Q36.5 loses African identity: Ethiopian champion Abreha must look for new team on Twitter

The cycling world can be brutal. In no time at all, a rider can be out of work, and finding a team can be terribly difficult. Such is the case for Negasi Haylu Abreha. The Q36.5 Pro Cycling rider is therefore making a final plea for help on social media. With the departure of the Ethiopian champion, the Swiss formation (formerly the South African Dimension Data) is losing their last African rider.

On X, the Ethiopian let it be known that his adventure with Q36.5 Pro Cycling is over. "I am currently the national champion of Ethiopia and also a pro cyclist for Q36.5 pro team… at least until the end of the year. Unfortunately in September I was informed that my contract will be not renewed." In 2023, the 24-year-old rider made the switch from the U23 team to the Swiss team's elite squad.

Now he has to look for a new team, but that is going to be difficult due to circumstances. "That unfortunately left me in a very hard situation as I have no agent to find me a new team and it is already October when many teams already closed their roster. I don’t know much to do, so that’s why I am trying the last option and posting it all here on X/Twitter. I really wish I will be able to continue my cycling journey not only for me, but for all of these people in Ethiopia you can see on the picture after winning the national championships at home." And that's why Abreha hopes his appeal will be heard. People can contact him via his Instagram or his email. "My messages will be open," he concludes.

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Q36.5 Pro Cycling previously wiped out continental team

The Ethiopian champion's departure is another sign of things to come for the Swiss team. The continental U23 team is being disbanded, something manager Kevin Campbell was concerned about. He sees that young African riders are now less likely to compete in European cycling. "The question is not: where does the next generation of African riders come from? We know where they are from. The real question is how are they going to get here, to Europe?'

Simon Clarke recently talked about how tough it can be to be unemployed in cycling. "The big transfer window starts at the Tour de France, and the absolute latest it finishes is the Worlds. If you’ve not got a solution after the Worlds, it’s probably not looking good. Even now, there’ll be riders who just don’t know."

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