The team comprises 16 cyclists. There are two on-location coaches, an external consultant and various other staff members. Financing appears to be a problem. The cyclists train on locally bought, poor-quality mountain bikes. They lift weights composed of emptied water jugs filled with concrete. Exercises involve boulders and slabs of wood.

The de facto head coach, Simon Blake, says the team copes effectively with the resources it has. The problem, he says, lies in finding talent. The team hosts periodic races in which contestants compete on local cumbersome bikes, called Black Mambas, and try to beat a certain time to win a cash prize and probationary admittance to the team.

The team built a BMX-style track at the camp. They carved trails out of the surrounding forests. Blake, however, says more money would benefit the project.

“If we had a budget for talent ID, if Nick had money to buy an odd Black Mamba or take a teacher out to lunch, that would help us improve,” said Blake, an Australian former distance runner and cycling instructor. “We know the talent is here.”

In the initial stages of the project, Leong was the sole financial contributor. But several years ago a financial manager, Ferdinand Vermersch, and his wife, Marie-Anne, became involved. Marie-Anne says they share Leong’s vision, which differs significantly from the traditional notion of Western development in Africa.

“I met people who were involved in charity,” she said. “I thought it wasn’t a solution to give someone clothes or money. It may be helpful, but we wanted to do something concrete.”

Blake says the unusual nature of the team could help attract more sponsors.

“Kenyan Riders, an all-black cycling team,” he said. “Even if we’re not the best, we’d still get the most amount of publicity.”