Eritrea’s Henok Mulueberhan Seizes Yellow in Qinghai, Echoing Eritrea’s Growing Legacy in Global Cycling

In the windswept highlands of Qinghai, where elevation alone breaks weaker wills, Eritrean cyclist Henok Mulueberhan has once again etched his name into international cycling history.

At the penultimate stage of the 2025 Tour of Magnificent Qinghai, Mulueberhan claimed the Yellow Jersey in a dramatic leadership shift – becoming a two-time general classification leader in this prestigious race.

But this is far more than a tale of jersey swaps and time gaps. This is a story of Eritrean excellence – of a rising cycling nation that continues to produce world-class riders who not only compete, but dominate on the global stage.

A Legacy in Motion

Henok Mulueberhan, 25, riding for XDS Astana, isn’t new to pressure at high altitudes or in high-stakes races. The 2023 overall winner of Qinghai, he returned to the unforgiving terrain of northwest China this year with focus, fire, and formidable form. His breakout performance in Stage 6 – an exhausting mountain stretch from Gangcha to Gonghe – was a masterclass in endurance and tactical brilliance.

That momentum carried him into Stage 7, where, despite finishing third, he took over the Yellow Jersey from Uruguay’s Guillermo Thomas Silva by a razor-thin margin of just one second.

Silva had worn yellow since Stage 2 but suffered a mechanical issue that ultimately cost him the lead. Mulueberhan didn’t gloat. With humility characteristic of Eritrea’s top athletes, he credited his teammates and emphasized collective effort over individual glory – a trait instilled in many Eritrean riders molded by the nation’s deep culture of perseverance and discipline.

Eritrea: More Than a Rising Power

Eritrea has become synonymous with African cycling excellence. It’s the only sub-Saharan African nation to regularly qualify multiple riders into WorldTour teams, and its athletes have built reputations not as underdogs, but as contenders.

Mulueberhan’s feat in Qinghai is not isolated – it is part of a continuum. His compatriot, Biniam Girmay, is currently riding the 2025 Tour de France and remains a key figure in African cycling history. Girmay made headlines in 2022 when he became the first Black African to win a Grand Tour stage (Giro d’Italia), and his presence in the peloton continues to shift perceptions and inspire youth across the Horn of Africa.

Together, Girmay and Mulueberhan form the vanguard of a generation of Eritrean athletes who are not only participating in elite cycling—they are rewriting the sport’s geography.

The Race and the Road Ahead

The Tour of Magnificent Qinghai, formerly known as the Tour of Qinghai Lake, remains one of Asia’s toughest multi-stage races. Held at an average altitude of over 3,000 meters, its thin air and relentless terrain test both physical stamina and mental resolve.

This year’s edition spans eight stages and 1,400 kilometers, drawing 154 riders from 11 nations. Stage 8 – a circuit around scenic Tongbaoshan – promises no major climbs, but plenty of tension as Mulueberhan defends his slim lead.

Yet whatever unfolds in the final kilometers, Henok has already made a powerful statement. Eritrea is not a footnote in world cycling. It is a headline.

The Road from Asmara

The rise of Eritrean cycling cannot be separated from the streets of Asmara, where high altitude meets unmatched passion. It is there that boys learn to ride not on carbon frames but on steel bikes built to last. It is there that Sunday races pulse through the capital like clockwork, and where cycling is not a pastime – it is an identity.

For riders like Henok Mulueberhan and Biniam Girmay, every pedal stroke carries the rhythm of that identity. They are not simply racing for medals. They ride for Eritrea – for its resilience, its brilliance, and its rightful place on the world stage.

And when they wear yellow, they carry a nation – and dare the world to look away.