S13 Ep152: This Time for Africa

Nov 27, 2025

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, a professional cyclist and mentor for Team Amani, discusses the exciting rise of African cycling. She shares her personal experiences as a rider and highlights the cultural barriers females face in the sport. Mentorship plans for Team Amani, aimed at empowering African female cyclists, take center stage. The team aspires to compete in the Tour de France Femmes by 2028, showcasing their vision for a fully African roster and development efforts to grow grassroots cycling across the continent.

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INSIGHT

Transfer Boom Has Already Slowed

Transfers slowed significantly in 2025 with 38% fewer moves than the prior year.
Longer contracts and squad cuts hint at structural limits to rapid growth in women's cycling.

INSIGHT

Team Amani Steps Up To Pro Road Ranks

Team Amani will become the first Africa-based women's Continental team and aims high for pro road racing.
The step from gravel to pro road seeks to create a sustained African pathway to top races.

ANECDOTE

Role Model Doubts And Representation

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio described feeling imposter syndrome as a white African inspiring black African riders.
She stresses the need for Black African female role models to truly connect across the continent.

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Oi you, loser! Or should that be winner? Yes on this month’s episode of The Cycling Podcast Féminin, we discuss our picks for the winners and losers of the season. Our very own losers Rose Manley, Denny Gray and Rebecca Charlton pick out a few notable performances – both for good and bad reasons – from a season that threw up a number of surprises. We ask who faired best and worst from the big transfer shake up which saw many big name riders find new teams and responsibilities.

For our mini feature this month we look at the rise of African cycling in light of Team Amani’s announcement that they will become the first ever Africa-based Women’s Continental team. We hear about the challenges facing African riders from visa complications to community stigma and find out about Team Amani’s ambitions to make it to the Tour de France Femmes by 2028. Listen in to hear from team mentor Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, partnerships director Xylon Van Eyck and Team Amani star rider Xaverine Nirere who lit up the World Championships time trial in Rwanda this year.

We also take a look at next year’s Tour de France Femmes course which covers nine stages from Switzerland to Nice.

Also on the agenda: Anna Van der Breggen plays the piano, Denny embraces his inner beatnik poet and a wet ffff… firework.

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The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.