One man's quest to find first black winner of the Tour de France
Sammy Ekiru in 2nd position in the first race in Kenya. Photograph: Guillaume Bonn/Think Pictures
There were carpenters and mechanics, bicycle taxi operators and farmers. Some wore leather shoes, others battered trainers. One man wore scuba diving boots made from wetsuit material. Much of the lycra on show began life hugging torsos on other continents.
There were, however, some constants among the 40 or so Kenyans lined up at the bottom of a valley in the distance-running capital of the world - a lack of helmets, pure glucose powder as the energy booster of choice, furrowed brows when gazing at the course ahead: 15.5 miles, gaining 1,500 metres in altitude. And, of course, the bicycles: big, solid, Indian or Chinese-made roadsters with no gears and names like Phoenix and Five Star. "My bicycle is so heavy, about 15 kilogrammes," said Samuel Wanjala, who rode nearly 100 miles just to get to the race in Iten, western Kenya. A proper racing bike would help if he were to "meet with Lance Armstrong ... and put him aside".
source :www.guardian.co.uk
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