'I never gave up' - Merhawi Kudus on bouncing back to the pro ranks after a year in Asia
Eritrean talks to Global Peloton about signing for Burgos BH after a successful season with Malaysian team Terengganu
Just over a year ago, Merhawi Kudus was faced with the prospect of retirement. After ten years as a professional, his then team EF Education First-EasyPost told him that his contract was not to be renewed at the very last moment. After a year away, he’ll be back at the professional level in 2025.
Kudus had one of the best seasons of his career in 2023 and felt as fit as ever. Fifth at the Tour de l’Ain alongside strong showings in support of his leaders in pink were evidence that the Eritrean was far from finished with his career. However, with nowhere to go, retirement seemed his only option for a time.
"I was really hoping to renew my contract," Kudus told Global Peloton over the phone during his first training camp with his 2025 employers, Burgos BH.
Kudus heard the news days before travelling home to Eritrea for his wedding. His life with his new wife was just beginning, but his professional career looked potentially over.
"I tried my best to contact all the teams...I was nearly to retire, you know, in the last minute," he recalled.
At the end of November 2023, a professional lifeline was handed to Kudus in the form of a Malaysian continental team, Terengganu. Terengganu have been among the best Asian third-division teams for the best part of a decade and Kudus was pleased to be able to join his compatriot Metkel Eyob, who has spent six years with the team.
"I just really appreciate them. They give me chance in the last minute...I had a really good season with them. OK, the racing is quite different to what I have been racing compared with Europe, but I did all of the Asia and the Middle East races."
Racing at the continental level in Asia, Kudus had his best results for years in 2024. Second places in the Tours of Türkiye, Japan and Kumano were followed by an overall win at the 2.2 Tour de Banyuwangi Ijen in Indonesia.
Kudus was highly motivated to show that he still had the level of a rider at the WorldTour. In the early season AlUla Tour and Tour of Oman, he cut a determined figure, doggedly fighting for every position in every stage. Throughout those races, up against WorldTour opposition, Kudus finished within the top-25 of every stage.
"I'm quite happy and quite proud for myself....it make me a little bit regret. A lot of, maybe three, four times I came second in GC, especially also in Japan. Some little mistakes, but in the end, I'm happy with my performance, he said."
"I had really, really good freedom. I could race for myself, so it was a really good opportunity...All the races, they were working for me. So when I get an opportunity, even in the sprinter stages, you know, I can be top-20. For me, it's easy with the position, with the experience I have."
"I never gave up. So I was working very hard. I was thinking I can come back. I was working very, very hard to be back, especially to WorldTour. In the end, we try different WorldTour [teams], but unfortunately I could not get it. Once I get the opportunity from Burgos, I don't want to lose and have the same situation [as 2023], so I signed quite early in August already."
The 30-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the Spanish ProTeam, bouncing straight back to the professional ranks.
Having previously been a largely Spanish outfit, Burgos BH have internationalised in the past couple of years. Kudus will be able to count alongside him as team-mates Jambaljamts Sainbayar from Mongolia, Sergio Chumil from Guatemala, Eric Fagundez from Uruguay, as well as Josh Burnett and George Jackson from New Zealand.
For any Spanish ProTeam, the season revolves around La Vuelta a España. Rule changes come into effect for 2025 that mean that any team ranked outside of the world’s top-40 in the UCI rankings will be excluded from Grand Tour invitations.
In 2026, that target moves to top-30, which is the big aim for Burgos BH in 2025 having placed 28th this year (incidentally just two spots in front of Terengganu). Kudus is motivated to score points for Burgos and hopes to get back to racing Grand Tours.
“The biggest goal is to be in the Grand Tour, in Vuelta a España, as a Spanish team,” Kudus said.
“We need to be top 30 with the points. So in the beginning of the season, we're going to fight for points to be in the Grand Tours. And when we reach that goal, I have to also fight for myself to be with the eight guys selected for Grand Tours.”
Kudus enjoyed his freedom during his year in Asia, and hopes for more of the same with Burgos BH, having spent most of his career working for big leaders in big teams.
“It looks like I have more freedom and more opportunity to race for myself,” he said. “So hopefully I can show my potential next year.”
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