Cycling team Ineos Grenadiers have joined forces with marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge to launch a cycling academy in Kenya.
The Ineos Eliud Kipchoge Cycling Academy will be set up at the renowned Kaptagat camp, where Kipchoge’s running training centre is located.
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.”
The academy’s launch comes just a month after Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay made history as the first black African winner of a Grand Tour stage at the Giro d’Italia.
“This is a significant and exciting development in world cycling – it has the power to drive lasting change by developing new riders from Africa,” added Ineos director of sport Sir Dave Brailsford.
“We all know the talent is there – we’ve seen it this year with Biniam Girmay’s history-making successes at the Giro d’Italia and Gent-Wevelgem, and I saw it first-hand in the inspiring young athletes I met in Kaptagat.
“Their passion, dedication and love of sport is a perfect fit with the Ineos Grenadiers’ spirit of giving it all to race and be your best. Together I believe we can achieve something unique and important for cycling in Kenya, Africa and the sport itself.”
