Stradalli - Bike Aid Team to win Tour du Rwanda

Germany-based Stradalli–Bike Aid are very optimistic of becoming the second UCI Continental team to win Tour du Rwanda. Stradalli - Bike Aid pro cycling teams charge will be led by their Rwandan reigning champion Jean Bosco Nsengimana.

The 8th edition of the UCI-Africa Tour 2.2 race, slated for November 13-20, has been dominated by national teams since 2009 when it became part of the UCI Africa Tour, with United States-based Team Type 1–Sanofi the only UCI Continental team to have won it, back in 2011.

However, Stradalli- Bike Aid pro cycling which is among the four UCI Continental teams that will grace this year’s seven-stage showpiece, are confident that their star man, Nsengimana, who joined the club in June, can win the Tour for the second year in a row, provided he gets the support he needs from his teammates.

“For the Tour of Rwanda 2016, the goals of the team Stradalli- Bikeaid have a little bit changed; last year, we went for stage wins with Mekseb Debesay ( now world tour racer ) and Meron Amanuel. But this year, we have last year’s overall winner in our ranks and we will give him all the support we can for him to win the Tour again,” says the team manager.

"We hope that we can support Nsengimana the best way, the goals are set and the ambition is high. Seven hard days during the end of Tour du Rwanda will show us what we really can do.”

The 22-year old Nsengimana is currently training in Rwanda at Africa Rising Cycling Centre in Musanze District, along with the 15 local riders, who will represent Rwanda.

Among other competitors that will ride along Nsengimana includes Eritrean Meron Amanuel Mengstab (winner stage 2 and 6 of Tour du Rwanda 2012), Tanzanian Richard Laizer, Damien Garcia pro racer from France and Mathias Schnapka from Germany.

 Tour du Rwanda is very important for team Stradalli- bikeaid not only because we have Nsengimana, who can win it, but also because of the very special atmosphere and the huge enthusiasm by the locals and African racing overall 

This year’s edition will attract over 85 riders under 17 teams from different parts of the world. These include eight African national teams, four UCI continental teams, and five regional teams or clubs.

8 African national teams:

• Team Rwanda
• National Team of Kenya
• National Team of Cameroon
• National Team of South Africa
• National Team of Ethiopia
• National Team of Eritrea
• National Team of Egypt
• National Team of Algeria

4 UCI Continental Teams:

• Dimension Data For Qhubeka (South-Africa)
• Kenyan Riders Downunder (Kenya)
• Cycling Academy Team (Israel)
• Stradalli - Bike Aid (Germany)

Stradalli - Bike Aid Pro Team Heads Into UCI 2.2 Tour Of Eritrea

The UCI 2.2 Tour of Eritrea begins April 19^th and Stradalli – Bike Aid will be bringing a full team to compete at a race in a country that sits close to the heart of the team’s mission.

Eritrea, due to its Italian influence, is a cycling crazy country. Cycling is less of a hobby and more of a way of life for many Eritreans. Historically the country has been torn by war, disease and poverty. However, that hasn’t stopped Eritrea from ascending into the higher ranks of cycling.

Stradalli – Bike Aid will be in attendance with a full team of 6 cyclists, half of which are from Eritrea. Stradalli – Bike Aid has had several success stories of bringing riders from Africa and elevating them to the World Tour level. Past riders such as Mekseb Debesay, Eritrean professional rider for World Tour team Dimension Data, found their feet at the higher level with Stradalli – Bike Aid. Educating, training and providing opportunity for the African people was once a dream and is now reality for the German Continental Professional Team.

Teshome Meron, Amanuel Mengis and Meron Amanuel are the 3 Eritreans that will represent Stradalli – Bike Aid at the Tour of Eritrea. Of all the talent coming from Eritrea in the past few years, these few star riders are showing they are most exciting. Daniel Bichlmann, Dominik Merseburg and Matthias Schnapka will all be present to make up a top level team to compete for victory.

Amanuel Mengis, 21-year-old from Eritrea, began his season at the Challenge Mallorca racing against teams of the highest caliber. Trek – Segafredo took a win with Fabian Cancellara. Lotto Soudal took wins with Andre Greipel. Movistar, Team Sky and Francas de Jeux all were present showing off their early season form. Mengis was one of the youngest riders in the race and still proved he could perform with the best.

From Mallorca, Mengis traveled immediately to Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol where he was a constant presence in breakaways for Stradalli – Bike Aid. Mengis then brought his early season form to the Tour of Cameroon where finished in the top 10 in every stage, led the youth classification and took home the green points leaders jersey after 8 days of racing. Mengis is the first Eritrean to bring the Stradalli Carbon Aversa to a first place finish in a leader’s jersey competition.

The Tour of Cameroon is one of the most prestigious races on the UCI Africa Tour, but Eritrea is home for Mengis and several Stradalli – Bike Aid riders. The riders will have extra motivation to dominate their home race and show Eritrea is ready for the highest echelon of cycling. Cycling is the most watched sport in Eritrea. Weekend races have standout numbers in terms of attendance. Fans line the road for local races and beginner riders just entering the sport.

