WINDHOEK – Namibia’s leading professional cyclist, Dan Craven, is currently competing in the Tour de l’Ain in France, his last test before the final announcement of Team Europcar.
The Tour de l’Ain, also known as the Prix de l’Amitié, is an annual late season professional cycling stage race held in mid-August in eastern France. From 1989 to 1992 it was an amateur event, and became open to professionals in 1993.
Craven is short-listed for his team’s final squad for Spain, where the world-renowned Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain) will be held from 23 August to 19 September.
Craven, 32, signed a contract with his new club Team Europcar about three months ago and became the first Namibian cyclist ever to take part in one of the world’s three big cycling tours. There are two more stages scheduled before the world elite looks towards Spain.
During the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Craven was one of only 12 riders to complete the race, coming in an exceptional ninth place and if it was not for a crash in the last round, the former African champion could have booked himself a much better position. – Nampa