Into Cycling - December 2017

ISSUE #13

December 2017

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NINO SCHURTER 'EMBRACING MTB PARTY OF THE YEAR'

Photo: Men’s cross-country World Champion and UCI World Cup Champion Nino Schurter - Photo Credit: Tobias Ginsberg

Men’s cross-country World Champion and UCI World Cup Champion Nino Schurter joined in on the action at the 2017 BUCO Origin Of Trails, Two-Day Mountain Bike (MTB) Stage Race held in Stellenbosch from 25-26 November. “I love Stellenbosch, it’s one of my favorite places to ride,” says Schurter. “The race was cool. It showed off the really nice trails. I wasn’t in race mode, so I got to see the scenery today. I took a lot of selfies on the bike and had some really good chats.”

Known as the MTB party of the year, the BUCO Origin Of Trails highlights the beauty and splendor of Stellenbosch while offering entrants the “once a year” opportunity to experience a vast network of world class trails that include a spectacular combination of single-track in the pristine setting of the majestic Stellenbosch Winelands.

After each stage riders had the opportunity to share their war stories while enjoying an ice cold Becks Blue ‘guilt free’ in the finish area.

The BUCO Origin Of Trails MTB treated mountain bikers to a single track experience like no other. Riders could choose between three entry options: a Long Course (+-55km on Saturday and +-58km on Sunday), a Medium Course (+-55km on Saturday and +-29km on Sunday) and a Short Course (+-28km on Saturday and +-29km on Sunday).

Daniel van der Walt claimed his second stage victory in the men’s Short Course crossing the finish line in 01 hour 30 minutes 47 seconds.

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NEWS

Camaraderie, Scenery & Endurance Challenge At Coronation Double Century

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EDITORIALS Deadline 12th each month

The team of Active Bodies won the 2017 Coronation Double Century over 202km in a new record time of 04:30:12. “That’s what we came here to do,” commented a visibly elated Clint Hendricks after the finish. “I don’t know why I keep doing it,” he added. “it’s always really tough.”

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The men’s race in the world’s largest team time trial lived up to the pre-race hype with all the big guns going hard from the start. Alfa Bodyworks looked like early favourites. However, they, along with Freewheel Cycology Racing and Hot Chillee seemed to hemorrhage riders early on, due to punctures and early fatigue. They however managed to keep it together to have the required six of their 12 riders finish, but it was Active Bodies who was ahead at every time check.

PRINTED ISSUE #12

November 2017

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“This is our 11th year with the Double Century,” commented Coronation portfolio manager, Neville Chester, who once again completed the race himself. “We love the event, it really is a signature event, I don’t think there is anything quite like it – in terms of the distance and nature – in the country,” he said.

“The team nature of the event also ties in with Coronation’s philosophy of teamwork. It was a fantastic day out there,” he said. “It was a beautiful day with the weather really playing along. There was also a great vibe out on route and, like all good teams, I managed to surround myself with people who made me look good.”

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N E W S PA P E R

Aside from the unique competitive nature of the racing element, the Coronation Double Century is a favourite on the calendar among fun riders - for who it really caters.

The camaraderie, scenery and big endurance challenge is what draws them, with the post-race carnival atmosphere in Swellendam - the perfect way to finish it off.

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DISCOVER THE EDGE OF THE ANCIENT DESERT

According to Hendricks the team – which included African Champion Willie Smit and captained by Bradley Potgieter – rode faster in 2017 despite not having as many ‘name’ pros. “We were a lot smoother than last year. We had 11 guys until about 25km to go and only lost guys because of the punctures.”

Conditions were perfect for racing early on, cloudy and cool through Buffeljagsrivier and up into Tradouw Pass, the first real test of the route, however temperatures soon became an issue as riders got onto the R62.

Photo: The ‘Ursus Major’ – or ‘Great Bear’ – rock formation can be found in a section of Kaokoland known as the ‘Garden Route of Namibia’ - Photo Credit: Jacques Marais

Monday, 4 September - this was finally our ‘big day’’. After months of planning and running around like headless chickens, Pete van Kets and I were finally at Serra Cafema, right up against the border between Namibia and Angola.

It was here that our DUNLOP ‘Beyond The Desert Edge’ Expedition would kick off, setting us off on an adventure where we would travel from the Kunene River

- using fat-bikes and a pair of Isuzu KB 4x4 vehicles - all the way to Walvis Bay, a good 1200km of pedalling later.

I’ve experienced plenty of adventures in my five or so decades, but this desert route gave me sleepless nights from time to time.

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The women’s category was dominated by pre-race favourites, Tiletoria Train. The team, including Bianca Holtzkampf, Hazel MacGill, Susan Melmed, Maroesjka Matthee and Desiree Strydom never held back and had a healthy lead at all of the check points.

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The hotly contested Mixed division was taken out by Design in Motion, with Hotchillee Mixed in second. Design in Motion came with some serious firepower, featuring Cashandra Slingerland, Desray Sebregts, pro riders Myles van Musschenbroek and Richard Baxter.

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NEWS

Team Dimension Data Training Camp - Cape Town Highlights While the 2017 cycling season concluded on the 24 October for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka, planning for the 2018 season got underway when our African Team descended upon Cape Town, staying at the Southern Sun Cullinan Hotel between 12 -19 November for their 2018 season training and strategizing camp.

From medical assessments to performance goals, the riders and staff of Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka have been preparing for what is set to be an exciting 2018. The camp in Cape Town has not been all meetings and presentations – the team has enjoyed hospitality from various team partners and team-building activities, with the highlight being the Qhubeka bicycle distribution ceremony.

Photo: Team Dimension Data Guest Ride, Cape Town - Photo Credit: Johann Botha

Other highlights of the training camp included the world’s largest virtual training camp, guest rides, a gala evening at the Zeitz MOCCA and a trip to Robben Island.

From 13 -19 November 2017, Zwift and Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka ran a global virtual training camp and raised funds for Qhubeka. To date, funds for 512 bicycles have been raised, with Zwift match-funding each bicycle donated.

After a week riding with the team he was awarded a place on Team Dimension Data’s U23 squad for 2018.

Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka 2018 Roster

Zwift, the global online fitness platform for cyclists, has announced New Zealand’s Ollie Jones as the winner of the 2017 Team Dimension Data | Zwift Academy, securing a professional cycling contract on Team Dimension Data’s U23 Continental squad in the process.

Igor Anton, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Steve Cummings, Mekseb Debesay, Nic Dougall, Amanuel Gebreigzabhier, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, Ben King, Louis Meintjes, Ben O’Connor, Mark Renshaw, Jay Thomson, Johann van Zyl, Julien Vermote, Natnael Berhane, Mark Cavendish, Scott Davies, Nicholas Dlamini, Bernie Eisel, Ryan Gibbons, Jacques Janse van Rensburg, Merhawi Kudus, Lachlan Morton, Serge Pauwels, Tom-Jelte Slagter, Scott Thwaites and Jaco Venter.

Jones signed-up for the Men’s Zwift Academy alongside 9,200 other cyclists from around the world, which consisted of a six-week program of workouts, group rides and races exclusively in the online cycling environment of Zwift.

2018 will be a significant year for our African Team as they embark on an ambitious project, their 2020 vision, to place a rider on the general classification podium at the Tour de France.

