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.
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)
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)
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)
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
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- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
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- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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