Since winning the yellow jersey in the ongoing Tour of Cameroon, attention has focussed on him.
Before winning the yellow jersey, Mba Herve Raoul was little known to the Cameroonian public probably overshadowed by his team mate of SNH velo club, Yves Ngue Ngock on who lay hopes of a Cameroonian victory.
However, ever since that significant victory, Mba Herve Raoul has become a household name in Cameroon as attention has drifted from Yves Ngue Ngock to him. The soft spoken native of Edea says he was inspired to join cycling by Tekou Damien who also hails from Edea. His role model is Tega Martinien as he says he would like to be like him.
Herve's current performance is thanks to a one year training camp he had in France together with Ngue Ngock entirely sponsored by SNH to whom his very grateful. Though he did not come first in the fourth lap yesterday, he conserved the yellow jersey to the pride and joy of Cameroonians.
He said though he was tired, he drew courage from the support of his team mates who he says he doesn't want to disappoint. Before joining the SNH velo club in 2009, Herve Raoul paddled for six years with the Douala velo club. Though this is his first victory at the international cycling tour of Cameroon, Mba Herve says he is not at his first victory in a cycling race.
He won two competitions in France during his training there and has also won several titles in the youth category at the national level. He also emerged second at the Grand Prix Chantal Biya. He says his ambition is to become a professional cyclist.