Meet the cyclist who logged a six-hour training ride - without telling his coach - before winning World Championships
Daniel Abraham Gebru refuses to miss training days, even when he has a race
Dutch para-cyclist Daniel Abraham Gebru went on a secret six-hour training ride, before winning his first world title on track.
The 38-year-old, a two-time Paralympic gold medallist, logged a 167km ride through the hills of South Lanarkshire on Strava, and then went on to triumph in the men’s C5 Scratch race last Thursday evening.
“It’s Viviani style!” Abraham joked to Cycling Weekly. “He would race 200km and then win a race on the track. It was only an easy ride for me, so I could still race in the evening.”
For most hobbyists, the Dutchman’s ride was far from easy. It took in almost 1,800m of climbing, and he went fast enough to score a new KOM on a short drag south of Glasgow. “Ok, on the hills, there was a little bit of intensity,” he conceded with a smile.
Abraham did the ride on his time trial bike, and is hoping to win the men’s C5 individual time trial this Thursday. The Dutchman is one of the favourites for the event, in which he won Paralympic gold in Tokyo two years ago.
“I didn’t want to miss that day [of training], because my focus is really on the road, the time trial, so I don’t want to miss that one,” he said. “My coach was here in the track [centre], busy with another athlete. I just went off on my ride. I couldn’t tell him I was going on a six-hour one, because he would never accept it.
“When I got back, I was like, ‘Yeah, I did six hours’,” he laughed. “He didn’t agree with it, but on the other side he said, ‘Yeah, it works for you, but not everybody can do that.’”
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
In the Scratch race later that evening, Abraham powered to victory off the front, but said he “didn’t really feel the pain”.
The Dutchman's Strava shows he has been out on the Scottish roads almost every day at the World Championships. “It’s a beautiful landscape,” he said. “Also there’s good people, good drivers on the road. We in Holland don’t have hills, over there it’s flat. This is lovely.”
Asked if he’ll do another training ride before the time trial, the Dutchman broke into laughter. “I’m going to lay on my bed,” he replied.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is the host of The TT Podcast, which covers both the men's and women's pelotons and has featured a number of prominent British riders.
An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides.
-
Collapsed lung, concussion and multiple fractures: Fundraiser set up for first ever Tour de France Féminin winner following crash
Marianne Martin crashed earlier in October and is looking to raise $20,000 to help her get back on her feet
By Adam Becket Published
-
Gravel riders - get ready, set, register! A guide to 2025's biggest gravel events and key registration dates
Here are the registration dates for gravel’s biggest events around the globe
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
'I was in hospital six weeks ago': 80-year-old Brit wins three world titles
Former Olympian track cyclist Geoff Cooke trains up to 300 miles a week
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Strava introduces new artificial intelligence feature for subscribers
Athlete Intelligence will take workout data and translate it into personalised insights
By Adam Becket Published
-
Is this the £17,000 bike that will carry Tadej Pogačar to the rainbow jersey?
Colnago launch special edition V4RS Tadej ahead of the elite men’s road race at the World Championships
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Strava introduces new feature which brings privacy settings up to speed
Quick Edit option allows users to hide specific workout data the moment they open the app
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'It was a nice break' - Cycling sensation 'on holiday' breaks Zoncolan, Stelvio and Giau Strava records
Hill climber Illi Gardner added more iconic climbs to her trophy cabinet
By Tom Davidson Published
-
You can now pay a 'mule' to earn your kudos - we went inside the murky world of Strava jockeys
We asked someone to ride 100 miles for us, and uncovered a network of moral dilemmas
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Shaved arms, special tyres, and an 11-page plan: How one rider masterminded his way to Strava's most popular KOM
Dom Jackson's Box Hill coup was a team effort, fuelled by rice and sweets
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Britain's lost track sprinter returns as Olympic medallist Matthew Richardson switches nationality
'This decision is about following my passion and pushing myself to new heights,' says 25-year-old, who until now has represented Australia
By Tom Davidson Published