven itself over a wide variety of terrain and racing conditions and will suit the racers needs for the toughest stage race in Asia. The team fully believes in their capabilities to impact the race and will be using the best technology to do so.

Especially with the new rider from Rwanda, Jean-Bosco Nsengimana, team Stradalli – Bike Aid want to play an important role in the general classification of the race. To achieve this goal it is necessary to be perfectly organized and to have a square schedule for every rider to be in top-shape at this time.

Horeau said another goal will be to fight with Meron Teshome from Eritrea for stage-wins.

“Meron already proved lot of times that he is a fast sprinter.” Horeau said. “He has been especially good this year. He already beat one of his biggest competitors a couple of times in the sprint. That gives us confidence and hope to also play a good role in the daily sprints.”

Not only in terms of sport the Tour of Qinghai Lake will be a highlight of the season. The race is well-known for its unique location on altitude and given the fact that the stages will be held at altitudes between 2.400m and 3.800m this will be a very special challenge for the body and also the mind of each and every rider. The team recently traveled to the Tour of Eritrea where they raced and excelled in similar altitudes after preparing on Alpe d’huez in France and STEPS training facility in Germany. Nevertheless the racing will still be tough and the riders will be rewarded for their agonies with breath-taking views and landscapes at the top of this unique scenery that is quite impossible to find the right words for.

In terms of media, the Tour of Qinghai Lake is a real eye-catcher! Every stage will be live broadcasted in the Chinese TV channel CCTV 5 ensuring huge media coverage as well as the reports in the countless daily newspapers. A peak of about 2 million spectators per day on the race roads well-rounding this awesome event and makes it to a unique platform for riders, teams and also the sponsors to present to the Chinese and Asian markets!

We hope that we will be also able to bring you again breath-taking pictures and stories from the Tour of Qinghai Lake also in 2016!

Round um den Finanzplatz Eschborn - Frankfurt, one of Germany’s most important and hard one-day races, can be won by either sprinters or early attackers. It creates a beautiful race in which riders have the opportunity to make the difference before the flat finish in the center of the city. The race is 206.8 km and the presence of the Taunus Mountains and their challenging climbs could see the race change at any time and requires to the riders to focus 100 percent of their energy into every moment of the race.

180 riders lined up to complete the circuit which featured 8 categorized climbs with gradients of 20 percent. The race which saw the riders race uphill at insane speeds had only 56 finishers. On the first lap riders were already losing contact with the bunch.

Stradalli – Bike Aid lined up their best riders to compete against Etixx – Quickstep and Team Katusha. The team knows the strength of the World Tour teams from their early season racing in Challenge Mallorca and Ruta del Sol and came fully prepared to attack the race.

Etixx – Quickstep fielded a talented team which included Niki Terpstra, Giani Meersman and 3-time UCI Time Trial World Champion Tony Martin. Terpstra, winner of the 2014 edition of Paris – Roubaix and Meersman did not finish the race. Martin was the last of 56 finishers of the tough, hilly route through Frankfurt.

Alexander Kristoff of Team Katusha would take the final sprint of the day, but he was not the only winner at Eschborn - Frankfurt. John Degenkolb could feel like a winner after almost a three-month injury break. Degenkolb celebrated an impressive comeback even if he did not finish with the best time. Degenkolb rode in the service of his team, Giant-Alpecin. After nearly 160 kilometers he reduced his pace instead of hurting himself over the fourth and final time on the Mammolshain mountain. Degenkolb finished the race in the team bus. Giant – Alpecin teammate, American Caleb Fairly, also pulled out of the race.

The race would finish hard and fast in the Frankfurt city streets and Milan – San Remo winner Alexander Kristoff would take the sprint handily. The Argentinian Maximiliano Richeze from the Belgian Etixx - Quick-Step team and the Irishman Sam Bennett Germany Team Bora – Argon 18 rolled in behind for second and third place.

Stradalli – Bike Aid rider Nico Holler had an incredible ride finishing 22 in the main pack. Holler is a climber by specialty, but still managed to be at the front of the group for a tight fast sprint. Eschborn – Frankfurt is widely considered one of the hardest races in Germany and it is a huge result for Holler and Stradalli – Bike Aid to be at the front attacking and competing with the best teams and Europe.

Stradalli – Bike Aid Team Dominant On Their Adopted Continent Of Africa

It’s funny how things work out. The Stradalli – Bike Aid team from Germany loves to race in some of the most beautiful locations in Europe. Their trip to Spain is a great example as they raced in Mallorca and saw some of the most amazing sites in the world. But there’s only one place this team truly feels at home and it is the last place you would expect.