Jones progressed to the Zwift Academy final along with Sam Mobberley (New Zealand) and Nick White (Australia), held at the Team Dimension Data end of season team camp in Cape Town.

Other goals for 2018 include: Raise 5000 bikes for Qhubeka; 30 UCI race wins, including 10 World Tour; Grand Tour stage wins; Grand Tour Top 5 GC; Podium in classics (World Tour one-day race); and Top 15 World Tour team ranking.

Nino Schurter 'Embracing MTB Party Of The Year'

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Riding for Prochorus, Gershwin Steyn managed an impressive 5th place position after completing Stage Two in a deserving time of 01 hour 39 minutes 49 seconds. The BUCO Origin Of Trails is a proud supporter of Prochorus, an organization that was established in 1996 with a primary focus to redress the social imbalances in society and secondly to meet the needs and concerns of the local community. Origin Of Trails also supports the Aitsa After Care Centre. The Centre strives to expose children to fun activities and programs in an alternative home environment where they feel loved and special.

Christine van der Walt was the first rider home in the women’s Short Course in a time of 02 hours 05 minutes 21 seconds. Sannelize Janse Van Rensburg came in second, while Mikayla Forrester finished third. Rory Smith was the first rider home in the men’s Medium Course with a finishing time of 01 hour 39 minutes 28 seconds. Daniel Groenewald came in second, while Leon Prozesky finished third.

Elrita Blignaut was the first rider home in the women’s Medium Course crossing the finish line in 02 hours 14 minutes 06 seconds. Robyn Tully came in second, while Justine Laver finished third. Renay Groustra claimed his second stage victory in the men’s Long Course in a time of 02 hours 58 minutes 49 seconds. Marlene Lourens crossed the finish line first in the women’s Long Course. According to Lourens the stage was fantastic. Lourens crossed the finish line in 03 hours 31 minutes 15 seconds, followed by Ila Stow in second place.

XTERRA legend Conrad Stoltz was also seen out on route. “I love the event,” says Stoltz. “It’s the epitome of MTB trails in Stellenbosch. This is the reason why I do the sport. It was really special riding some of the trails that I have built.”

Photo: Ryal De Waal - Photo Credit: Tobias Ginsberg

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NEWS

SA Cycling Superstars Take Telkom 947 Cycle Challenge Crown South African cycling superstars Daryl Impey and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio were crowned as 2017 Telkom 947 Cycle Challenge champions recently after winning the 21st running of the race in uncannily similar ways.

Both attacked on the climb on Cedar Road to break away with powerful solo rides to the climb, coming across the finish line at Riversands Commercial Park over a minute ahead of their nearest rivals. Impey, the first South African to wear the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, celebrated his first victory in his hometown race, while Moolman Pasio took her fourth win.

“Finally, it’s like a monkey off my back,” laughed Impey, who rides for Australian-based World Tour team Orica-Scott. Impey was followed home by Team BCX’s Calvin Beneke, who beat last year’s runner-up, Eddie van Heerden of Team RoadCover in a sprint for second. Beneke said having Impey in the race had spiced it up and motivated the South African teams. Van Heerden, who lost out in the sprint for the win last year, was left to rue another close thing.

Moolman Pasio, who missed last year’s Cycle Challenge after suffering injuries in a crash, was always the favourite to win the third UCI 1.1 women’s race. With her World Tour team, Cervelo-Bigla, missing this year’s Cycle Challenge, Moolman Pasio rode with a team of top Africans from the World Cycling Centre.

Moolman Pasio said riding with the African team had been a great privilege and the best way to see how African cycling is shaping up. She was particularly impressed with Magnifique Manizabayo from Rwanda and what that country is doing in road cycling. Norwegian champion Vita Heine of Team HiTec Products was second, having been unable to follow Moolman Pasio when she attacked, while third-placed Christa Riffel, the 19-year-old former German junior champion, took third for Team Canyon Sram in her first year as a professional.

SuperCycling’s Producer Set To Retire

Photo: Ashleigh Moolman Pasio Photo Credit: Erik Vermeulen

Cyclosportif #5: Final Vida League GC Standings

After 17 years at the helm of South Africa’s most iconic TV show dedicated to cycling, the producer and behind-the-scenes action figure Aubrey Coetzee is now looking ahead to his retirement. In a television career spanning 42 years, Coetzee has been involved in just about every aspect of putting a television show together, and his most recent 17 years of SuperCycling on DSTV’s Supersport was testimony to his experience in his trade.

Photo: Aubrey Coetzee

Coetzee’s introduction into cycling began in 1975 when he joined the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). His first assignment was to cover track cycling at a packed Hector Norris Park in Johannesburg, and it was also the first ever live broadcast of a cycling event on South African television.

He left the SABC and freelanced on various productions until the 1990s, where he joined the company that produced Old Mutual’s World of Endurance and reconnected with cycling once again.

The next step, and what would ultimately be his “home” for the next 17 years, was the start of SuperCycling in 2001.

Cycling and sport has taken Aubrey to some of the most amazing places in the world, and one particular point in his life that he will long remember is the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.

His long working hours and mostly weekend work meant that Aubrey did not have much time to dabble into sports, let alone cycling. Having worked on some of the first animation films in the early 1970s, Aubrey looks forward to rekindling his passion with drawing once again when he switches off the production lights.

“Thank you for the incredible work that you have done over your illustrious career and for sharing your love of cycling to the world,” CyclingSA.

The fifth and last PPA Cyclosportif in the 2017 series took place on Sunday, 19 November 2017. The event started and finished at the Simonsvlei Wine Cellar near Paarl, and incorporated the final event in the vida Spring League. The vida League 2017 consisted of six events that tested riders from all categories and ages ability to the full.

There were two route options: 97km or 38.5km. The 97km counted towards seeding for the 2018 Cape Town Cycle Tour and was excellent training for the forthcoming Stellenbosch Cycle Tour as the routes are fairly similar, except for the start and finish-line. From the start at the Simonsvlei Winery, the route took riders towards Stellenbosch, over Helshoogte, past the Wemmershoek dam and through the back of Paarl towards Wellington, before returning via the R44 to finish on the Suid-Agterpaarl road on the R101. Riding his first season as a professional Brad Gouveris, 19-year-old sprinter from Team Giant placed 3rd in the final race of the series and took the overall win at PPA Vida League with an outstanding all-round performance.

Gouveris won the second event in the vida Spring League, the West Coast Express and showed consistency over a period of time. Final Vida League GC standings: Brad Gouveris (Team Giant), Max Sullivan (Team Mad Macs p/b häzz Coffee) and Alex Parsons (Alfa Body Works). “The sponsorship of the League, presents vida with a fantastic opportunity to further entrench ourselves with the cycling community in Cape Town, Our massive store base of over 200 sites across the country, presents convenient points for cyclists to start and end their rides, to enjoy a shot of caffeine or a delicious snack during or post a ride. As a business born and bred in Cape Town, this venture allows us to give back to the sport and participate in its ongoing development with the PPA,” said Darren Levy, CEO for vida e caffè.

In 2018 the PPA are planning a series of 6 events, the first one taking place on Sunday, 21 January 2018.

