On the morning of January 9, a mobile phone began to buzz on a desk in Pretoria, South Africa. It then began to ping with messages and missed calls. The phone belongs to Thabiso Rengane.
The message was from the UCI sharing that the Tshenolo Pro Cycling Team had been granted a Continental license for the 2026 season. Rengane’s heart jumped. They had done it, what a moment!
I had last seen Thabiso - the Team Manager - at the Tour of Benin in May, where they were very successful. Comparing these moments, Thabiso shared that both experiences were immense in their own unique way, "Since they both represented huge achievements for a relatively new team and for me personally," he said.
"It was our first-ever UCI race as a team, and to come out victorious and take all those jerseys was incredibly exciting. Getting the confirmation from the UCI felt very different, but just as powerful. It represents a massive jump from where we started.”
The team came into existence just two years ago to race domestically, sponsored by a South African infrastructure company. ‘Tshenolo’ means ‘revelation’ in Setswana, a local Bantu language across southern Africa.
Malusi Molewa, the Chair and Founder of the Tshenolo Pro Cycling Team, said of their achievements, "You know, as in the business space, when one grows to a level where one feels they are ready to compete at a higher level, that’s exactly what you do - grasp the opportunity.
"The team was born out of the hunger from our riders; having said this, it’s our riders that will decide where the team goes. I will always be there to support them.”
Former WorldTour pro Reinardt Janse van Rensburg was their most high-profile recruit in the 2025 season. He had recently retired, with nine Grand Tour starts on his palmares, including six at the Tour de France.
“I thought my days of pinning on a race number in a professional race were over, but at 37, suiting up for Tshenolo with their new Continental license feels like a fresh chapter. It means reigniting that raw passion for competition and the camaraderie of teammates pushing limits together," Van Rensburg said.
"More than that, it's about giving back, mentoring the next generation, while proving to myself and others that experience and grit can still shine in a sport dominated by youth nowadays. This project isn't just personal; it's a testament to perseverance and the enduring passion of cycling.”
Janse van Rensburg is keen to put his knowledge and skills to good use to help the next generation of South African riders get their shot at the big time.
“From my ten years in the WorldTour, I am bringing a wealth of experience, tactical acumen, race intelligence, and professional habits that can elevate Tshenolo. Things like reading the wind in crosswinds, positioning in sprints, or conserving energy during races - these are nuances honed through years of experience,” he said.
A mix of experience and youth
Alongside experienced riders like Janse van Rensburg, Thokozani Mahlangu and 2025 African Continental ITT Champion Brandon Downes, there are seven under 25-year-old talents from across South Africa making up the rest of the squad. One of these is 23-year-old Rodney Masemola.
“Being part of a UCI Continental team is a dream come true! It is an incredible opportunity to compete at a high level, learn from experienced riders, and get exposed to international racing.
"I'm super stoked to be part of the team and can't wait to see what the future holds. I need to work on my explosiveness and sustain higher power output for longer – those are areas where I can really gain time and make a difference in results.”
A women’s team in the future?
In addition, and equally exciting, is their commitment to women’s cycling. With plans to potentially launch a Continental women’s team for the 2027 season, Tshenolo have been quietly signing some strong southern African talent to race under their banner.
This includes 2025 African ITT Continental Champion Lucy Young, Taneal Otto, Monique du Plessis of Namibia and Faith Tuhwe of Zimbabwe.
Young believes that it is a big step forward for women’s cycling in South Africa. "It would be the first-ever women’s Continental team registered from our country at that level, a significant milestone in the sport’s development here," she said.
"Seeing Kim [Le Court-Pienaar] in the yellow jersey [at the 2025 Tour de France Femmes - Ed.] was incredibly inspiring, not just for me but for so many riders across Africa. What she has achieved shows that it is possible to come from Africa, compete at the highest level and win. I’ve had the privilege of racing alongside both Kim and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, and being in a peloton with riders of that calibre is incredibly motivating. It shows what is truly possible.”
Rengane shared his thoughts on what comes next, stating that the team's strategy was clear from its inception.
“So far, it’s been working well. We’ve focused on performing consistently at a high level locally and across the continent, and the results have shown that we’re on the right path," he said.
“Looking ahead, the vision is to conquer Africa and establish TPCT as the number one cycling team on the continent. Our priority is to compete in as many UCI races as we can across Africa, and to a lesser extent, Asia. Racing on the continent remains central to our vision, including the UCI 2.1 Tour of Rwanda. In addition, we are planning to tap into Europe to challenge the team at a higher level, including races such as the Tour of Rhodes and selected Grand Prix events in Greece.”
Over 140 African male and female riders raced on WorldTour, Pro and Continental Teams in 2025, twice as many as in the USA. Tshenolo is the seventh UCI Continental team registered across Africa for the 2026 season. With this new team joining the pro peloton and creating more opportunities for riders and staff, African cycling is hopefully continuing to rise.
