Top 10 African riders in history - Biniam Girmay, Daryl Impey, Robbie Hunter...

Africa is not the continent with the longest tradition in the history of cycling but is one where this is rapidly evolving over the past decades. From sprinters to GC riders and classics specialists, more and more world-class riders are surging and leaving their mark in the sport.

Almost all the cyclists present in the ranking have raced in the 21st century. The best example of all this is Biniam Girmay, who is 24 years old and has the potential to be the best African of all time within a fairly short period of time if he continues at his level and progression. We analyze the very best together with CiclismoAlDia.

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1. Daryl Impey (South Africa)

• 2x Overall Winner - Tour Down Under (2019, 2018).

• 1x Stage - Tour de France (2019)

• 1x African Games ME - Road Race (2007)

• 2x Stage - Tour of the Basque Country (2013, 2012)

• 1x Overall Winner - Tour of Alberta (2014)

• 1x Overall Winner - Czech Cycling Tour (2019)

• 1x Overall Winner - Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey (2009)

• 1x Stage - Volta a Catalunya (2017)

• 1x Stage - Tour de Suisse (2022)

• 1x Stage - Critérium du Dauphiné (2018)

• 1x Stage - Tour Down Under (2019)

• 9x South African ME Road Race National Champion - Individual Time Trial (2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011).

4. Biniam Girmay (Eritrea)

• 3x Stage - Tour de France (2024)

• 1x Gent-Wevelgem (2022)

• 1x Points Classification - Tour de France (2024)

• 1x Circuit Franco-Belge (2024)

• 1x Stage - Giro d'Italia (2022)

• 1x Trofeo Alcudia - Port d'Alcúdia (2022)

• 1x Surf Coast Classic (2024)

• 1x Grand Besançon Doubs Classic (2021)

• 1x Stage - Tour de Suisse (2023)

• 2nd in the Grand Prix Cycliste du Québec (2024)

• 2x 2nd in Stage - Tour de France (2024)

• 3x Stage - La Tropicale Amissa Bongo (2020, 2019)

2. Louis Meintjes (South Africa)

• 1x African Road Cycling Championships ME - Road Race (2015)

• 1x Stage - Vuelta a España (2022)

• 1x Overall Winner - Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali (2015)

• 1x Giro dell'Appennino (2022)

• 1x Stage - Itzulia Basque Country (2024)

• 2nd in Stage - Tour de France (2022)

• 1x Stage - Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali (2015)

• 2nd overall - Giro di Sicilia (2023)

• 1x South African ME National Champion - Road Race (2014)

• 1x South African MU National Champion - Individual Time Trial (2013)

• 1x South African MU National Champion - Road Race (2013)

• 2nd in the MU World Championship - Road Race (2013)

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3. Robbie Hunter (South Africa)

• 2x Stage - Vuelta a España (2001, 1999)

• 1x Stage - Tour de France (2007)

• 1x Overall Winner - Tour of Qatar (2004)

• 1x Overall Winner - Tour de Picardie (2007)

• 2x Stage - Tour de Suisse (2004)

• 1x Overall Winner - Volta ao Distrito de Santarém (2007)

• 1x Doha International Grand Prix (2005)

• 1x Tour of Mumbai II (2011)

• 2x Stage - Ronde van Nederland (2000)

• 1x ME African Cycling Championships - Individual Time Trial (2006)

• 3x Stage - Tour of Langkawi (2002)

• 2x Stage - La Méditerranéenne (2009, 2005)

5. Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (South Africa)

• 1x Overall Winner - Tour de Langkawi (2016)

• 1x Binche - Chimay - Binche / Memorial Frank Vandenbroucke (2013)

• 1x African Games ME - Individual Time Trial (2011)

• 1x Tacx Pro Classic / Ronde van Zeeland (2012)

• 2x Stage - Volta a Portugal (2012)

• 2nd overall - Tour de Hainan (2011)

• 1x Overall Winner - Le Tour de Bretagne Cycliste (2012)

• 1x Overall Winner - Tour of Morocco (2012)

• 2nd in ME African Cycling Championships - Road Race (2022)

• 2x South African ME National Champion - Road Race (2022, 2017)