021 880 0799 33 Canterbury Lane info.stellenbosch@specialized.com Paradyskloof www.specialized-stellenbosch.com Stellenbosch

Specialized Stellenbosch @specializedstellenbosch

Featuring: Authorised Body Geometry Fit Studio Coffeeworks Coffee Shop Kids’ play area Service Centre Lounge area Pump Track

PAGE 4

HEALTH

Golden Medic is a Simple, Safe, Effective, Natural Product Attention Bikers: This small, light bottle, which you can carry in your pocket, is quick and effective in taking away pain and stopping bleeding while preventing infection and enabling you to finish your ride. The Johannesburg Mountain Bikers never go out without it!

Golden Medic is a simple, safe, effective and natural product with healing properties containing no chemicals, drugs or antibiotics. The product is not only used on injuries, but also for many other treatments, and has shown excellent results.

Treatment Golden Medic is useful for the treatment of bruises, grazes, cuts, wounds, open blisters, burns, apthous and resistant ulcers, bedsores, acne, pimples, boils, warts, insect, spider and marine bites and stings, acute shingles, psoriasis, impetigo and rashes relief, fungal infections, relief of local pain, arthritis and Metatarsalgia (Foot pad pain), and as a long lasting hand steriliser and body Deodoriser.

Application and Results When applied to a painful, inflamed, septic lesion it soon reduces the pain, the inflammation subsides and the lesion becomes aseptic. In the presence of serum and blood it helps form a sterile scab that allows the lesion to heal naturally, remarkably quickly, due to direct stimulation of the damaged tissue (stem cells). This is then followed by uninterrupted regeneration of the cells and the ingress of new tissue below the scab - as the scab remains sterile no re-infection can occur and healing takes place by 1st intention. Remarkably this results in little, if any scarring or cicatrix formation.

Background After retiring from an active Veterinary Practice a few years ago, Dr. Crispian Trace became interested in the rapid global rise of bacterial resistance to antibiotics that has become a real worry, especially in Hospitals where the so called ‘super bug” MRSA is causing grievous problems and many fatalities.

Dr Trace was determined to find a solution and started by looking back into ancient Indian Aruvedic Medicine, where 6000 years BC, it was well recorded that simple Copper had many valuable medical properties. There was available proven current scientific evidence that Copper metal did indeed have considerable antimicrobial action that could greatly reduce the incidence of “HAICS” (Hospital Acquired Infectious Conditions).

The protocols for the use of Golden Medic is very important, as they are quite different to other existing treatments, especially antibiotics. Current medical advise for wound treatment suggests that the surface should be covered and the wound kept moist, this is entirely not the case with this powder.

Consider the case of natural body healing when there is no infection – the wound is closed by a scab, this is dry, it covers the damage and repair takes place below the scab without the aid of any covering or other intervention.

If just six of the common touch surfaces in a ward were to be covered with Copper metal, the infective incidence would immediately and permanently be reduced by as much as 86%.

“During our exhaustive research we had need of an ultra fine copper powder rather than a simple sheet of metal. This was something entirely new, not only did it kill all Bacteria, all the time but also Viruses, Fungi, Yeasts and in fact any microbe that did not have hemoglobin. A far cry from antibiotics that are rapidly becoming less effective,” says Dr. Trace.

It works best when used as a dry powder that is applied to the well cleaned lesion, especially removing any previous medicines, as it is likely to react with these. If at all possible do not cover and no dressing changes are thus required, just add more powder to retain the powder as required.

The analgesic effect is caused by the ionic action of the powder on the pain receptors only, thus leaving the general sensation in tact, unlike a local anaesthetic which numbs the area. Just add more powder to retain the powder as required.

With Burns, there is no requirement for covering, thus no pain full dressing changes. After applying the powder the pain usually quickly subsides, and will not return while the powder remains over the lesion.

Exhaustive live tests on a wide variety of external conditions by Golden Medic as well as independent Medical personnel have shown consistent excellent results.

Benefits

Product Golden Medic a natural, complementary, over the counter dry, topical healing powder that has remarkable properties, helping a wide variety of skin conditions, heal naturally, faster and with little or no pain and scaring. It is eco-friendly, safe to use, does not expire nor require refrigeration, stable and effective. It is painless to apply to raw wounds and lesions and is rapidly effective against all microbes Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi and Yeasts, in fact any infective organism that does not have haemoglobin.

There are no known resistant microbes to date and these are unlikely to ever exist. The mode of action is multifaceted. At atomic level upon contact, or even near contact, the powder destroys the DNA, the microbes die before they can reproduce, thus no resistance can develop.

The micro fine powder has particles that are too large to penetrate skin or raw flesh, thus there is no absorption from localised exterior use. The powder contains Copper and Zinc only, both essential life metals, for which there is an integral body excretory system, so no toxicity can result.

Golden Medic aids natural antimicrobial action that overcomes infective Bacteria, Virus, Fungi, Yeasts, Mycoplasma, and everything in between, safely and continually without generating any resistant organisms; it helps reduce local pain, without any numbing effect; evidently stimulates stem cells at the site of damage that results with faster natural healing and minimal scaring; reported to encourage blood flow to the area (Angiogenesis); particularly useful in Diabetics with lower leg damage; assists reducing swelling and inflammation; appears to be an anti toxin effect to assist with marine, insect, bites and stings as well as with spider bites; stable and does not require special storage temperatures; safe to use as directed as it contains only natural essential minerals, Copper & Zinc, that are necessary for life, the powder is not absorbed either through the skin nor even raw tissue.

The parent metal alloy (brass) is classified by USA, EPA/FDA as suitable for ANTIMICROBIAL use. The powder classed by WHO as class 5 – Non Toxic.

Golden Medic it is now stocked by many local Pharmacies in the Helderberg basin under the trade name of “Golden Medic”.

For more information contact Dr Crispian Trace on 083 738 9080 or visit www.traceXtec.com

PAGE 5

COMMUNITY

Qhubeka distributes 175 Bicycles to Paarl East Community

Qhubeka, a charity that moves people forward with bicycles distributed 175 bicycles to school children and Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) volunteers in the Paarl East community (150 bicycles for learners and 25 for NHW members). The learners’ bicycles have been funded by Team Dimension Data, Africa’s first World Tour cycling team and will help school children to travel to and from school more easily.

The NHW bicycles, funded by Nederburg (one of the team’s sponsors), will boost safety in the community by improving NHW members’ ability to do security patrols and turning chaperoned school walking “buses” into school cycling “buses”.

The learners receiving bicycles are from Charleston Hill Secondary School, which is part of a large-scale Qhubeka learn-to-earn programme in the region that will see a total of 3 000 bicycles distributed. The programme will be rolled out by Qhubeka’s implementation partner, the Western Cape Government: Health.

Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka believes that bicycles change lives, which is why they ride to raise funds and awareness for Qhubeka. Today, team riders and staff, as well as the team’s sponsors, have the opportunity to see the fruits of their efforts.

“As part of their training camp in preparation for the 2018 season, Team Dimension Data is attending today’s bicycle distribution ceremony,” explains Qhubeka Executive Director, Tsatsi Phaweni. “We’re thrilled that they can be here. They raise funds for 5 000 bicycles for Qhubeka programmes every year and today they can hear first-hand from the children and their teachers and families how bicycles will make their lives better. To date, over 17 000 bicycles have been funded by the team since 2013.”

Qhubeka programmes operate on a work-to-earn or learn-to-earn basis, and the school children receiving bicycles have committed to completing a basic first aid and road safety course by accredited training providers, and to improving their school attendance and academic performance.