Africa is the adopted continent of the Stradalli – Bike Aid team as their charity efforts have helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to help young African cyclists realize their dream of becoming pro racers. The program has so many success stories but the one thing people weren’t sure of is if it would lead to wins and podium appearances for the race team.

Not only is the team off to maybe it’s best start ever, but they are dominating races throughout Africa and it continued this week at the Tour of Eritrea. But it’s not just the Germans who are doing well. Of the 6 young African racers on the team, 3 of them are from Eritrea and all have either won or placed in the top 10 already in this early season. This includes Amanuel Meron who rode his Stradalli Cycle Aversa full carbon road bike right to the podium in the Tour of Eritrea already.

Amanuel is joined by teammates Amanuel Mengis Ghebreindrias, Meron Teshome and German riders Dominik Merseburg, Daniel Bichlmann and Matthias Schnapka who all have experience riding in the heat of Africa. Great teamwork is the reason for the early season success of Stradalli – Bike Aid, however, it is also a great reminder of the hard charitable work put in by the organization. When you have 3 stellar racers return home to Eritrea and perform the way these young men have you know that the program is working and the efforts are paying off. 

Tom Stradalli, CEO of Stradalli Cycle, and the Stradalli - Bike Aid Team have spent the week 
preparing for Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn - Frankfurt. This UCI 1.HC race is one of the toughest races in 
Germany and attracts many World Tour teams. 
Eschborn - Frankfurt past winners include Alexander Kristoff of Team Katusha and the legendary 
Erik Zabel of Team Telekom. 
The Stradalli - Bike Aid Continental Professional Team will use the Aversa carbon aero road frame 
for this weekend's race. The guys are coming off some great wins and podiums at the Tour of Eritrea and are 
ready to continue their European UCI racing campaign.

The Tour of Eritrea began with a bang for Stradalli – Bike Aid after they put Amanuel Meron on the podium after 117 kilometers of racing, but Stradalli – Bike Aid’s time in Eritrea began far before the 2016 edition was even thought about.

Stradalli – Bike Aid is well known for their charity work in Africa and much of the work is done inside the borders of Eritrea. Before the race, Stradalli – Bike Aid spent time exploring the roads of Eritrea and spending time with local youth.

Eritrea is known for its difficulties regarding poverty and war. Most wouldn’t guess Eritrea is a cycling-crazy country. Americans dream of being professional football players or perhaps going to the NBA. In Eritrea, the dream is cycling and those that reach the World Tour are forever heroes in their country.

3 of the 6 African riders on Stradalli – Bike Aid are from Eritrea and all 3 were present every day to race in their home country. These Eritrean riders are not just filling the pack. These are young rock stars. These are the top athletes Eritrea has to offer and they proved it every day in Eritrea with a podium or top 10 finish.

Amanuel Meron opened the account for Stradalli – Bike Aid with a 3^rd place finish in a very tight sprint finish in stage 1. Amanuel Meron repeated this finish on stage 2 in the process of helping Meron Teshome of Stradalli – Bike Aid take a commanding win in the sprint finish in Agordat. Stage 3 was more mountainous and less suitable to the team of expert sprinters at Stradalli – Bike Aid, but Amanuel Meron still finish at the front of the main group. However, the team didn’t take it easy for long.

Stage 4 was a déjà vu for the peloton as Stradalli – Bike Aid again took 2 of the top 5 spots. Amanuel Meron and the team knew the sprint leaders jersey was well within reach. Meron Teshome returned the favor helping Amanuel Meron onto the podium while finishing fourth on the day.

The sprinters may be the stars of the race, but they could not accomplish these results without top notch teamwork. The rest of the team, which includes Eritrean rider Amanuel Mengis Ghebreindrias, and German riders Dominik Merseburg, Daniel Bichlmann and Matthias Schnapka worked tirelessly to put the team in the best possible position for the win. They do it all on the Stradalli Aversa to handle the tough roads of Eritrea.

Such is the case for Stradalli – Bike Aid on and off the bike. The team works constantly to continue their mission in Africa to provide opportunities for less-fortunate people. Many Africans would never have the opportunity to be educated, let alone have easy access to clean drinking water and nutritious food.

Stage 5 ended in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea. The team had done more than enough to cement their victory in the sprint points competition. The team took home the green leaders jersey and gave Eritrean cycling fans the opportunity to spend time with their cycling heroes. Now the team is in Germany to continue their European campaign.

Many say the level of cycling in Africa is not as high as Europe, but this is not the case. African cycling is full of incredible athletes and the team is well prepared for Eschborn – Frankfurt after a long stint in Africa and several tune up races in Germany.

