With 2025 coming to an end, Team Africa Rising (TAR) says it is preparing for another busy year of supporting young cyclists, work the organization describes as “quiet, unglamorous, but essential” for the sport’s growth across the continent.
For almost two decades, TAR has operated in small villages, training centres and race paddocks in countries where cycling structures remain thin. The organization focuses on identifying young talent and guiding riders, particularly juniors and women, from grassroots level to the professional ranks.
This year, that approach produced several standout moments for TAR. One of the most notable was 18-year-old Georgette Vignonfodo from Benin becoming the first cyclist from her country to sign a professional contract.
Geoirgette will join a European team next season, part of a growing group of African women moving into the pro peloton in 2026.
TAR staffs were also on hand at the UCI World Road Race Championships in Kigali, Rwanda supporting riders from Benin, Sierra Leone, Ghana and others with nutrition and race logistics. It was at those same championships that Ethiopian junior Tsige Kiros finished seventh, a performance that secured her a move to Canyon//SRAM for 2026. Eritrea’s Nahom Efriem, who placed 11th in the juniors, is also set to join an international team next season.
Away from the big events, TAR says most of its work takes place in far less visible settings. Coaches and mechanics spend months mentoring young cyclists, while administrators assist federations and clubs in building basic systems. “Ninety-five percent of what we do isn’t glamorous,” the not for profit organization says, “but it’s the part that matters most.”
In February, TAR staff worked in intense heat at the African Continental Championships in Kenya, distributing more than 500 hydration and electrolyte tablets as riders battled 90-degree temperatures.
The organization has also launched a new Virtual Performance Centre (VPC) project, installing Zwift Hubs in cycling centres across multiple African countries. The idea is to give young athletes a safe place to train after school, especially in areas where riding outdoors after dark is unsafe. The network is expected to expand further in 2026.
With several young riders set to turn professional next season, TAR says the progress shows what consistent, long-term support can achieve. As the year ends, the organization is asking for continued backing to help more African cyclists follow the same path.
“We’ll keep doing the same work we’ve done for nearly 20 years,” the message reads. “Helping young African athletes chase their dreams.”
