"Don't stop dreaming. The road will be tough, and sometimes lonely, but believe me, it's possible." - Kim Le Court-Pienaar

Don’t stop dreaming. The road will be tough, and sometimes lonely, but believe me, it’s possible.

On the eve of the race in Plouay, we sat down with Kim Le Court-Pienaar. It turned into an open conversation where we looked back at her historic Tour de France Femmes, where she became the first African woman ever to wear the yellow jersey and wrote history together with the team.

But Kim didn’t just look back. With the same passion, she also spoke about what’s still to come: the goals she has set for the remainder of the season, a special story about the TDFF, and how she's looking forward to the Worlds in Rwanda.

Discover Kim’s thoughts in the Q&A below.

 

How did you experience the last three weeks after the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift?

The last three weeks have been a real mix of emotions. On one hand, I’m so grateful, this is such a special time in my career, and I’ve grown so much in such a short space. The Tour gave me experiences and memories I’ll carry forever, and I don’t take any of it for granted. At the same time, it’s not something you just switch off from, it takes time to adjust to everything that comes with it, both on and off the bike. Some days it’s been overwhelming, but having my husband with me through all of this has been such a blessing. He’s kept me grounded, reminded me to breathe, and helped me truly appreciate the beauty of what’s happening in my life right now.

Going back to the TDFF, did it change the person Kim Le Court-Pienaar?

I don’t know if it changed me as a person, but it touched me deeply. The Tour gave me moments I never imagined I would live. Wearing yellow, winning a stage, and that stays inside you forever. It didn’t suddenly make life easier or make me someone different, but it gave me a stronger belief in myself. I’d say it added something to me rather than changed me.

 

We saw a lot of Mauritian flags and support during the TDFF, it must give you a feeling of proudness?

Every flag I saw touched me deeply. It’s hard to explain what it means when you’re out there suffering on the bike and you suddenly spot the colours of your island waving in the crowd. It gave me goosebumps every time. Mauritius is always with me, on my jersey, in my heart and seeing that support made me feel not just proud, but incredibly emotional.

 

We noticed a special bracelet after stage 2. What is the story behind it?

That bracelet isn’t just a bracelet. After stage 2, when I wore yellow for the first time, a little girl and her parents from Mauritius waited for me outside the press conference when they was no one else left. She came up to me with this bracelet she had made herself, in the colours of Mauritius, and gave it to me with the biggest smile. The glow in her eyes when she looked up at me is something I will never forget. It touched me so deeply because it reminded me exactly why I push myself to achieve what I’m achieving, for little girls like her, for the next generation. Whether it’s one girl or ten, if I can inspire even just one child to dream, then it’s all worth it. That bracelet became my reminder of them, and of the future. I told the little girl that I would wear it for the rest of the Tour, which I did.

 

What are your upcoming goals this season?

Of course the big one for me is the World Championships in Rwanda. That’s been in my mind for a long time, and I want to give it everything. But beyond the results, my goal is also to find balance again, to be at peace with myself, to carry both the good and the tough moments, and to let that make me stronger. When my heart and mind are in the right place, I know my legs will follow.

 

It’s a great period for African cycling, how blessed do you feel to experience these moments?

Very blessed. To see African cycling rising and to be a small part of that story is something I’ll always be proud of. It shows the world that no dream is too big, no island too small, no background too far. It feels like we are building a path for the next generation, and that gives me so much motivation.

 

Which message do you have for young African cyclists?

Don’t stop dreaming. The road will be tough, and sometimes lonely, but believe me, it’s possible. I was once just a girl on a bike in Mauritius with nothing but a dream. Today I’ve won a stage in the Giro, Liège-Bastogne-Liege, stage of Tour of Britain, stage of the Tour de France femmes & I’ve worn yellow at the Tour 4 times, and I’m still dreaming. If I can do it, so can you.