Florence Nakagwa started cycling during the Covid-19 pandemic to transport deliveries to her grandparents’ place, a 50km round trip she made daily. In 2021, the then-17-year-old joined the Masaka Cycling Club Foundation, where her dream of a cycling career started.

Florence says, “I used to ride my ordinary bike at the start of 2020 as a means of transport during the Covid-19 pandemic. I always had to make deliveries to my grandparents’ place, which is 25km away from my home, making it a total distance of 50km every day. From primary school to finishing high school, I played women’s football and volleyball as school-sponsored sports. I liked cycling ever since my dad and brothers were cyclists, but I just didn’t have an opportunity to do it because of the culture and traditions in Uganda. 

In 2021, I had an opportunity to break that culture when Masaka Cycling Club, which mostly had boys as members, was looking for girls to join. I always had the belief that girls can cycle the same as boys do, and so I joined. In the same year, I decided that cycling would be my career, and I had daily coaching and training, including from my dad, who helped start the club. 

I live in a small town called SSAZA based in Masaka City, located 136km from the capital city of Uganda. It’s a place that is not always too busy and consists of loving, caring, respectful and hard-working people who love sports. For the past ten years, cycling was not considered a sport most parents could wish their children to do. After the Masaka Cycling Club Foundation’s opening, the negative attitudes towards cycling changed to positive ones. Now, many people in the community are interested in cycling more than other sports. The club started with less than ten riders, but now has over 40 riders in different categories, both boys and girls.

I have been doing both road cycling and gravel. In 2022, I raced gravel with Team Amani, an East African team based in Iten, Kenya. In 2023, I participated in the African Continental Road Cycling Championships and won the Ugandan national road championship. I participated in the UCI Road Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. I have also attended a UCI training camp program three times over the last two years. 

Through cycling, I managed to earn and save money and then purchased my own plot of land. I have managed to help out my family financially, hence taking care of my little brothers’ school dues. I have also met new friends and been recognised by many people. 

I feel excited and pleasured about signing with CANYON//SRAM Generation. This has always been one of my dream targets for 2023. All I wished for was to get people who could nurture me within the sport of cycling and get the best experiences within cycling. 

I’m looking forward to great teamwork and being nurtured through the different aspects of cycling to be a better cyclist. I also am looking forward to receiving the best form of training and getting exposure to other races to know the level of my strength and skills.”