British based company cycling team INEOS Grenadiers have teamed up with marathon world-record holder Eliud Kipchoge to set up a cycling academy in Kenya as they look to tap into the renowned endurance of the local talent and create top level cyclists.
Along with Dutch sports management agency Global Sports Communication, the new academy called the INEOS Eliud Kipchoge Cycling Academy, will be set up at Kaptagat camp where Kipchoge’s Running Team training center is located.
African cycling made a breakthrough last month when Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay became the first Black African rider to win a Grand Tour stage at the Giro d’Italia.
Kipchoge has exuded confidence in the project saying it will in turn transform the lives of cyclist at his home region once it materialize
Ineos chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe said the company wanted to help Africa’s “exciting sporting talent, passion and ambition” reach its potential.
Kipchoge added it was a “natural fit”.
“I’m proud that we are expanding our Kaptagat based training camp from a purely athletics focussed training camp towards a wider kind of sports academy,” said the double Olympic champion.
“The Ineos Eliud Kipchoge Cycling Academy is a very natural fit with great potential to enable our young talented cyclists to make the next steps towards the top level of cycling.”