Team Amani, the first-ever women's Continental team based in Africa, launches for 2026 season

The women's peloton is getting its first-ever Continental team based in Africa with the launch of Team Amani live on stage at Rouleur Live on Thursday afternoon.

The team has been running since 2020 but steps up to the UCI Continental level for 2026 with the ambition of competing at the Tour de France Femmes, Giro d'Italia Women, and La Vuelta Femenina by the 2028 season.

Team Amani, which will feature Ashleigh Moolman Pasio as a mentor and advisor, will be registered in Ethiopia and feature riders from around East Africa, including Ethiopia and Rwanda. Helmet manufacturer POC, bike brand Factor, and clothing company Rapha are on board as major partners.

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Moolman Pasio, who currently races in the Women's WorldTour for AG Insurance-Soudal, is on board to guide the team along as they 'reach the world stage on their own terms'.

"As a pioneer for African women's cycling, reaching this stage of my career feels like the right moment to give back and help the next generation of African talent reach the highest level," Moolman Pasio said.

"When I was properly introduced to Team Amani earlier this year, I was deeply inspired by the project's vision. Rather than following the traditional model of sending African riders to Europe and hoping they adapt, Amani is building high-performance infrastructure in Africa – where riders feel at home, supported by their own cultures and communities – and then creating pathways to Europe in a sustainable way.

"Having seen the level of talent firsthand, I'm convinced that the potential is enormous. The power numbers are impressive, but even more inspiring is the hunger and determination of these riders. I'm proud to play a hands-on role in helping them unlock that potential and to see African women line up at the world's biggest races in the years to come."

The team, which will feature Rwandan time trial champion Xaverine Nirere among a host of yet-to-be-confirmed East African racers, will head to Europe in the spring of 2026 to begin its debut season.

According to Team Amani, the goal of the project is 'not just to develop world-class athletes, but to build an African team, managed and supported from the continent, that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best in the world'.

Team Amani co-founder Mikel Delagrange said the Continental team's launch is a "watershed moment" for the project, noting that the team believes they can compete with the best women's racers in the peloton in the coming years.

"Establishing this team with ambitions to race competitively in the biggest races in the world within three years feels like a watershed moment for our project," Delagrange said.

"We’ve always believed that with like-for-like resources, our athletes could compete with the best. We set out a moonshot trajectory with ambitious milestones. It just so happens that our ladies hit them first.

"Our message to the young women on our team is that the only limitation they have now is that of their own imaginations. Trailblazers have the hard work of cutting paths where none previously existed. But once the path is paved, many will follow. That’s why this moment is so consequential- not just for the women on this team but also for the future of the sport."