Interview Tofik Beshir

African cyclists at the cyclocross worldchampionships. We already need to go back to the 2007 to watch it. But in the coming decade that might change. Tofik Beshir wants to represent Africa again and even dreams about silverware. The young Ethiopian made his debut among the pros this year and immediatly finished twice in the top 10 twice. The now 18 years old rider is working hard on his way to the top and hopes to reach the highest level on the sport one day. Through this interview, we get to know a new history writer.

It’s your first season among the pros and you already have two top 10 spots. How do you feel about your start?

I feel good about it. My main goal at the start of the season was just to avoid making the small mistakes I usually make early on. I’ve learned a lot already, and being consistent is a big step forward for me.

It’s been decades since Africa has been consistently represented at the Worlds. Would you like to change that?

Yes, I would love to help change that. Right now I can only race in the U.S. because I’ve had issues with my U.S. papers for about nine years, so I can’t travel to Europe yet. But that’s something I’ve been working on, and hopefully one day I’ll get the chance to represent and inspire riders in Africa and beyond.

How did you discover cyclocross?

I discovered cyclocross through Marc Frazer, the Kelly Benefits team director. About 4/5 years ago, I was riding my bike in Arlington, Virginia, where I’m from, and I met him at a race called Armed Forces. He started taking me to races first local, then bigger ones and he’s been helping me ever since. This is now my fifth season, and I’m still loving it.

What are your ambitions in the sport?

My biggest ambition is to become the first Black rider to win Worlds. I also want to represent whichever nation I become a citizen of at the 2028 Olympics, since cyclocross will finally be part of the Winter Games.

How will your season look like?

I’ll be racing the USCX Series, with some clear goals for results there. After that, I plan to do more UCI races, and if everything goes well, I’ll finish the year with some local races to close out the season strong.

What are your favourite kind of parcours?

I really enjoy courses that are tough and require a lot of power and focus ones that test both endurance and technical ability. For training, my favorite sessions are on Wednesdays when I set up a 4 minute loop and do 4x4 intervals. Those always push me the most.

What are your main interests outside of the sport?

Outside of cycling, I don’t have too many big interests, but I like hanging out with friends, going to the gym, being outdoors, and playing other sports just for fun.

Do you have ambitions on the road as well?

Yes, I do. I’d like to join a strong development team and see what I can do in the European road scene. I enjoy road racing, but I feel like I’m stronger in cyclocross and it’s where I get the best results. For now, my main goal is to keep improving across both disciplines.