Fariba Hashimi makes history

21-year-old becomes the first Afghan ever to win an international UCI race

I must have written the word ‘history’ a thousand times this season. It’s been a year of barriers broken.

This time, it’s Afghanistan’s Fariba Hashimi, who became the first Afghan, man or woman, to win an international UCI race over the weekend. Hashimi soloed to victory on the queen stage of the 2.1 level Tour Feminin l'Ardeche, defeating a raft of WorldTour rivals on the slopes of Mont Lozère.

Hashimi attacked on the final climb. Image: Florian Frison / DirectVelo

It’s a breakthrough moment for a rider whose rise has been stratospheric in recent years. She and her sister, Yulduz, have gone from racing locally in Afghanistan, to being forced to flee after the Taliban took control of the country, to now surely being on the brink of a WorldTour contract.

When the Taliban took over in 2021, they clamped down on women’s rights, banning them from sport, education and restricting travel alongside many other activities. The sisters, who dreamed of racing professionally, knew they had to flee.

“The biggest thing for me is to be away from my mother,” Fariba told the BBC. “I never thought that because of cycling I would be separated from my brothers and sisters…I’ve sacrificed a lot.”

The pair recently took part in the Paris Olympic Games, with Fariba lighting up the road race with an attacking performance which caught the eye. They chose to represent Afghanistan, rather than the Olympic Refugee Team, to represent the millions of women trapped within the Taliban regime.

“Our achievement belongs to Afghanistan,” Fariba said. “This belongs to Afghanistan women. I am going to the Olympics because of them.”

Hashimi’s win at the Tour Feminin l'Ardeche follows an excellent 8th place at the recent Tour de l’Avenir Femmes. Alongside her impressive Olympic rider, Hashimi also place 10th at the Giro Mediterraneo in Rosa this year.

These are results that would likely grant most 21-year-old’s a place in a top team to continue their development. Where do you think Hashimi will end up next season?

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