Cycle4Diabetes

A Personal Journey For Former National Rider

“This is the best part of the season for me and the team,” says Doug Ryder, Team Principal at Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka. “We race over 250 days of the year and this is why we ride so hard - so that we can see the impact here. Seeing the smiles on the faces of these individuals whose lives will be made easier with a bicycle is a privilege and makes it all worthwhile. Our riders remember these impact days when they are training long hours to be better each year, knowing the difference their success can make to others. These kids are also inspired by the fact that our riders earn a living from riding, so hopefully it will motivate them to want to be a Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka rider in the future.”

For more information visit www.qhubeka.org

15 New Road Bicycles For Masiphumelele Youngsters

Fifteen avid cyclists from Songezo Jim’s Cycling Academy are excited about trying out the brand new bicycles sponsored by the Rotary Club of Claremont, with helmets and kit from the Pedal Power Association (PPA), on Friday, 3 November 2017.

The Academy is run by South Africa’s most famous cyclist, who hails from Masiphumelele. The new bikes effectively double Songezo Jim’s stock of bicycles which are ridden under his watchful eye by eager young girls and boys who aspire to be like him one day.

Photo: Team Bestmed-ASG’s Zanele Tshoko took part in the three-day Cycle4Diabetes relay between Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg recently. With her are, from left, Sindi Mthethwa, from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, Timmy Kedijang of event organisers Novo Nordisk South Africa, Owen Botha, Gerhard Moolman and Marco Moolman.

Photo Credit: Bright Liquid Light Photography

The Cycle4Diabetes relay was a very personal journey for former national road cyclist Zanele Tshoko. The annual three-day ride to raise awareness for the disease took place over a distance of 600km between Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg recently and the 24-year-old said she felt “connected” to the cause.

“It was a special and important event for me to be a part of,” said Tshoko, who has friends and family living with diabetes. She said that it was not an easy thing to manage, but, if you kept yourself healthy, did exercise, took your medicine and followed your doctor’s advice, it could be manageable.”

Four teams of four riders – each affected by diabetes in some way – took part in the event and were involved in five activations on the route. Tshoko, who races for the Team Bestmed-ASG outfit, was joined by her manager Owen Botha. Gerhard Moolman and his son Marco, a Type 1 Diabetic, were the other team members.

Dr Jacques van Staden took charge of the C4D quartet, while Mogomotsi Mashigo was in control at City of Johannesburg. Former national star Luthando Kaka, who placed fifth in the inaugural Tshwane Classic the day after the relay, led the Rand Water team.

The first leg took the riders from Sandton in Gauteng to Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal in sweltering conditions. The day was divided into three parts with the four teams riding together in the morning. C4D and Rand Water combined to take charge of the lunch session while Bestmed-ASG and City of Johannesburg finished off the leg. Tshoko said the heat made it a struggle early on, but things improved as sunset approached and it started cooling down. The following day saw a combined effort to Dundee, with the last leg taking them to Pietermaritzburg.

The Capetonian said it was the first time that she took on an endurance challenge of this nature and hoped to be back.

“It was inspiring to go to the communities and to educate them. One thing that I learnt is that you are never too young to get diabetes – the disease doesn’t choose age,” she concluded.

PAGE 6

“We’ve got really talented kids cycling here in Masiphumelele. They’re already winning league races in Cape Town and want to become professional, they even want to beat me! There is some stiff competition,” joked Jim, whose interest in cycling started when he was a teenage spectator watching cyclists compete in the Cape Town Cycle Tour (CTCT). Jim turned professional in 2013 and became the first black South African cyclist to compete in a World Tour event, the Vuelta a Espana in 2015.

During the school holidays Jim, together with the Bicycling Empowerment Network (BEN) will run a cycling development programme for young boys and girls from Masiphumelele. The programme, aimed at novice cyclists, will include the basics of learning to ride a bicycle as well as road safety and bicycle maintenance.

With such a high level of interest in cycling, Jim says that all bikes at his Academy are used on a rotational basis in order to cater to as many children as possible.

The most promising cyclists will be selected to ride the new bicycles in the CTCT next year.

The Rotary Club of Claremont have a long association with cycling in Cape Town, having been involved in organising race day logistics for the CTCT for the past 34 years.

The Club, together with the PPA are equal stakeholders in The Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust, who are responsible for organising the world’s largest timed cycle race.

The charitable surplus from the race, which sees 35000 cyclists compete, is shared between the Rotary Club of Claremont and PPA. Last month the Rotary Club of Claremont partnered with PPA, BEN and Qhubeka to supply 20 bicycles to Ukhanyo Primary School in Masiphumelele. These bicycles will also be used to teach youngsters how to ride and the basic rules of the road.

“We look forward to expanding the footprint of cycling in Masiphumelele and the surrounding Fish Hoek Valley,” concludes Dodd.

For more information visit facebook.com/RotaryClubofClaremont

PROPERTY

The Secret To Happiness: Experiences, Not Things!

As the Gansbaai region only has a population of about 12000, the light pollution is minimal and the dark skies which stretch across the land and sea, makes for the most beautiful star gazing evenings. The Southern Cape Astronomy Club in Pearly Beach regularly hosts stargazing and astronomy evenings. With their sophisticated telescopes and observatory, you’ll be able to glimpse far into the past.

Another bucket-list activity on almost everyone’s list, is the thrill and freedom that comes from horse-riding on a large vast pristine beach. And so, we’ve added that to our list of magical experiences. Rondebosch Riding School in Pearly Beach offers a safe environment for riding instruction for all ages as well as trails in the area.

According to Forbes, “recent research from San Francisco State University found that people who spent money on experiences rather than material items were happier and felt the money was better spent. The thrill of purchasing things fades quickly but the joy and memories of experiences, from epic adventures to minute encounters, can last a lifetime.”

It seems ironic, that the festive season of joy tends to create considerably more stress than happiness as everyone runs around buying gifts in crowded malls.

Rather than racking up debt in a difficult economy, buying things that you don’t need and then starting a new year with financial baggage creating even more stress. This holiday take a shift in focus and invest in experiences and opt to create unforgettable memories which last forever.

The Overberg is abound with little gems of experiences which brings to heart the magic of country life.

Focusing in and around the coastal town of Gansbaai, known as the natural adventure tourism destination, we’ve put together a list of exciting and off-the-beaten-track type activities from relaxing and lazy to high energy and exhilaration.

Gansbaai is well-known for its shark cage diving and whale watching activities, but so much more lies waiting for discovery around this town.

Hike amongst the most diverse Fynbos to be found anywhere in the world and tuck into the Walkerbay Nature Reserve which is a massive 16 000 hectares of lowland Fynbos and Forest. What makes the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom so exceptional, is that it is the smallest of the world’s six floral kingdoms and is home to more types of indigenous plants than any similar sized area on earth. 70% of the plant species found here, can be found nowhere else on our planet.

A little beyond Gansbaai, you’ll find boutique wine estates such as Lomond, Black Oystercatcher and Strandveld Winery, all whom boast a selection of cool-climate red and white wines. The wine farms in this area have a very specific terroir as well as its particular climate, due to its close proximity to the most Southern Point of Africa and basks in the cool crisp winds off the Atlantic Ocean. Definitely a must-do wine region for those who enjoy the fruits of the diverse Cape Wine Regions.

