2025-04-29 14:16:00
The first African cyclist to win a great classic of the calendar became Sunday 27 April 2025. Two days after his historic victory in Liege-Bastogne-Liège, in Belgium, the Mauriziano Kim Le Court-Pienaar agreed to get off his small cloud for a few minutes to return to this feat, his atypical journey and his ambitions for the future.
RFI: tell us Doppone first, have you already managed to sleep well since Sunday?
Kim Le Court-Pienaar: Not at all (laughs)! I keep thinking about the race. It is a super special moment for me, for my team and for my family of course. I received a lot of support to get there, so there is a lot of emotion and I always have some problems believing it. When I passed the finish line, I asked my healer to slap me on my head because I really felt like myself dreaming.
Do you go back to the script for the race, or are they rather “lightning”, of the day, of this sprint in a small committee that win in front of the whole best return?
Rather flashes, yes. I only remember taking the last round to the straight line and from the beginning of the sprint, it is really the “blackout”. I only have a vague memory of the moment when the goal approaches, I feel the excitement increasing because I don’t see anyone going beyond myself. There is a pate disc on my left and I wonder if it can return and fight on the line. Finally nobody could go faster than me, it’s incredible.
Another culminating point after this sprint, after the effort, is this podium with the national champion jersey and Mauritius’ hymn. You are in tears, what do you think at that moment?
This was also incredible. I didn’t know they would play the national anthem because I was never in this situation, on the podium of a monument (NLDR: they are considered “monuments”, the 5 most prestigious classic cycling) So I wasn’t prepared at all. It was a shock and yes, I couldn’t hold back the tears because it is really a special thing. I am so proud to be Mauritius, to show my country, to have the flag on my shoulders. Now people know where I come from, they know I’m unique. I also represent a continent, Africa, everything that is very strong. I didn’t expect to be so moved, it arrived like this.
It is also a symbolic victory, a summary of your atypical career, we will return, but in one day you lived everything: you have suffered, you have not always been in the right wagon, then in the end, you are there, however, and win.
Yes, it was a really difficult day, I had breathing problems, I felt a lack of oxygen in my lungs. I really didn’t understand why, but I told myself not to let me go. I was mentally positive and continued to push. You have to shoot a hat also to my teammates, they were always there for me and without them, I would never have arrived there. So yes, I experienced socks, very black moments, but I had a goal in mind. In the last two climbs, I decided to take my pace rather than follow the first. They attacked very hard, but I told myself that maybe I could return later, and that’s exactly what happened. At the top of the last “Bernoccolo”, I even felt very well.
You had a first short and difficult experience in Europe, at the beginning of your career, you had many mountain bike competitions, in Africa, especially and 29 years old, is only your second year at the highest levels on the road. We cannot speak of a very linear course.
Ah yes, I’m really new in this world of road cycling. I am 29 years old, I arrived very late, but in my head and my heart, I have the impression of having 19. I learn, I always learn. This Liege-Bastogne-Liège was the first for me. If I had been told two years ago: “You will do the Tour de France, you will win a tour phase, so Liege-Bastogne-Liège”, I would never have thought about it. I have to thank all those who have reached my hand, in particular my current team, AG Insurance – Sudal, who made this bet to recruit myself at the end of 2023, which gave me this possibility. Today I live in a universe so different from the small world of mountain bike. In the races there were 4 or 5, there are much more numerous, it is great and I have always been amazed to see the public, the impact also on social networks, the fact that the breeds are filmed, are not yet completely used.
And it must be something else from your victory in Liège. Your phone rings a lot, right?
Ah yes, it doesn’t stop. I couldn’t answer everyone. My victory on the tour last year has already been something, but this is a notch over. I received messages from all over Mauritius, the prime minister called me. I receive more and more support, I even saw a Mauritian flag on Sunday, 20 km from the arrival of the race, it was the first time and it really touched me. In fact, I think my life has really changed.
It is a great performance for Mauritius, it is also obviously an event for African cycling, a cycling that takes light among men, with the Biniam Girmay Eritrean. But being the first to win a great classic, is it important for you too?
Obviously ! I learned from the media that I was the first African to win on one of the cycling monuments. With Biniam Girmay, we don’t know each other personally, but I saw that he had published a message on social networks after my victory. Between Africans, we support each other, we are different to run here and try to put our continent as high as possible at the World Tour (Note of the editor: the world’s first division in the world in cycling).
Africa, precisely, will welcome these cycling worlds for the first time. It will be in September, in Kigali, in Rwanda. You will be present and, in this case, with what goal?
When I learned it, it was a shock, I was super excited. Now I can’t say 100% that I will be there. I see with the Maurizian Federation as we can organize to go and participate in the best conditions, but we lack funding. The Belgian or Dutch competitors, the best, will be there with an entire supervision, instructors, sports directors, even with many equipment. To beat them, you must be equipped. After my experience at the Olympics last year (Note of the editor: abandonment on the online race)And after a season spent at the highest levels, I realized that he could not compete without being surrounded. I discuss a part with my insurance Ag – Soudal Team and on the other with the Mauritian part, to see how we can organize. For me it is clear: I will go to Rwanda to play the victory, or I will not go at all. But I think I have a real possibility of a gold medal.
From The Worlds, you will have other goals with your team, the women of the Tour de France (26 July – August 3), for example?
First of all, I will rest a little and then I will find my husband in South Africa. I haven’t seen him for 3 months, he’s starting to do it. Obviously, the Tour de France is on my calendar, it is one of my main objectives, but for the moment, I have to relax, to achieve what I have just been successful. Subsequently, we will see.