Proudly wearing the African Continental Road Champion colours for the 2024 season, Ese Lovina Ukpeseraye continues to make waves as the current Nigerian National Road Champion, now embarking on her second season in the European peloton.

Though Ese is both a track and road rider, she nearly walked away from the sport due to the monotony and frustration of training with limited race opportunities from her home country of Nigeria. However, everything changed when she signed with her dream team, CANYON//SRAM Zondacrypto Generation – a moment she considers her greatest cycling achievement to date.

“I said that if I returned from the Paris Olympics and hadn’t signed with a team, I would stop cycling. I’m tired of training without any opportunity to do races. Now, I will have a whole season of racing. Being part of this team is a great privilege, and I will never take it for granted.”

In 2024, Ese’s tenacity was rewarded with impressive results and clear signs of promise. She earned two medals at the African Games – a silver in the Time Trial and a bronze in the Road Race. Midway through the season, she made a strong impression with a 14th-place finish at the UCI 1.1 Veenendaal–Veenendaal Classic, a tough and chaotic Dutch semi-classic. Ese also made history as the first Nigerian cyclist to compete in Olympic cycling events, participating in three disciplines at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Reflecting on her time with CANYON//SRAM Zondacrypto so far, Ese shares:

“The team environment improved my skills and abilities more than I ever imagined. I used to feel intimidated being in the peloton during races. But my confidence has grown thanks to the mentorship from my coach and teammates. I also used to be afraid of climbing, but I have improved my skills with coaching, instruction and advice over the season.”

As she continues to elevate her career and grow as an athlete, Ese remains a pathfinder for Nigerian cyclists, personifying perseverance and ambition.