Teklehaimanot wins elite title for Eritrea

Rising Eritrean star Daniel Teklehaimanot completed a hat-trick at the 2010 African Continental Championships with victory in the road race in Kigali, Rwanda. Together with the individual and team time trials, he has now won three races - and five African Champion’s jerseys, including the U23 titles. Last but not least, he secured Eritrea's qualification for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. His country dominated the road race with Meron Russom finishing second, and five riders finishing in the top 10.

Two baroudeurs undertook a 55km breakaway early on: Algerian Abdelmalek Madani and local young talent Gasore Hategeka, who was forced to give his bike to his leader Adrian Niyonshuti when he broke his chain with four laps to go. The Rwandan team pleased the massive crowd on the streets of the capital through their attacking riding, but Niyonshuti was ultimately disappointed to finish eight.

The 144km race, perfect for climbers and puncheurs, exploded at the 106km mark when a 12-rider group went clear containing five Eritreans (Daniel Teklehaimanot, Meron Russom, Araya Medhin Dawit Haile, Tesfai Teklit, Teweldemedhin Natnel Berhane) and the main favourites: Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (South Africa), Dan Craven (Namibia), Adil Jelloul (Morocco), Adrien Nyonshuti (Rwanda), Estifanos Gebresilassie and Sollomon Bittew Shiferaw (Ethiopia) and Azzedine Lagab (Algeria).

With one lap to go, Teklehaimanot launched an attack and opened up an advantage that reached 28 seconds by the finish. “I told the other riders, ‘You can't let him go’ but we all were tired and there were so many Eritrean riders in the group that I decided myself to focus on second place in order to qualify for the Olympics,” Craven said.

The 2009 African Continental Champion finished third in the race, beaten in the sprint by a Teklehaimanot's team-mate, Russom, who continued his improvement in the event. He finished 11th in 2007 and 4th in 2008, although he didn't start last year as his national tour took place at the same time as the Continental Championships.

Teklehaimanot received an intense ovation from the public. “I waited until the last part of the race to go in front, because some nations like Morocco or South Africa were watching me closely,” he said. “This win makes me very happy and I'm proud to help my country qualify for the Olympics.”

Because of a misunderstanding, Teklehaimanot went to Beijing in 2008 but ultimately didn’t ride as Erythrea was not allowed to participate. His success in the 2010 African Continental Championships underlines he's one of the top athletes on the continent. Despite six crashes at the end of the season, he finished in 46th at the Châteauroux Classic de l'Indre as a stagiaire for Cervélo Test Team.

The 22-year-old Teklehaimanot is still looking for a professional contract next year. His last race of the season will be the Tour of Rwanda, a UCI 2.2 event, from November 17-25.

