Meet Jean-Pierre van Zyl: Developing African Cyclists For Over Twenty Years

In this episode, we had an in-depth chat with Jean-Pierre van Zyl, the Director of the UCI's World Cycling Centre programme in Africa. He is based at the excellent WCC facility in Paarl, South Africa.JP often avoids the limelight, but has quietly been working with Africa's leading athletes for over two decades. From the big guns like Biniam Girmay and Kim Le Court Pienaar, to the new crop of rising stars like Tsige Kahsay Kiros (CANYON // SRAM zondacrypto Generation) and Nahom Efriem (Team BIKE AID) he has worked with almost every major African cyclist. We wanted to get behind the scenes to see what makes this man tick! It was a wonderful bonus to then be joined by two of the next generation of young athletes who are at the WCC this month. Hear from Fakudze Nozipho Madiswa - known as Manndi - from Eswatini, and Gift Puteho from Zambia on what the World Cycling Centre means to them and their development.