Chances are high that you’ll run out of holiday time before you run out of things to do in this beautiful region of the Western Cape with its endless sights and sounds and places to experience.

Another point to remember when visiting is that water is a very precious and scarce resource and needs to be treated with respect and sparingly. As fireworks are completely prohibited in this area, this little town will be sure to leave you starry eyes with memories which don’t fizzle out with a big bang.

The people of the region are passionate about conservation and you would find that while leaving only your footprints on the sand in the Overberg, she’ll leave her mark on your heart and send you back home rejuvenated and with a renewed vigour for the New Year.

The two hour drive from Cape Town, with choices of driving through the rolling farms of Caledon and Stanford, or either via Botrivier and Hermanus, or a special awe-inspiring drive along the coast, you’ll start to relax before you’ve even reached your destination in the Overberg.

Explore ruins in Klipgat Caves left by the first human settlers, as far back as 80 000 years ago.

As only one of three locations in the country where such old ruins have been unearthed, this is a very important historical site in the Western Cape and it’s open to the public, so indulge your history sense this December holiday.

The sea around Danger Point hides secrets as dark as its deep blue waters and beneath lie 140 wrecks; the most famous of them being the HMS Birkenhead, which struck a rock at 02:00 on the morning of the 26th February 1851 and sank.

The Strandveld Museum on the coast of Franskraal is home to a huge number of relics and artefacts from the HMS Birkenhead, where you can submerge yourself in the bravery shown by the sailors and captain where the ‘Woman and Children first’ protocol was first carry out and has been protocol ever since.

With the stresses of day-to-day life, the need to ‘get away’ is on everybody’s lips.

So while you’re exploring the magic of the Overberg, come chat with us at Romansbaai Beach and Fynbos Estate in Danger Point, about how we can assist you in owning your own piece of this charming small fishing town in the Overberg.

We look forward to welcoming you.

For more information visit www.cjwproperty.co.za or contact +27 (0) 72 610 1416 or Email: claudine@cjwproperty.co.za

PAGE 7

MTB

WINNERS OF SPECIALIZED

GARY KIRSTEN & JOHN SMIT

Specialized Bicycles, the official bicycle partner of the FNB Wines2Whales (W2W) Mountain Bike (MTB) Events gave away three 2018 Specialized Epic Comp Carbon mountain bikes to the value of R59 000 each at the Wines2Whales Adventure, Ride and Race held recently.

Enjoyment at the Absa Cape Epic comes through preparation and taking no shortcuts for Gary Kirsten, the former South African cricketer, who will take part in Africa’s Untamed African MTB Race for the third time in 2018.

MOUNTAIN BIKES AT FNB W2W

For the 9th edition of the FNB Wines2Whales Specialized Bicycles thought it would challenge the creativity of the riders and developed an Instagram Photo Competition. To keep the content fresh and exciting, Specialized Bicycles set a different brief for each of the events. The prize was a 2018 Specialized Epic Comp Carbon featuring the all-new Brain suspension. The bike was on stage for the duration of the competition at the Wines2Whales village to entice the entrants to take a closer look at the stake.

For both the Wines2Whales Adventure and Ride, Specialized Bicycles came up with a riddle to explain where the photo needed to be taken along the route the Paul Cluver Amphitheatre for the Adventure, and the top of Gantouw Pass for the Ride. The brief for the Race entrants was to show their Secret Recovery Remedy after a tough day in the saddle by posting their photo on Instagram, tagging @SpecializedZA and using the unique hashtag #stoked2ridew2w, and their entry would be considered.

Photo: Franco Bornmann

Photo: Robert O’Bree

“We were blown away by how creative some of the submissions were, and couldn’t believe how much trouble some of the riders went to, too get that perfect shot,” said Johan Badenhorst, Marketing Manager of Specialized Bicycles Africa.

Stillwater Sports had the challenging task to pick the winning photo. Franco Bornmann, riding the Wines2Whales adventure was the first winner with a very creative and somewhat uncomfortable looking pose with his bike at the Amphitheatre. Robert O’Bree, a participant in the Wines2Whales Ride won the second bike - he hit the nail on the head impersonating an ox wagon scene on Sir Lowry’s Pass. Rene Du Preez, riding the Wines2Whales race, won the third and final bike by going to a lot of trouble to show just how he “recharges” after a hard day in the saddle.

Franco Bornmann was the first to receive his brand new 2018 Specialized Epic Comp Carbon with the help of Helderberg Cycle World in Somerset West.

“It’s safe to say that with the assistance of the Wines2Whales team, this competition was a huge success and we thoroughly enjoyed the interaction with entrants at the event,” Badenhorst concluded.

The 2018 Specialized Epic Comp Carbon is ideal for stage racing in South Africa, this model is a full carbon bike with updated geometry that features two bottle cages.

Photo: Rene Du Preez

The bicycle is the perfect introduction to the world of cross-country (XC) riding and racing.

SHARE TRAINING & FITNESS FOR CAPE EPIC

Kirsten, who will be one of the famous sports stars and celebrities riding for Team Land Rover, has been doing most of his training on Table Mountain, where the Cape Epic will start with a Prologue on 18 March 2018. The 20km of the opening day of the race will see participants climb 600-metres in just 20km, taking in the lung-busting climb to Dead Man’s Tree.

“I certainly know every riding trail that exists on Table Mountain, but I’m not sure that will help on race day,” said Kirsten. “There are some fairly steep sections, but I can’t think of a better place to start the Absa Cape Epic in 2018.”

Photo: Gary Kirsten - Photo Credit: Mark Sampson/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

The Absa Cape Epic last visited Table Mountain in 2015. Kirsten is a relative newcomer to the sport, having only begun mountain biking three years ago. With his team sponsoring the Land Rover Technical Terrain sections; where riders’ skills, capability and composure will be tested on tricky descents or challenging single-track , of which the first is the steep descent down Plum Pudding, the former opening batsman has been getting in some skills training, working on his cornering and descending.

“There are no short cuts to getting oneself prepared enough to enjoy the event, which is my goal. I try do between eight to 10 hours of riding a week, with at least two weekend multi-stage races included in my training. It’s about getting time in the saddle and doing as much climbing as I can find. I have not done any gym training, but try and go for a run every now and then. I do think running helps when you have limited time,” smiled Kirsten.

“My best advice based on my experience would be to ride as regularly as you can, even if it is not long distance. Train the hills wherever you can find them. Try find the balance between a normal existence and training, you don’t have to be obsessive about it,” said Kirsten.

Kirsten and his Cape Epic partner and friend, Roddy van Breda, will take part in stage races in the Western Cape as part of their build-up, a vital part of establishing a riding partnership to see them through the eight days.

John Smit, the former Springbok captain, also part of Team Land Rover believed that balance was the key to successful training for the Cape Epic. This will be Smit’s fifth Absa Cape Epic, with the race becoming an integral part of life. “As a rugby player, you have strength in your legs and body, and stamina to see you through a match, but this is different training, a new challenge. That’s what sport should be – a new challenge all the time, and the Epic gives us that,” says John Smit

NEW ULTRA MARATHON MTB EVENT Ever wanted to experience what a day in the ABSA Cape Epic would be like?

Here’s your chance. McGregor has been added to the 2018 ABSA Cape Epic route, and Ride2Nowhere has a splendid day of epic mountain biking fun instore.

