Hammer formed a team of four to compete in the men’s race, which was split over four stages - the first starting at the airport in Lungi, with each stage ending in Lunsar in the Northern Province. A vibrant community town, Lunsar is also home to Sierra Leone's largest cycling team, the Lunsar Cycling Team, who have brought forward some of the nation’s most talented riders. Unlike the races as we know them in Europe, there are no fancy buses to support the riders. Instead teams creatively adapt cars that have bikes strapped to them and in Hammer’s case a scooter with supplies. 

“Before I got there, my objective going into the event was to simply enjoy it. It was my first time watching a cycling event on this scale and I was surprised with how much I enjoyed that”, Hammer explains. “What I also did not expect was that it awakened my competitive side. Once I was in that environment, I felt really energised to do well and give it my all.”

One of the key challenges experienced by the riders in this race is the heat and humidity. With temperatures rising up to 38 degrees, seeking shade before setting off and ensuring to keep hydrated and fuelled is top priority. Having trained in Senegal himself where conditions were much colder, Hammer explains it was a shock to the body: “What I learned is how important it is to have support and I underestimated the importance of fuelling. On the first day I had some issues with my bike computer, then I ran out of water and I thought to myself: am I even going to be able to finish? My energy levels were totally out. Saved by my guardian angel James Sawyer on the support scooter to bring water and supplies, I was able to make it through again.”