Litespeed: Bryce Walsh Kicking IT in Africa!

Litespeed Ultra Cyclist Bryce Walsh Poised for Podium Finish in Tour d’Afrique

Riding the new Litespeed CX, ultra cyclist Bryce Walsh places second overall—so far—on the grueling Tour d’Afrique, a race that spans the length of Africa. The race began in mid January in Cairo, and Bryce has been finishing legs in the top tier consistently.

On the first stage (rides 1-15) called “Pharaoh’s Delight,” which took cyclists from Ciaro, Egypt, to Khartoum, Sudan, Bryce finished just minutes behind front-rider Raffael Schrof (Germany). Bryce first saddled up in the legendary shadows of the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx before riding to the Red Sea and then down the coastal highway to Safaga. The race then took him on a climb inland across the rugged Eastern desert in advance of reaching the Nile at Qena. Bryce then followed the Nile through Luxor and on to the Aswan Dam before taking a much-needed break on a boat ride down Lake Nasser and into Sudan.

On the second stage (rides 16 -30), called “The Gorge,” Bryce proved a strong rider, coming in third, behind Raffael Schrof (Germany) and Christian Sailer (Switzerland). Riders began in Khartoum and finished in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, riding off-road first through lion country in the remote Dinder National Park then on to the Ethiopian Highlands. They were tested by a challenging climb at high altitude before a white-knuckled and steep 1600-meter descent on a newly paved road.

The latest leg completed, found Bryce in third place, behind Christian Sailer (Switzerland) and Adam Lister (Canada). On “Meltdown Madness” (rides 31-46), the group traveled from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, Kenya. Bryce enjoyed traversing rolling countryside on the first part of this leg, but was then faced with the “meltdown,” a six-day unpaved crossing of the lava expanse of Kenya’s Dida Galgalu desert. The agony continued on the ascent and descent of Mount Kenya before Bryce finally crossed the equator.

Bryce Walsh at the highest point of elevation of Tour d'Afrique ~3200 meters

Stay tuned: We’ll keep you updated on the terrain and how Bryce and the nimble Litespeed CX fare during the rest of the race. Congratulations, Bryce. We’re rooting for you!