There were celebrations in Nairobi when Britain’s Kenyan-born cyclist Chris Froome won the 100th Tour de France.
The rider’s rise to the top of the podium in Paris began in his childhood years in Africa.
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Celebrations in Kenya after Chris Froome wins the Tour de France.
He may be British, but he was born here:
“It’s so strong, so amazing. It’s a wonderful, wonderful feeling. I’m so happy for the boys because. It’s so much energy transferred here. It’s just unbelievable. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.”
As a teenager, he began riding with a group called the Safari Simbaz, led by David Kinjah, who gathered a group of around 300 cyclists to honour the champion.
“It’s going to change a lot of things for sure. Not only in Kenya, but all over Africa. The best thing is that there will be a lot of attention also for our young riders here and that gives us a chance to prove more and more for what we have already been delivering.”
Froome developed his cycling on the hills around the Kenyan capital Nairobi, which is one of the highest altitude capitals in the world.
The yellow jersey holder later went to school in South Africa and qualified for British nationality through his father.
“Forget about the doping, forget about everything else live for the moment. Just live for the moment. No doping, no doping stories no doping issues, just the glory, just the yellow jersey, just the win, you know, Chris Froome, that the story and that’s enough. That’s all.”