The accomplishments of Stradalli – Bike Aid have attracted attention internationally prompting everything from invites to larger races to television coverage in multiple countries. The Tour of Eritrea will be televised in several countries. Cycling aside, television networks in Germany will be broadcasting a human interest piece on Stradalli – Bike Aid and its riders, showing the genuine interest the public has in the mission behind the cycling team.

Eritrea, despite being a very small country, has already found its way to the top level of cycling. The Tour de France for many is the end goal of their cycling careers. Natnael Berhane of Team Dimension Data was the first Eritrean to achieve this goal, finishing 51^st in his first Tour de France and wore the polka dot climbers jersey for several stages during the race. For a small country, this is a huge achievement.

The question for the future will be whether Eritrea can make an even greater impact on the sport. The highest point in Eritrea sits at 2600 meters altitude and with Eritrea being such a cycling crazy country it seems Eritrea is poised to begin producing top athletes.

They may lack in resources, but they do not lack heart. Stradalli – Bike Aid’s mission is to give people such as these opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t have. All the African riders on Stradalli – Bike Aid have been top performers this year and Tour of Eritrea is the next stop on the journey to success in 2016. 

Robbie Hunter, former Garmin – Sharp rider from South Africa, now spends his time helping develop young African riders. Hunter has won stages in the Vuelta a Espana and at the Tour de France. His experience gives him an eye for talent. Cycling is crazy in Eritrea and many fans line the streets on race day. This is like a pro tour race just amazing atmosphere and the love for cycling

Stradalli – Bike Aid racer Amanuel Mengis makes the Podium On 6th Stage of Tour of Cameroon

Stradalli – Bike Aid pro racer Amanuel Mengis finished the sixed stage of the Tour of Cameroon and climbed to 3^rd in the overall and overall leader in youth classifications with his Aversa road bike now taking the white jersey

After yesterday’s rest day and the stage victory of Jean Bosco Nsengimana from team Stradalli – Bikeaid in the fifth stage, the team was very motivated to start today’s stage. The goal for today was to be aggressive in the mountains to make up time on the yellow jersey leading the Moroccans. Daniel Bichelman and other members of the Stradalli cycle – Bike Aid team planned an attack together which forced the Moroccans to act quickly. The timing was perfect for Amanuel Mengis to settle in a three-strong group of remaining pursuers of the yellow jersey to make up crucial time.

Now only 1:01 minutes behind the overall leader, Mengis ranks third in the overall standings and leads the juniors white jersey standings. The last mountain stage is tomorrow and a good starting point is feasible. 

Tour of Cameroon Stage 1: Amanuel Mengis Of Stradalli-Bike Aid In 7th Place

The cold temperatures of racing in Europe are a distant memory as the Stradalli-Bike Aid Team starts begins the Tour du Cameroun in the heat of West Africa.

The first stage was actually not too hard on the riders with fair conditions and 128 km of mostly flat terrain. Team captains Amanuel Mengis and Jean Bosco Nsengimana are used to these conditions and it showed as Mengis on the Stradalli Aversa full carbon road bike was in the lead group along with teammate Joschka Beck.

 The brutal heat took its toll on the riders, especially during the later stages of the day but Mengis continued to perform well and stay with the leaders, finishing in 7th on the day.

Get The Same Bikes Used By The Stradalli-Bike Aid Conti Team

Looking for a new bike to race with next year? Why not use the same full carbon road bike used by the pros and it's available for less than $4,000! The Aversa is one of the best quality full carbon road bikes sold by Stradalli Cycle and is currently on sale for less than you would imagine.

Stradalli Cycle/Bike Aid Pro Racer Patrick Lechner

Today we went on a ride with Stradalli-Bike Aid Continental Cycling Team Rider, Patrick Lechner on A1A through Ft. Lauderdale along the beach, who was putting his Stradalli Cycle Full Carbon Fiber Aversa Road Bike through some tests in preparation for his 2016 season.

Lechner has been the Saarland, Germany Road Racing Champion 4 times during his career. In 2016 alone he took the road, mountain bike, uphill and cyclocross titles of Saarland, Germany.

Lechner is incredibly strong and is often the keystone to his team’s success. It was his personality and his insight into cycling is what makes him an irreplaceable part of his team.

Today Lechner gave us some feedback about his new Stradalli Aversa.

“The bike is beautiful,” Lechner said. “Aside from that, I am a bigger rider and I need a stiff frame. This frame responds to every effort I put into it. I love it. When a bike performs this well, it makes me very confident for the upcoming season.”

 Lechner only had a few moments to spend with us before he had to get back to the grind of team training in South Florida. South Florida sounds relaxing, but Stradalli-Bike Aid is here to do work in preparation for the upcoming season. They will average around 6 hours per day for the next two weeks and every mile of the training will be covered aboard the new Stradalli Aversa.