I have spent thirty years working in the financial services jungle: banking; insurance and finance, during that time I have run large businesses and set up new companies. I have always been involved with sport as pleasure and pastime whether that be cricket, tennis, football or athletics. I didn’t start triathlon until I was well into my forties. I have always enjoyed both the competition and camaraderie of sports. Having moved into ‘retirement’, setting up a sports business allows me the opportunity of combining my passion for all things sporty and channeling my entrepreneurial ideas. I am passionate about excellence in customer service, building sustainable businesses and innovation.

As you may have seen, Rianca and I like to be involved in our unique sporting community here in the UAE. So if you have a suggestion on how to improve our business, then please drop us a line.

Living with a fairly obsessed triathlete and ironman wannabe you have to either beat them or join them and my way of doing this was by working at events with Raceme. I love the community feeling and buzz at sporting events.  One thing led to another and David and I have been running Sported.ae together for the past 6 years or so.  More recently we have taken over the running of Vélo Presto with the view of the two business complimenting one another.

I love the buzz of our team and interaction with our client base.

I am passionate about a great customer service and doing the right thing by people be it when teaching pilates in the past, or now in managing our business together with our team.

When you see us around come and have a chat!

I started riding a bicycle when I was 15 years old as a means of transport going to school. After 3 years I started training for the Tour du Phillipines and managed to qualify! I raced as a pro cyclist for 5 years from my 18th. In 2006 I had the opportunity to come to Dubai and worked for Wolfi’s for 6 years as a bike mechanic. After that I joined Vélo Presto. I like to share my knowledge and take pride in using all my experience to give high quality bike services. I really love cycling; it is my passion and I compete in a lot of the local races with an occasional podium.
Proud to be the Vélo Presto Head Mechanic

Sierra Leonean, 26 years old.

As a passionate cyclist and bicycle mechanic I always strive to provide the best service to my clients and I just love fixing bikes.

I started cycling as a teenager.
When there was a cycling event in my local community where a schoolmate of mine won the race, I said to myself “I could do this too!”
I signed up for my first competition and amazed myself with a first place.
Another achievement I am proud of is the award for “youngest cyclist in the Sierra Leone national team”.
Since then I have competed in many national and African competitions, such as the All Africa games in Morocco 2018 and the Tour du Guinea 2019.
Another highlight was winning the biggest cycling race in West Africa The SIS Tour de Lunar in 2022; winning all three jerseys.

My journey to the UAE has been so good because I got the job of my dreams. I never really thought about it, but developing into a more successful cyclist, together with my passion for fixing bikes and being able to help others enjoy their ride to the fullest, I know this is the right thing for me to become a successful person and it has changed my life.

I usually ride with my clients and I feel grateful for the opportunity to share my passion with others and make a positive impact on the cycling community.

Here in Dubai I have been racing in most of the bigger cycling challenges ending up in the top 15 with the occasional podium and have recently qualified for the UCI finals in Copenhagen.

My aspirations are to participate in one of the biggest cycling events like the Tour de France, or Giro d’Italia and being the best bike mechanic I can be.

I started working in the bike industry in 2019 in Dubai and kicked off my  own cycling journey at the same time.  I love the feeling of cycling!
As a bike mechanic I like to give my clients the best service and treat the bike as if it’s mine with great skill and cleanliness and take pride in a great result.

Over the past year I have participated in the NAS sports race, Spinneys 92 and L’etape by Tour the France.

Looking forward to this coming season!

I am one of the latest members of the Vélo Presto Team.

Not a cyclist, but being around bicycles and bike rides has sparked my interest of the cycling world.

My passion for motorcycles and cars definitely helped the learning process of knowing all things bike. Still a long way to go though, but everyday is an opportunity to learn something new.

My journey in the UAE begins with eight years at RTA-Dubai as a taxi driver gaining knowledge of the UAE roads and mingling with various nationalities and cultures. After the RTA, I spent 10 years as a driver cum messenger in prestigeous establishments. There I handled VIP clients, guests, deligates while driving luxurious vehicles.
Now I am working with Vélo Presto as a driver and assisting the mechanics, expanding my experiences and learning basic bike servicing skills from my colleague. It is a good experience. Before I didn’t know about bicycles but with Vélo Presto, I can talk about bikes!

Sales has always been a career path I was determined to pursue, not only to broaden my knowledge but also to ensure every customer receives outstanding service.

Since moving to the UAE, I’ve had the privilege of working with several reputable bike shops, where I gained in-depth knowledge of the cycling industry and actively immersed myself in the cycling community. One of the highlights of my journey was participating in the Dubai Fitness Challenge Ride on Sheikh Zayed Road, an annual event that fills me with pride and enthusiasm every time I take part.

Cycling, for me, is much more than just a hobby; it’s a way of life. It keeps me active, focused, and connected to a vibrant community. This passion fuels my professional approach, allowing me to engage with customers from a place of genuine experience and enthusiasm. I understand what riders need.

Joining Velo Presto marks an exciting new chapter in my journey. It allows me to continue participating in cycling events while working alongside a dedicated team to deliver top-quality service and ensure that every customer enjoys their experience with us.

I am from Sri Lanka.  My hobby is mountain biking and cycling.  Happy to have a job as a mechanic with a special focus on MTB servicing.