[Video] Dutch news agency visited Asmara to report on Tour of Eritrea

Translation:


0:00 The faces of the junior cyclists are strained, cause they have to cycle for an important match today. The equipments and outfits maybe 2nd hand, but professional. Also the public takes it very serious. Bicycles are here, just as in the Netherlands a daily transport vehicle.

0:33 It has been embraced since the Italians introduced bicycling at the beginning of the previous century in their former Colony. And they're becomming more succesfull in it.
Thus this year, two Eritreans managed to take part in the Tour de France. Daniël Teklehaimanot even weared the polka-dot jersey for a fewdays. Merhawi Kudus won nothing, but cycled through it very well. Together they are now superstars in Eritrea. Everyone wants to be like Merhawi, cause it is an escape from poverty here.

1:12 In this area they work hard on that dream. This is an abandoned piece of road from the capital where dozens of young persons train everyday to become the next Merhawi.
The money the rank, these youngsters want it too. But there is an other reason to become a cyclist. Just listen to the minister ".... .

1:41 Only when we lay our camera down we hear from the cyclist that escaping national service is the most important reason for them to become a professional cyclist. National service can be years long. Sometimes ten or twelve years. Then it's better to just cycle.

1:55 During the matches (in the meanwhile) it can be so intense that the public must be forced to keep distance. This is done as you'd expect from a dictatorship. But when the finalsprint arrives there's no more hold to it. Everyone dashes forward to get a view.

2:08 Hanibal Tesfas wins. Totally unknown outside of Eritrea, but he might win an étappe in the Tour de France after a few years.

Koen de Regt
RTLnieuws

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