habariinspiration 42 L ast summer, Robert Hunter became the first African to win a stage of cycling's biggest race, the Tour de France. The 31- year- old South African describes his stage 11 victory – between Marseille and Montpellier – as the biggest achievement of his career. Though he was unable to emulate the feat in this year's Tour, Johannesburg- born Hunter, msafiri Oliver Pickup catches up with Africa's fastest man on two wheels who has a green jersey in sight for 2009 " It was an amazing experience, to visit China for the first time," he says. " But the race did not suit me and I did not finish. I hope that the London course will be much flatter and straighter." Hunter will have to wait until next year to achieve his biggest goal: to earn the coveted maillot vert ( or green jersey), handed to the rider of the Tour de France who has gained the most sprinting points over the 21 stages. " I was a little bit disappointed with the way things went this year at the Tour," concedes Hunter, who was just pipped to stage two by Thor Hushord. " But in this sport, some years you win, some years you don't – that's the way of cycling." As well as that fantastic victory in south France last year, in his decade of being a professional, Hunter's highlights include winning stages at the 1999 and 2001 Vuelta a España, claiming the overall title at the 2004 Tour of Qatar, and clinching the sprint classification at the 2004 Tour de Suisse. " One of my biggest goals was to win a stage on the Tour de France and last year I realised that the possibilities of winning stages were still very much attainable," he explains. " My plan is to win another stage and I feel my condition is still good. It's never that easy to win though – there are another 40 sprinters hoping to do the same thing and there are only six or seven sprinting occasions." When the European season is in full swing – from about February to September – Hunter finds it almost impossible to return to South Africa, though in the close season he spends most of the time at home in Johannesburg. He is relishing his next long visit home when the season concludes, as his wife of three years, Claudia, gave birth to their first child, Mandy, in July. Despite fatherhood, Hunter, named South African cyclist of the year five times in the last seven years, plans to continue riding professionally for another few years yet. " The awards are great to receive and make me very proud, and I am happy that I can look back on my career having achieved most of the goals I set out to achieve. There are some things left, but hopefully I can achieve those before I retire. " I want to win more stages of the Tour de France and win the green jersey. I would also like to win a stage in the Giro d'Italia – that is the one big tour that I have not won a stage in. " Whatever happens I have had a decent career and I am happy with it. For the next three or four years I am sure I will still be mentally up for cycling, and plan to continue. " Cycling is a growing sport in Africa, and in South Africa in particular. There are not many African riders racing in Europe yet, but it won't be long before there are." sporting heroes who specialises in sprinting and rides for Italian team Barloworld, is positive that he can win more stages in the future, and perhaps an Olympic medal in London's 2012 Games. Hunter competed in his third Olympics in Beijing in August, though – like the Sydney and Athens road races before it – found the hilly course not to his taste. Q NATIONALITY SOUTH AFRICAN Q DOB 22.04.77 Q HEIGHT 179cms Q WEIGHT 72kg Q RIDES FOR Barloworld Q favourite food Italian Q FAVOURITE CAR Porsche 911 Q www. robbiehunter. net ROBERT HUNTER bryn lenon/ Gety Images