The Tour of Eritrea was a success. Wins aside, the team got back to its roots and it was a healthy reminder to the riders why they race. Stradalli – Bike Aid does not race their bicycles just to race. Stradalli – Bike Aid Continental Professional team is a family and they are proving every day they have the work ethic to succeed.

Stradalli – Bike Aid Continental Professional Team has been on a hot streak the past few weeks in Europe and Africa.

Stradalli – Bike recently travelled to the Tour of Eritrea, where they not only took many podium places, but finished off a successful week by taking home the green jersey with Amanuel Meron for the best sprinter competition. The team worked flawlessly throughout the week to position their sprinters to give them the best possible chance at stage wins.

Though the team did not win every stage, the team was the most consistent giving them the reward of the green jersey in the UCI 2.2 Tour of Eritrea. This was a huge success for the team.

Immediately after the finish of the Tour of Eritrea, the team returned to Germany to prepare for the upcoming UCI 1.HC Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn – Frankfurt. The team has been participating in races around Germany to and most recently put two riders on the podium the Uberherrner National German Professional race, the team’s opener for Eschborn – Frankfurt.

Eschborn – Frankfurt is one of the toughest races in Germany. The previous edition was won by Alexander Kristoff, classic specialist from Team Katusha who has won Milan – San Remo and The Tour of Flanders.

Former winner John Degenkolb of Giant – Alpecin will make his return to racing at Eschborn – Frankfurt this Sunday after recovering from injuries suffered from a terrible accident whilst training in Australia early in 2016. Degenkolb, who won Milan – San Remo and Paris – Roubaix in 2015, has been off the bike since January and enters Eschborn – Frankfurt with the intent of finishing the race.

The 27-year-old from Gera, East Germany has been with Giant – Alpecin since it was in its professional continental form, Argos – Shimano in 2012. Since he has won 10 stages of the Vuelta a Espana and several important spring classic races. Argos – Shimano was also the home for our recent podium finisher Niko Holler. Holler and Degenkolb were teammates in 2012 and will race together this weekend again at Eschborn – Frankfurt. Since 2012, Holler has grown to be a team leader and challenge the general classification in UCI races all over Europe, Africa and Asia.

Eschborn – Frankfurt will be televised throughout Europe this Sunday and will feature other UCI World Tour teams such as Etixx – Quickstep and AG2r La Mondiale as well. Stradalli – Bike Aid will use the carbon aero Aversa frame exclusively for this race. The temperatures in Germany have been freezing and below for the past week, which means the racing this weekend will see the riders compete in some of the toughest, snowy conditions Germany has to offer.

Rain, Snow, podium and barbecue – an interesting first race for the guys from Rwanda in cold Germany at pro race 

Nikodemus Holler and Janvier Hadi convinced despite horrible weather conditions with place 2 and 3 at the team’s home-race in Überherrn.

We all know that in April there is a special situation with our weather conditions here in Germany. Due to influences from the wind we can have warm conditions (if we have south winds) or get all the cold weather from the Nordics and polar area (with winds from the north). For sure everybody hopes that the wind will always blow from the south but unfortunately we all got disappointed that day. A drop of 20 degree celcius compared to only 2 days before and also a mix of snow and rain should make this day unforgettable for the two guys who just arrived from Rwanda that week. Thankfully their Stradalli Cycle Aversa road bikes have performed amazingly despite the different weather conditions the team has faced.

Janvier Hadi and Jean Bosco Nsengimana. Two young riders, who come from the same small village in Rwanda and both of them know perfectly when it rains, as it sometimes rains a lot in Rwanda. But there it just feels like taking a warm shower while here they felt like sitting in a freezer. Due to this situation they had to learn quite quick that in Germany are couple of seasons, even if we should not have this kind of low temperature anymore. And at the end it should also have an impact on the race, as it was impossible for Janvier Hadi to eat enough as he couldn’t move his fingers anymore, as he told later after the race.

But at the beginning the impact should be not really visible as he took the chance and went into a break-away right from the start of the race, accompanied by his team mate Nikodemus Holler. Nikodemus just arrived 15 minutes to the start with his fancy VW Polo that let him suffer a little bit due to a technical problem but finally bring him safe and sharp to the start. Just in the bib-shorts and also shoes and jersey and off to race! Obviously Niko had the right level of adrenaline due to this incident and went also directly in that break-away that should work together quite well and stay out until the end of the race.