The organizers have combined some of the best trials many riders have come to love in the annual Ride2Nowhere, 3 Day MTB stage race, and now introduce this brand new 1-DAY-Only event with spectacular Breede River valley scenery, hosted in what must arguably be the friendliest town in South Africa, McGregor.

If you are preparing for next year’s ABSA Cape Epic, this event should be a no-brainer, giving you the opportunity to test yourself on the route you’ll be riding.

However, the Race2Nowhere is also open for all mountain biking enthusiasts who enjoy the excitement of true biking trials in one of the most beautiful parts of South Africa.

The McGregor Wines Race2Nowhere will take place on 9 December 2017 with the start and finish at McGregor Winery. There are two racing distances to choose from: The Epic Challenge of 112km including 2650m of climbing or the Mini Epic of 68km with 1550m of climbing.

With McGregor Wines coming on board as title sponsors they have also announced a total prize purse of R10,000 for the Epic Challenge distance equally distributed in the mens and ladies category. First place will receive R2500, 2nd place R1500 and 3rd place R1000.

The route includes proper mountain biking trails with a good combination of climbing, descending and single track fun with magnificent views over the McGregor valley and surroundings. “We’ll take you high (and far) up in the mountains, where it sometimes feels as if you are in the middle of ‘nowhere’.”

PAGE 8

Photo Credit: R Voges

Riders can expect another great event with true McGregor hospitality. Race entry includes a special lunch prepared by the local farm ladies in town and Hammer Nutrition will ensure all riders stayed hydrated on route and as well as their special recoverite recovery drink when you cross the finish line. “Bring your friends and family along too, as there will be coffee and food stalls and of course some great wine tasting from McGregor Wines.”

For more information visit www.ride2nowhere.co.za/race2nowhere

ACCOMMODATION & EVENTS

TRAIL’S END - LET YOUR ADVENTURES BEGIN IDEAL VENUE FOR WORLD-CLASS SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT & CORPORATE EVENTS Trail’s End prides itself with being the first Bike Hotel in Africa. The hotel, originally a factory, has been converted specifically with outdoor enthusiasts in mind.

Trail’s End is located in Grabouw, at the heart of some of the Western Cape’s most spectacular trails and it’s ideally situated for cycling and trail running buffs who want to explore the Overberg’s Elgin Valley.

The Venue This radical venue has an industrial flavour to it, boasting sixteen rooms in total. The mezzanine rooms have private bathrooms and all the rooms below have shared ablutions. Most rooms have a choice of layout options enabling it to be suitable for families, pro-athletes, teams or individuals. There is also the added bonus of safe indoor bike storage for mountain bikes within the hotel itself.

During your stay you can also make use of the purpose built 20m, heated outdoor pool in the courtyard as well as a restaurant which includes healthy menu choices, fresh coffee and craft beer which is brewed on site.

On top of this there is a wellness centre within, the hotel offering Pilates classes on request, as well as a physiotherapist, massage therapist and chiropractor which is great for removing all the aches and pains from a day out adventuring.

The Conference Centre Within less than 2kms from the famous Elgin Grabouw Country Club - home of the world’s largest XTERRA event and Cape Mile’s Eikenhof Dam - this is the ideal destination for Team Building sessions or Year End Functions with a fresh approach and an active twist. Trail’s End is perfectly positioned at the foot of the Wines2Whales A-Z route with Oak Valley and Paul Cluver cycle trails nearby too.

Cecil Nurse, having a keen interest in the sport of Cycling, were partners in setting up the beautiful, well-appointed and well equipped Conference Centre.

With the combination of comfortable beds, healthy food and active and alert minds - this is conferencing at its best.

Trail’s End is conveniently located - an hour’s drive from Cape Town; 40 minutes from Cape Town International Airport; and 45 minutes drive from Stellenbosch and Hermanus.

For more information contact +27 21 859 5193 email: info@trailsend.bike visit www.trailsend.bike, Follow Trail’s End on social media: @trailsendza

Tickets Available At Computicket

PAGE 9

LIFESTYLE

BMT LATEST DEALER TO JOIN EXCLUSIVE SANTA CRUZ NETWORK Young and old, Stellenbosch’s cycling community recently turned out to celebrate Bike Marathon Triathlon (BMT) becoming a Santa Cruz dealer and of course, to meet Greg Minnaar, three-time World MTB Downhill Champion and multiple World Cup medallist. The newly refurbished BMT store showcases the latest product offerings from Santa Cruz, perfect for carving up the “Bosch’s” world class trails.

BMT is a multi-purpose sports store focusing on supplying top class cycling, running and triathlon-related products. The shop is conveniently located on the corner of Dorp and Market Street in the historic town of Stellenbosch and is centrally located to the towns of Paarl, Wellington and Somerset West, making it a biking and trail running haven.

Photo Credit: Rush Sports/Troy Davies

Greg Minnaar who joined the celebrations at the BMT store, first started racing BMX at 4 years of age. He soon moved over to motocross and raced for 11 years before his parents bought a bicycle shop and his path to Downhill stardom began.

Greg was initially inspired by the rivalry between Nico Vouilloz and Steve Peat. He worked his way up to the Santa Cruz Syndicate team to eventually ride alongside one of those childhood heroes. Greg has won back-to-back World Championships on the Syndicate, and is widely recognized as one of the smoothest and most consistent Downhill racers on the circuit.

ASG OPENS LUXURY CYCLING STORE IN PRETORIA

With numerous local and international cycling personalities such as cycling commentator Phil Liggett and Olympic Gold medallist Elia Viviani in attendance, the latest ASG store opened in Pretoria on 23 November 2017.

With over 1 000 square metres of retail space and an interior created from natural and recycled wood, ASG The Store in Olympus Village is a premier luxury cycling destination.

Aside from world-class products, the store houses another ASG BikeScience facility that provides a holistic approach to improving cyclists’ performance, health and efficiency. It applies the latest technology in bike set-up, nutrition, injury rehabilitation, training and coaching and a full-time biokineticist is on hand to assist cyclists.

A special cryotherapy (exposure to extreme cold for enhanced recovery) room, virtual training centre and spinning studio complete the BikeScience offering.

Cementing a collaboration between ASG and Gary Blem, a new technical service centre named ASG Bike Tech by Gary Blem was introduced. As chief mechanic for Team Sky, Blem has worked for some of the world’s top riders such as Mark Cavendish, Sir Bradley Wiggins and currently Chris Froome.

Another innovation is the real-time Ftech Total Look Lab. This studio provides cyclists the opportunity to create and participate in the live design of their cycling apparel using technology to match their shoes, eyewear, helmets and the bike into a desired ‘look’. Speaking at the launch,ASG Group CEO Heinrich Dannhauser said their mission was to offer cyclists a unique, immersive experience and to give access to top-class local and international products, expertise and best practice.

Photo From L-R: Elia Viviani (Olympic Champion), Massimo Fantin (COO ASG International), Claudio Fantin (Marketing ASG Group), Gary Blem Head mechanic of Team Sky, Heinrich Dannhauser (ASG Group CEO), Phil Liggett (voice legend of Tour de France) Photo Credit: patrickfurter.co.za

“We aim to do this both through physical stores and, importantly, online.”