Full Results

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Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri)3:54:06
2Meron Russom (Eri)0:00:28
3Dan Craven (Nam)Row 2 - Cell 2
4Adil Jelloul (Mar)0:01:14
5Araya Medhin Dawit Haile (Eri)Row 4 - Cell 2
6Azzedine Lagab (Alg)0:01:31
7Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA)Row 6 - Cell 2
8Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Teweldemedhin Natnael Berhane (Eri)Row 8 - Cell 2
10Abdelati Saadoune (Mar)Row 9 - Cell 2
11Tesfai Teklit (Eri)0:01:55
12Paul Agorir (Ken)0:01:59
13Hichem Chabane (Alg)0:02:57
14Estifanos Gebresilassie (Eth)Row 13 - Cell 2
15Gabriel Combrinck (RSA)0:03:33
16Sollomon Bittew Shiferaw (Eth)Row 15 - Cell 2
17Issiaka Fofana (CIv)0:08:09
18Fathi Ahmed Atunsi (Lba)Row 17 - Cell 2
19Frekalsi Debesai (Eri)Row 18 - Cell 2
20Gasore Hategeka (Rwa)Row 19 - Cell 2
21Nathan Byukusenge (Rwa)0:14:45
22Emmanuel Rudahunga (Rwa)Row 21 - Cell 2
23Suliman Kangangi (Ken)Row 22 - Cell 2
24Issiaka Cisse (CIv)Row 23 - Cell 2
25Goton Mebrahtu Biru (Eth)0:14:49
26Abderahmane Bourraza (Alg)0:16:52
27Innocent Uwamungu (Rwa)Row 26 - Cell 2
28David Matovu (Uga)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Songezo Jim (RSA)Row 28 - Cell 2
30Raoul Herve Mbah (Cmr)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Noufou Minougou (Bur)Row 30 - Cell 2
32Obed Ruvogera (Rwa)Row 31 - Cell 2
33Med Said El Ammoury (Mar)0:18:37
34Ahmed Youssef Belgasem (Lba)Row 33 - Cell 2
35Peter Loriko (Ken)Row 34 - Cell 2
36Amr Mahmoud Ahmed Mohamed (Egy)Row 35 - Cell 2
37Dieunedort Simo Sando (Cmr)0:21:37
DNSBassirou Konte (CIv)Row 37 - Cell 2
DNSRobert Fotsing Dassie (Cmr)Row 38 - Cell 2
DNFJasson Bakke (RSA)Row 39 - Cell 2
DNFLuthando Kaka (RSA)Row 40 - Cell 2
DNFJacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA)Row 41 - Cell 2
DNFNicodem Habiyambere (Rwa)Row 42 - Cell 2
DNFJean De Dieu Uwimana (Rwa)Row 43 - Cell 2
DNFAbdelbasset Hanachi (Alg)Row 44 - Cell 2
DNFAbdelmalek Madani (Alg)Row 45 - Cell 2
DNFYoucef Reguigui (Alg)Row 46 - Cell 2
DNFBilel Saada (Alg)Row 47 - Cell 2
DNFRedouane Chabane (Alg)Row 48 - Cell 2
DNFRasmané Ouedraogo (Bur)Row 49 - Cell 2
DNFAbdul Aziz Nikiema (Bur)Row 50 - Cell 2
DNFEtienne Tarbagdo (Bur)Row 51 - Cell 2
DNFOumarou Minougou (Bur)Row 52 - Cell 2
DNFBolotigui Ouattara (CIv)Row 53 - Cell 2
DNFBen Zakaria Fofana (CIv)Row 54 - Cell 2
DNFMamadou Coulibaly (CIv)Row 55 - Cell 2
DNFIbrahim James Yousef (Egy)Row 56 - Cell 2
DNFMohamed Saad Abou Hegazy (Egy)Row 57 - Cell 2
DNFEddin Asran Osamahussam (Egy)Row 58 - Cell 2
DNFAli Al-Sayed Ali Abdullah (Egy)Row 59 - Cell 2
DNFMahmoud Mohamed Alaa Eddin (Egy)Row 60 - Cell 2
DNFMsgena Kindeya (Eth)Row 61 - Cell 2
DNFTsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay (Eth)Row 62 - Cell 2
DNFYirga Woldemaria Kinfe (Eth)Row 63 - Cell 2
DNFSamuel Anim (Gha)Row 64 - Cell 2
DNFHenry Tetteh Djangmah (Gha)Row 65 - Cell 2
DNFAminu Mohammed (Gha)Row 66 - Cell 2
DNFNuru Alhassan Pardie (Gha)Row 67 - Cell 2
DNFYannick Lincoln (Mri)Row 68 - Cell 2
DNFJohn Njoroge (Ken)Row 69 - Cell 2
DNFKipchumba Benjamin Kogo (Ken)Row 70 - Cell 2
DNFSamuel Mwangi (Ken)Row 71 - Cell 2
DNFAhmed Mohamed Abdalla (Lba)Row 72 - Cell 2
DNFFaysal Alsharaa (Lba)Row 73 - Cell 2
DNFAmin Abdelrazag Alkilani (Lba)Row 74 - Cell 2
DNFMohamed Ali Almabruk (Lba)Row 75 - Cell 2
DNFLotto Petrus (Nam)Row 76 - Cell 2
DNFVictor Krohne (Nam)Row 77 - Cell 2
DNFIngram Cuff (Nam)Row 78 - Cell 2
DNFGeorge William Kisenyi (Uga)Row 79 - Cell 2
DNFRobert Kiwendo (Uga)Row 80 - Cell 2
DNFBrigt Sam Muwonge (Uga)Row 81 - Cell 2
DNFSebastian Kigongo Semakula (Uga)Row 82 - Cell 2
DNFEdward Bukenya (Uga)Row 83 - Cell 2
DNFMuzamir Wavamuno (Uga)Row 84 - Cell 2
DNFFrancis Louis (Sey)Row 85 - Cell 2
DNFAndy Rose (Sey)Row 86 - Cell 2
DNFEdward Pothin (Sey)Row 87 - Cell 2
DNFChris Germain (Sey)Row 88 - Cell 2
DNFJames Bristol (Sey)Row 89 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Brierley (Sey)Row 90 - Cell 2
DNFObert Chembe (Zam)Row 91 - Cell 2
DNFTrust Munangandu (Zam)Row 92 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Martin (Zim)Row 93 - Cell 2
DNFBright Chipongo (Zim)Row 94 - Cell 2
DNFGlenn Morgan (Zim)Row 95 - Cell 2
DNFMouhssine Lahsaini (Mar)Row 96 - Cell 2
DNFTarik Chaoufi (Mar)Row 97 - Cell 2
DNFAdnane Arbia (Mar)Row 98 - Cell 2
DNFMartinien Tega (Cmr)Row 99 - Cell 2
DNFSah Noel Tanessop (Cmr)Row 100 - Cell 2
DNFRobert Tawedi Modi (Cmr)Row 101 - Cell 2
DNFJean Marie Nshimirimana (Bdi)Row 102 - Cell 2
DNFJean Marie Ndayikengurukiye (Bdi)Row 103 - Cell 2
DNFJuvenal Nduwimana (Bdi)Row 104 - Cell 2
DNFLadislas Ncamugwanko (Bdi)Row 105 - Cell 2
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Under 23 men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri)3:54:06
2Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA)0:01:31
3Teweldemed Natnael Berhane (Eri)Row 2 - Cell 2
4Tesfai Teklit (Eri)0:01:55
5Hichem Chabane (Alg)0:02:57
6Estifanos Gebresilassie (Eth)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Emmanuel Rudahunga (Rwa)0:14:45
8Suliman Kangangi (Ken)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Issiaka Cisse (CIv)Row 8 - Cell 2
10Innocent Uwamungu (Rwa)0:16:52
11Songezo Jim (RSA)Row 10 - Cell 2
12Raoul Herve Mbah (Cmr)Row 11 - Cell 2
13Noufou Minougou (Bur)Row 12 - Cell 2

 

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