{"id":56422,"date":"2025-11-30T14:25:01","date_gmt":"2025-11-30T14:25:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/biniam-girmay-and-kim-le-court-crowned-african-cyclists-of-the-year-2025-photos\/"},"modified":"2025-11-30T13:14:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T13:14:41","slug":"biniam-girmay-and-kim-le-court-crowned-african-cyclists-of-the-year-2025-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/biniam-girmay-and-kim-le-court-crowned-african-cyclists-of-the-year-2025-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"Biniam Girmay and Kim Le Court crowned African cyclists of the year 2025 (Photos)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The inaugural Africa Cycling Excellence Awards (ACEA) ceremony honoured Africa&#8217;s cyclists of the year on Saturday evening in Kigali, in the presence of Rwanda&#8217;s Minister of State for Sports, Rwego Ngarambe, CAC President Yao Allah-Kouam\u00e9 and Freddy Kamuzinzi, promoter of ACEA.<\/p>\n<p>In the men\u2019s category, Girmay topped the rankings ahead of fellow Eritreans Henok Mulubrhan and Milkias Maekele, who had also been shortlisted in the top three.<\/p>\n<p>The Eritrean has been voted Africa&#8217;s best cyclist for the fifth time, following his successes in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024. The former Tour de France green jersey winner has once again had a magnificent season, with podium finishes in the biggest races proving his consistency at the highest level worldwide.<\/p>\n<p>On the women\u2019s side, Kim Le Court edged out Ethiopia\u2019s Kahsay Tsige Kiros and Selam Amha Gerefiel. <\/p>\n<p>The Mauritian rider demonstrated her talent this season by winning a stage of the Tour de France and becoming the first African woman to wear the yellow jersey (for four days). She also won the classic Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge in the spring, the first time an African rider has won a World Tour event.<\/p>\n<p>The finalists had been narrowed down from a larger pool of 18 cyclists, which included two Rwandans: Ingabire Diane and Nirere Xaveline.<\/p>\n<p>For this first award in the amateur category reserved for riders who do not belong to a professional UCI team, Burkina Faso champion Paul Daumont won over the jury members with his dedication and experience, which have made him one of the most successful cyclists on the continent for several years. <\/p>\n<p>He took first place ahead of South African Blaine Kieck, winner of several races in France, and Malian Tiemoko Diamout\u00e9n\u00e9, who won stages in three major national tours, in Mali, C\u00f4te d&#8217;Ivoire and Togo.<\/p>\n<p>Eritrea\u2019s national team was crowned Team of the Year after outperforming Rwanda and Mauritius.<\/p>\n<p>{{Regional and national winners also recognised<br \/>\n}}<\/p>\n<p>The awards also honoured outstanding cyclists within the East African Community (EAC). In this category, Nsengiyumva Odette from Burundi won the women\u2019s award, while Charles Kagimu of Uganda claimed the men\u2019s title.<\/p>\n<p>In Rwanda, Masengesho Vainqueur of Benediction Club was named the best male cyclist of the year, with Nirere Xaveline, who races for Team Amani of Kenya, winning the women\u2019s award.<\/p>\n<p>Rwanda has also been selected to host the ACEA awards again in 2026 before the event rotates to other countries on the continent.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98455 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-11-30_at_12.37_20_pm.jpg\" alt=\"CAC President Yao Allah-Kouame delivers his remarks during the awarding ceremony.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98454 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-11-30_at_12.37_54_pm.jpg\" alt=\"Ugandan cyclist Charles Kagimu was crowned best male rider in the EAC.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98453 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-11-30_at_12.37_54_pm_1_.jpg\" alt=\"Burkinab\u00e9 cyclist Paul Daumont was named best rider in the amateur category.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98452 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-11-30_at_12.38_42_pm.jpg\" alt=\"Xaveline Nirere receives the best female rider award in Rwanda.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98451 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-11-30_at_12.38_41_pm.jpg\" alt=\"Eritrea was voted the best national team on the continent.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98450 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-11-30_at_12.38_42_pm_1_.jpg\" alt=\"Vainqueur Masengesho honoured as Rwanda&#039;best male rider.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98449 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-11-30_at_12.38_42_pm_2_.jpg\" alt=\"Some of the award winners and officials.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98448 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-11-30_at_12.38_43_pm.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98446 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-11-30_at_12.41_51_pm.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98447 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-11-30_at_12.39_39_pm.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay has been crowned the 2025 African Male Cyclist of the Year, while Kim Le Court from Mauritius clinched the women\u2019s award.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":2000098456,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[75],"byline":[3226],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-56422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-homenews","byline-eric-tony-ukurikiyimfura"],"bylines":[{"id":3226,"name":"Eric Tony Ukurikiyimfura","slug":"eric-tony-ukurikiyimfura","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":null}],"contributors":[{"id":3226,"name":"Eric Tony Ukurikiyimfura","slug":"eric-tony-ukurikiyimfura","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default 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