For more information visit www.asgthestore.com

START YOUR NEW BUSINESS WITH THE RIGHT BRANDING

SERVICES WE PROVIDE | Websites|SEO| Logo’s | Business Cards | |Brochures |Advert Design |Catalogues|Books |

CYCLING WEBSITE PORTFOLIO Completed Projects www.edencycling.co.za www.langeberglinkmtb.com www.louisvisser.co.za

We Design & Develop Modern Websites

PAGE 10

// Cell: 082 628 5028 // Email: johan@web-rage.co.za or www.web-rage.co.za

REALTY

Get EU residency / 2nd citizenship by buying a property in Cyprus

At the moment there is a growing urgency for many South Africans to want to diversify and invest in offshore property to secure a Plan B; as the property investment offers an insurance against political instability and economic risk.

There are many championship golf courses, traditional wine estates, lush agricultural belts and it is a quick 40 minute drive to the mountains where it snows for 3 months of the year.

Europe is by far still the preferred property investment destination as not only does the EU offer many opportunities, but Europe is also the world’s largest single market & global trading block. In The Med, Cyprus has become even more of a desirable destination due to the incredible lifestyle options on offer and being away from the mainland.

Cyprus - an English-speaking, ex-British colony and full member of the EU and Common Wealth – offers property investors the option to secure either permanent residency or a 2nd passport for him/herself and the family.

In Cyprus, the permanent residency permits are secured in 4 - 6 weeks of making application and extend to 3 generations in the same family – including dependent children up to age 25 as well as both the parents and parentsin-law. There is no prescription to either buy in Special Designated Areas (SDA’s) or to physically live in the country annually. The investor is allowed to rent out the property to earn a Europe-based income. No other country in Europe offers this, so it is exclusive to Cyprus.

Getting a 2nd passport via Cyprus’ ‘Citizenship through investment’ programme is also unique in Europe.

Citizenship is granted in 3 months; and all dependent children up to age 28 qualify. Cypriot citizenship gives the investor and his family visa-free access to more than 169 countries in the world; and Photo: Cyprus Passport complete freedom of access to the whole EU – including the UK. The whole family can live, work, study and travel anywhere in Europe with no restrictions.

Cypriot Realty - a proudly South African company in operation for more than 9 years with offices in Cape Town, Sandton and Cyprus – can assist you. We are recognised and respected as Southern Africa’s authoritative offshore investment specialists, promoting Cyprus as an ideal destination for acquiring EU citizenship or permanent residency, property investment, immigration or retirement and starting an EU-based business - we understand investor’s needs.

Contact us for a confidential meeting to discuss how we can help you realise your Plan B in Europe.

The appeal Cyprus has as a country is that the lifestyle on offer is very similar to South Africa; but the country is not plagued by any social problems - nor is there a refugee crisis. The country is 1st world with English-speaking universities, international brands & facilities and world-class hospitals, yet the cost of living in Cyprus is a fraction of that in South Africa.

The Western side of the island has very similar topography to the Western Cape; and South Africans tend to favour this area over the other provinces.

c ypriot

Realty

YOUR KEY TO LIVING IN BEAUTIFUL CYPRUS

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PAGE 11

EDEN CYCLING

SA National Road & Time Trial Championships 2018

Western Cape Cycling will host the 2018 SA National Road and Time Trial Championships taking place in Oudtshoorn from 6-11 February 2018. The Eden Cycling region will organize the event on behalf of the Western Cape.

Oudtshoorn Municipality is one of Eden Cycling’s partners in hosting the 2018 SA National Road and Time Trial Championships and appropriately the start and finish will be on the doorstep of the Municipality in Voortrekker Road. The Oudtshoorn Municipality will support the event financially as well as with infrastructure required for the event, and the involvement of the Municipality is one of the reasons why Eden Cycling was able to secure the allocation of the event to Oudtshoorn.

With the start and finish located in the Centre of Town, riders will not be far from the venue. If riders decide to make use of accommodation out of town, they should bear in mind that the Oudtshoorn/De Rust road is under construction and delays could occur. The same applies for the road to the Cango Caves that is presently being re-surfaced. Further updates on the road conditions will be given closer to the event.

The 1st two days of the championships will see riders compete in the time trial on a 14.6 km circuit. The circuit will lead out of town in the direction of Volmoed onto the Mossel Bay road towards the Safari Ostrich farm, and from there back to town via Langenhoven Road, and back to the start in Voortrekker Road.

The main attraction at the 2018 SA National Road and Time Trial Championships will be the Elite, U/23 and Junior men’s and woman’s races that will take place on Saturday, 10 February 2018, and not on the last day of the event as organized in the past. This will allow enough time for cyclists to travel to the African Continental Road Champs in Rwanda.

Registration for the event will take place at the SWD Cricket grounds in Voortrekker Road, Oudtshoorn on Monday, 5 February 2018 from 14h00-17h00, and from Tuesday, 6 February to Saturday, 10 February from 06h00-17h00. There will be no registration on Sunday, 11 February. GPS coordinates for the registration is 33.592326, 22.199766. Parking during the event will be available at the back of the SWD Cricket stadium in Vrede Street, GPS coordinates -33.594655, 22.199521.

Entries will be available on the Cycling SA online entry portal. Entry fees for 2018 will be the same as in 2017, according to age categories.

Spending a few days in Oudtshoorn?

Oudtshoorn, although a small town, is the largest in the Klein Karoo region of the Western Cape. Oudtshoorn lies roughly 500km from Cape Town and 200km from the Garden Route coast making it an accessible spot to visit. Oudtshoorn also forms part of the Route 62 wine route, a scenic tourist route.

The 3rd day of the event will be the start of the road races with all the Para cyclists, U11/U13 boys and girls and U/15 girls taking place on the time trial route of 14.6 km. The next 3 days will be the road races for the rest of the categories.

All the routes will start and finish in Voortrekker Road with different distances for the age categories. All the routes will start in the direction of Volmoed (depending on the distance), with a shorter loop entering the town in Rademeyer Street, onto Langenhoven Road with the finish-line in Voortrekker Road.

The following routes with distances will be utilized: 14.6km, 88m accent; 52.8km, 473m accent; 61.0km, 305m accent; 86.8km, 822m accent; 99.8km, 908m accent; 120.8km, 1,178m accent, and the 154.8km, 1,529m accent.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS !

You can find, a wide variety of options when it comes to your accommodation in Oudtshoorn, whether it is a Bed and Breakfast; Dinner Bed and Breakfast; Self-catering; Guest Houses; Guest Lodges; Game Reserves; Hotels as well as Backpackers; Camping; Homestays and Farmstays.

For accommodation visit the following websites www.oudtshoorn.com or www.kleinplaas.co.za Besides the beautiful scenery of Oudthoorn and the Little Karoo, there are many attractions such as the Cango Caves, Cango Wildlife Ranch, Safari & Higate Ostrich Farms (both situated on the official routes), Meiringspoort waterfall, Rust en Vrede waterfall, Buffelsdrift and Chandelier Game farms, Meerkat Magic tours and many more.

INTO N E W S PA P E R

PAGE 12

| JOIN THE CYCLING REVOLUTION! |

For more information on the routes, venue, and schedules visit www.edencycling.co.za

ROAD

PAARL BOXING DAY SPORTS

BRENDON DAVIDS JOINS TOP AUSSIE TEAM

The strongest domestic team in Australian cycling has made moves to strengthen further in 2018, announcing a new number of new riders for next season including South African cyclist Brendon Davids.