As the deciding moment arrived it was at the hill to Rammelfangen where the two guys from Stradalli – BIKE AID split the break again. After Nikodemus’ attack it was only Fabian Genuit and Janvier Hadi who could follow and made 3 out of 8. A perfect tactical situation for the team, as they had two out of 3 riders in the front.

But Janvier should feel the impact of the cold weather now in the final lap as he could not follow anymore after another raise of the tempo in the climb. So he got a small gap to the two guys in front and the perfect situation became a little bit worse as all knew Fabian was the better sprinter. So Nikodemus tried all he had to drop Fabian but he was staying on his wheel and took his chance to win in the final sprint.

Short after them it was Janvier Hadi who arrived at 3^rd place only couple of seconds behind. A great first race for him in Europe and especially with these conditions he is not used to. Congrats to him!

Also great performance by Nikodemus and the whole team to made an impressive race on this day. After this suffering all the riders well deserved an awesome barbecue with the BIKE AID community and letting an incredible day come to the end together!

Stradalli – Bike Aid Team Visits History Sites Of Germany During Training

During their time in Germany the Stradalli – Bike Aid race team has enjoyed their time of team building activities and site seeing. One of the great benefits of being able to train and race in Germany is that you are able to visit so many historic sites like the ones pictured below including Devils Castle near the French border and more.

Of course it wouldn’t be a trip to Germany without seeing some pretty unique cars including this one made by the Morgan Motor Company which has been around since 1909.

Of course as great a car as it is, it has a long way to go to match the Stradalli – Bike Aid Team Car 

Interview With Stradalli - Bike Aid Rider Meron Teshome

Meron Teshome of Stradalli – Bike Aid German team may only be 23 years old but he is already gaining attention around the European Cycling community. Trying to give sprinters from Eritrea a great reputation, Teshome is also trying to become a great representative for the rise in African cycling.

During an interview with Teshome, we were able to get to see how impactful the Stradalli – Bike Aid efforts truly are in the lives of many young African cyclists.

When you grow up in Eritrea you grow up a fan of road cycling. It’s just the way it is back home. It doesn’t matter if you race or not, over half the population of Asmara uses bikes to commute. My uncle and great uncle were also cyclists and they influenced me to do it. I grew up wanting to be just like Tom Boonen, cycling is in my blood and it is a passion I have had my entire life.

Comparing African Cycling To European

Some people don’t realize how much of a challenge it is to reach the top in Africa as compared to Europe. There are fewer opportunities in Africa, for example in Eritrea cyclists like Daniel Teklehaimanot or Nathanael Berhane will get more looks because they are very talented climbers. Daniel is already proving to the world the level of talent there is with Eritrean climbers but that doesn’t help me to move forward to where I want to go. Cycling is so big in Europe but I think Africa is finally catching up. The fan base is great and we have a great group of highly talented cyclists coming up and winning in Europe.

Despite such a young career, Teshome has picked up victories in the Tour of Rwanda, the Tour of Eritrea, the Eritrean National Championships, the African Games ITT in 2015 and the African Continental Championships TTT in 2013.

It’s not that I look at one win to be more important than another. They are all important to me. However, one that I will always cherish is the stage I won in the Tour of Rwanda, as Rwanda is a full of mountain country. That and the African Games ITT win was also special to me because I worked so hard to improve my TT skills. When I was with the MTN team in South Africa I learned a lot about being a professional racer. This is a sport centered around family because your team is your family but also because it really does take the support of your family back home to help you become the best possible cyclist.

Being a part of the Stradalli – Bike Aid family is very special for me. This has been a tough season to start, especially the Mallorca Challenge. However, when I look back to how far I’ve come in such a short period of time, I am now racing with a great team in some of big races and I get to race on the beautiful Aversa road bike from Stradalli, I know I’m very lucky to have these opportunities and I hope to make the most of them.

Stradalli – Bike Aid – Mont Ventoux training camp racers are preparing

The European racing schedule is intensifying. We are in full swing with the spring classics well under way. The Tour of Flanders finished this past weekend and Paris – Roubaix is nearly upon us. Many of the classics riders are in top form this time of year, but the general classification riders are just getting started.

Stradalli – Bike Aid began their season early in Africa , Germany and in Spain as do most UCI teams. Since they have taken several podiums in Africa and are now preparing for the important stage races with a team training camp.

Places such as Tenerife are famous for their high elevation and tough training conditions. Teams such as Sky and Astana frequent the area to prepare their riders for the high elevation of big stage races. This year Stradalli – Bike Aid has chosen the battleground for many Tour de France routes as their choice for high mountains training, Mont Ventoux.