• 2nd in the Clásica de Almería (2013)

• 1x Stage - Herald Sun Tour (2011)

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6. Merhawi Kudus (Eritrea)

• 1x Overall Winner - Tour of Rwanda (2019)

• 3x Stage - Tour of Rwanda (2019, 2012)

• 2nd overall - Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey (2024)

• 2nd overall - Tour de Langkawi (2014)

• 1x Overall Winner - Tour de Banyuwangi Ijen (2024)

• 2x Eritrean National Champion - Road Race (2022, 2018)

• 2nd in Stage - Vuelta a España (2017)

• 3rd overall - Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey (2019)

• 2nd overall - Adriatica Ionica Race / Sulle Rotte della Serenissima (2021)

• 1x Eritrean National Champion ME - Individual Time Trial (2021)

• 3rd at the African Games ME - Road Race (2024)

• 3rd in African ME Cycling Championships - Road Race (2013)

7. Ryan Gibbons (South Africa)

• 1x Overall Winner - Tour de Langkawi (2017)

• 1x ME African Cycling Championships - Road Race (2021)

• 1x African Games ME - Individual Time Trial (2019)

• 1x Trofeo Calvia (2021)

• 1x ME African Cycling Championships - Individual Time Trial (2021)

• 2nd in African Games ME - Road Race (2019)

• 1x Stage - Tour de Langkawi (2017)

• 2x South African ME National Champion - Road Race (2024, 2020)

• 2x South African ME National Champion - Individual Time Trial (2024, 2021)

• 2nd in Alcúdia - Port d'Alcúdia Trophy (2022)

• 4th in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (2019)

• 2nd in Stage - Tour de Langkawi (2017).

8. Tsgabu Grmay (Ethiopia)

• 1x ME African Cycling Championships - Individual Time Trial (2015)

• 7x Ethiopia ME National Champion - Individual Time Trial (2023, 2019, 2018, 2018, 2017, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2013).

• 3x Ethiopian National Champion - Road Race (2015, 2014, 2013).

• 1x Stage - Tour of Taiwan (2013)

• 2x 2nd in African Cycling ME Championships - Individual Time Trial (2016, 2012).

• 2nd overall - Tour of Taiwan (2013)

• 5th overall - Tour of Oman (2017).

• 2x 5th in African ME Cycling Championships - Road Race (2021, 2015)

• 2nd in Stage - La Tropicale Amissa Bongo (2013)

• 2nd in Ethiopian National Championship - Road Race (2023)

• 5th overall - La Tropicale Amissa Bongo (2013)

• 4th in Stage - Tour of Poland (2019)

9. Ahmed Kebaili (Algeria)

• 1x Trophée du Journal d'Alger (1952)

• 1x Stage - Critérium du Dauphiné (1952)

• 3x Algerian National Champion - Road Race (1951, 1950, 1948)

• 3rd in Stage - Tour de France (1952)

• 2x Stage - Tour of Morocco (1955, 1949)

• 3rd in Stage - Tour de Suisse (1952)

• 5th in Stage - Tour de France (1952)

• 3rd in Stage - Tour of Algeria (1953)

• 4th in Stage - Tour de Suisse (1949)

• 2x 8th in Stage - Tour de France (1952)

• 7th in Stage - Tour de France (1952)

• 6th overall - Tour of Morocco (1955)

10. Jay Robert Thomson (South Africa)

• 2x African ME Cycling Championships - Individual Time Trial (2009, 2008)

• 3x 2nd in African ME Cycling Championships - Road Race (2015, 2012, 2009).

• 2nd in African Games ME - Road Race (2011)

• 1x Stage - Tour of Langkawi (2010)

• 1x Overall Winner - Tour of Egypt (2008)

• 1x Stage - Volta a Portugal (2012)

• 1x South African ME National Champion - Road Race (2013)

• 3rd in African ME Cycling Championships - Road Race (2007)

• 2x Stage - Tour of Egypt (2008)

• 1x Stage - New Zealand Cycle Classic (2010)

• 1x Stage - Tour of Rwanda (2013)

• 3rd in African ME Cycling Championships - Individual Time Trial (2012)

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