Suren embraces challenges of European mountain biking

**Hesron Kapanga **

Junior cyclist Roger Suren says he is embracing the demanding realities of professional mountain biking after moving to Europe to race for the Alpecin-Premier Tech Development Team.

The 19-year-old, based in Belgium, says the standard of competition in Europe is considerably higher than what he experienced in Namibia and even South Africa, forcing him to adapt to faster, more intense, and more crowded racing.

“The level is just 10 levels higher. The difference isn’t just the quality of the riders, but also how the races unfold. Races at home can settle into a rhythm relatively quickly, whereas European events can feature fields of up to 100 riders, making the opening laps particularly intense,” he said.

Suren, who occasionally returns to Namibia when his racing schedule allows, lives with a host family in Europe and relies heavily on the support of his team. However, being thousands of kilometres from his family and friends has proved to be one of the biggest challenges of competing abroad.

“Sometimes it really gets lonely. Mentally, it’s quite difficult as well. Not every race will go well. And if you’re then quite alone, that’s really something difficult to sometimes work through,” Suren said.

He added that the lack of people of his own age around him during his days away from racing can make the experience even more difficult.

Poor results can also be harder to process when he is far from the support network he has known at home.

Despite the challenges, Suren’s European campaign has already produced encouraging results. He finished 11th in the U23 Men’s Cross-Country Short Track (XCC) at the Val di Sole World Championships, a performance he considers one of the strongest of his career so far.

His cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Championships, however, ended prematurely when he crashed, broke his collarbone and was hospitalised, but the young rider says the setback has not altered his long-term ambitions.

“I will continue developing over the coming years, with the aim of one day winning the under-23 World Championship title in XCO,” he said.

He stated that these are his development years for pursuing a cycling career far from home while struggling to adjust to the lifestyle.

“Some days I think about not doing it anymore as it’s really difficult, especially being away from home. Nevertheless, it’s an opportunity worth pursuing,” he said. Suren’s experience has also given him a realistic perspective on what it takes for young African athletes to pursue careers overseas. He encourages others to chase their ambitions, while being prepared for the sacrifices that come with them.

“It is worth it, but it is not easy. But if it’s a dream, I would say go for it,” he said.

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