Mont Ventoux has long been a mainstay of the Tour de France route due to its beauty, but also its diversity. The variety of conditions riders experience on Mont Ventoux makes it incredibly difficult. It begins as a sheltered, gradually rising road through the green forests of France, but finishes at the top of a barren and windy mountain peak with incredible steep roads which switch back and forth up the mountain.

Mont Ventoux has featured in the Tour de France 15 times over the years, 10 of which were summit finishes. In 2013, Chris Froome of Team Sky won atop Mont Ventoux on his way to winning the yellow jersey. The difficulty of the mountain has made those who win legends of the sport. Richard Virenque, Marco Pantani and Eddy Merckx are all on the list of riders to win atop Mont Ventoux.

Stradalli – Bike Aid will face similar challenges in Africa, Europe and Asia in the coming months. The Tour of Eritrea will reach 2,500 meters, a height surpassing that of Mont Ventoux. The team has been training all over the world in preparation for upcoming races in high tech facilities such as the STAPS facility in Koln, Germany. Now the team is bringing their fitness to the road and putting themselves to the test on the toughest mountains Europe has to offer.

Stradalli – Bike Aid’s next race will begin April 19^th in Eritrea. 

Stradalli – Bike Aid Racers Getting Ready At STAPS Institute

Stradalli– Bike Aid riders are now in fully focused on preparing for the Tour of Eritrea on beginning April 19^th. Several riders are currently training at the STAPS Institute in Koln, Germany.

The STAPS Institute is world famous for their work with World Tour level professional cyclists. STAPS works closely with top level athletes providing threshold testing, training data analysis and detailed development planning. They have brought several teams incredible amounts of success.

The infamous HTC – Highroad which saw Mark Renshaw and Mark Cavendish form an unbeatable sprint duo behind an even more intimidating sprint train was fueled by the guidance of STAPS between 2008-2011. Team Katusha of Russia and Garmin – Cannondale Pro Cycling have both trained with STAPS in the past and STAPS currently works with several top level triathletes and cyclists for more personalized training.

Tony Martin of Etixx – Quickstep is one of these athletes who have been supervised by STAPS since the beginnings of his professional career. Martin has seen 57 professional wins during his career including 3 UCI Time Trial World Championships.

This high quality facility is now home base for preparation for Meron Teshome and Amanuel Mengis Ghebreindrias for the upcoming Tour of Eritrea. The Tour of Eritrea reaches 2600 meters altitude, an altitude similar to the mountain ranges covered in the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia.

The Tour of Eritrea is tough, but the team is sparing no expense in ensuring the riders are prepared for the worst the Tour of Eritrea has to offer. Amanuel Mengis and Meron Teshome have already shown they have great form for the early season, but winning the Tour of Eritrea will be the next step in the development of these young riders.

Stradalli – Bike Aid races with a focus of developing young African riders, but also giving the people basic needs such as food and water. Education and training for these people is also provided as part of the Stradalli – Bike Aid mission. Eritrea is one of the poorest countries in the world. Very few can fathom what life would be like to live with only $150 USD per year, but this is reality Eritrean men, women and children. Two thirds of Eritrean households lack basic food security.

The idea of an Eritrean man finding success at the highest level of the sport is miraculous, but despite the odds being stacked against them, Eritreans are excelling at the top level of cycling. Daniel Teklehaimanot, Mekseb Debesay and Natnael Berhane of Dimension Data have made their way into the World Tour and are riding at the front of the hardest races. Eritrea is a small country, but they are cycling crazy people with a lot of determination who take nothing for granted.

Now at STAPS Stradalli – Bike Aid is helping Meron Teshome and Amanuel Mengis reach the next level with rigorous training in the state of the art STAPS facilities. Teshome and Mengis have gone from training on the war torn roads of Eritrea to racing the Challenge Mallorca. Now they have made it all the way to the number 1 training facility in Germany. They have talent, but they have the heart for what it takes to be truly successful in the toughest sport in the world.

Many teams are now inquiring about Teshome and Mengis after stellar early season performances in Africa and Mallorca. Both riders had standout performances at La Tropicale Amissa Bongo and Tour du Cameroun. Stradalli – Bike Aid management said to lose them would be tough, but expected.

“When young guys are performing so well and they are so grateful for the opportunity, they are ideal candidates for top level teams. We love helping these guys develop into something special. To see them go is bitter sweet. We love having guys like Meron and Amanuel with us, but these guys are destined for the World tour. We don’t know if they will make the jump to the World tour next year or not, but either way we are happy that our mission to help African riders is succeeding and not just a dream.” Management said.