Few regions in the world have lived through a period as turbulent and uncertain as Tigray in Ethiopia has in the past few years. One of the hotbeds of African cycling, a bloody civil war between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the Ethiopian federal government killed an estimated 600,000 people between November 2020 and November 2022, and though a subsequent ceasefire is holding out, tensions remain high, and the mountainous territory has been devastated.

Cyclists from the area all have their own stories: Mulu Hailemichael, a rider for Caja-Rural, escaped the war zone on foot with zero possessions; Eyeru Tesfoam Gebru of Komugi-Grand Est fled to Europe and then lived a “horrible” experience before finally being granted asylum; Negasi Haylu Abreha of Q.365 wasn’t reunited with his family for three years.

Welay Hagos Berhe, meanwhile, hasn’t seen his family since leaving home in July 2020. “It’s been nearly four years already,” the Jayco-Alula rider, 22, says. “I wish I had been home, but I haven’t yet. Hopefully I can soon.” Entire families have been killed, thousands of children have been orphaned. Fortunately, Berhe’s family are safe. “I’m really lucky to find everything is fine. I’m really grateful that they are safe.”

This article was published in Rouleur in February 2024. The full article can be read here.