The team will be known as Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team (IsoWheySwissWellness) p/b Cervelo, after reaching an agreement with Australian financial services company Bennelong Funds Management.

In recent months, South African Brendon Davids, a former mountain biker, and rider for Team Road Cover has taken the Australian team, Oliver’s Real Food racing to another level. Brendon who burst onto the Australian scene with a brilliant ride that saw him humiliate the entire NRS field at the Battle Recharge, winning in a solo break by five and half minutes while riding for Oliver’s Real Food Racing. He followed that up with a stage and overall win at the UCI 2.2 Jelajah Malaysia tour.

In a case of ‘if you can’t beat them, sign them’, Davids will look to continue the team’s envious ability of turning NRS riders into WorldTour cyclists.

“Brendon’s ride at Battle was impressive to say the least,” Team director Andrew Christie-Johnston said.

“We probably would have given him a go on the strength of that alone as his endurance is very good for such a young guy.”

“We’ve had a few mountain bikers on the team before and they all turned out pretty well, so we hope Brendon will add to that list. I am really happy with how the whole roster is coming together; this could be our best team ever!”

The annual Paarl Boxing Day track cycling event is known as one of the most celebrated cycling events in the Western Cape and attracts between 3000-5000 spectators every year. The event will take place on Tuesday, 26 December 2017 at the Faure Street Stadium in Paarl.

This historic and well-established event dates back to 1897 and is recognised by the UCI as the longest running track event in the world, and brings alive the rich culture and heritage attached to track cycling, and awakens in so many Photo Credit: Double ST folk the joys and triumphs of the winners in past years in the Western Cape. There will be racing for all categories from U/11 up to vets with the main events being the 1 Mile and the 25 Mile.

The total prize money on offer will be R120 000. Except for the prize money, riders will compete for several trophies. The Minnaar Cup (1924) will be awarded to the winner of the 25 mile, while the best performance of the day will receive the AW Basson Cup (1953). The current record for the 25 mile was set in 1985 by Gary Benecke in a time of 54 min 23 seconds. Nolan Hoffmann won the event 7 times and came very near to bewaking the record last year in a time of 54 min 36.2 seconds.

“There is so much heritage and history in this event,” says Nolan Hoffman. The hometown hero mentioned that from the moment he went to watch his first Paarl Boxing Day, he fell in love with the event. “I will always go back there.” There’s a real buzz in the crowds on the day as well. Non-traditional cycling followers arrive in their masses to show support. It’s one day where Paarl is cycling crazy. And some of these supporters otherwise don’t ever get to see an event like this close up.

This year’s racing will start at 12h30 at the Fauré Street Stadion and the gates will open at 11h00.

CYCLING INCLUDED IN EDEN STREET MILE SERIES Bestmed Eden Street Mile Series will once again take place in 2017 with Cycling also included in the program.

On 16 December the Bestmed Klein Karoo Street Mile will take place in Oudtshoorn and the first leg of the series will run along the historic Baron van Reede street in Oudtshoorn. It finishes in front of the CP Nel Museum, formerly Oudtshoorn Boys’ High and alma mater of South Africa’s first dream miler, De Villiers Lamprecht who was head boy of this school.

On 18 December the Bestmed Madibaz Street Mile will be hosted at NMU George Campus.

The scenic circular route on the NMU George Campus is very popular with spectators as they can watch the race unfold against the spectacular backdrop of the Outeniqua Mountains. A cycling criterium race will be held where cyclists will race around the track for a certain time +1 lap.

The cyclists will compete in: U/9, U/11 & U/13 categories; U/15 & U/17 categories; Vets over 44 categories and lastly the Elite U/23 & Vets under 45.

These 4 categories will compete for podium positions in the male and female competition.

The prize money allocated to the cycling categories is R15 000 and all the participants will receive a medal and the podium positions a separate podium medal.

The cycling event is conducted under the rules of Cycling South Africa and gear ratios apply for junior and younger, No CSA licence checks will be done. In the Criterium race the lapped riders will be pulled off the track.

For more information visit www.edenmiles.co.za

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PAGE 13

THROWBACK

PYGA EURO STEEL 1 & MEERENDAL CBC CROWNED 2017 FNB W2W MTB RACE CHAMPIONS

PYGA Euro Steel 1’s Matthys Beukes and Philip Buys claimed their second stage victory and the overall Champions Title after Stage Three of the FNB Wines2Whales (W2W) MTB Race at Onrus Caravan Park on Sunday, 5 November 2017.

PYGA Euro Steel 1 completed Stage Three in an impressive time of 02 hours 30 minutes 08 seconds. They claimed the overall victory (after three days of racing) in a combined time of 07 hours 59 minutes 48 seconds over the 210km distance (three stages combined). Team Investec-Songo.info’s Konny Looser and Christoph Sauser claimed the second spot on the podium, while Team NAD Pro MTB’s Gawie Combrinck and Nico Bell finished third.

In the women’s race Stage Three was claimed by Team Dormakaba’s Candice Lill and Vera Adrian. Team Meerendal CBC’s Jennie Stenerhag and Adelheid Morath pipped Team Valencia Ladies’ Samantha Sanders and Amy Mcdougall to the finish claiming the 2nd and 3rd spots on the podium respectively for the stage.

Photo: Team Into Cycling, Arnou Oberholzer and Martin Cilliers took first place on the podium in the whales category

Team Meerendal CBC’s remarkable efforts over the three days however secured them the coveted title of 2017 FNB W2W MTB Champions in the women’s race.

Team Meerendal CBC completed three days of racing in a deserving combined time of 09 hours 15 minutes 52 seconds. Team Dormakaba’s Candice Lill and Vera Adrian claimed second place, with Team Valencia Ladies’ Samantha Sanders and Amy Mcdougall rounding off the podium after three days of racing.

It was a hat-trick stage victory for husband and wife duo Martin and Jeannie Dreyer of Team Merchants.

Photo: Team PYGA Euro Steel 1, Matthys Beukes and Philip Buys

TEENS DOMINATE

PAARL MTB RACE AT FIRST ATTEMPT

They firmly secured the title of Mixed Team Champions in a combined time of 09 hours 57 minutes 21 seconds. Team SAICA’s Ila and Darryn Stow claimed the second spot on the podium after three days of racing, while Team Coach1/Globe Flight’s Ian Martin and Louise Ferreira finished third.

WEISS, DUFFY WIN

XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Stellenbosch teenagers Robert Hobson and Rossouw Bekker claimed the Sanlam MTB Invitational title on their debut after leading the two-day race from start to finish.

The Flandria Cycles pair overcame any inexperience as a first-time partnership to win both stages of the race, which started and finished at Rhebokskloof Wine Estate near Paarl. The youngsters dominated the 60km opening day to take a comfortable three-minute lead over Bikeshop’s Aidan Connelly and Rogan Smart into the decider, with defending champions Pieter Seyffert and Hanco Kachelhoffer a further four minutes adrift.

Seyffert and Kachelhoffer, riding for Ellsworth-ASG, gave them a run for their money on the 40km grand finale, finishing 10 seconds behind the stage winners to move into second in the general classification ahead of Connelly and Smart.

Hobson, a student at the Institute of Marketing Management in Stellenbosch, said they rested prior to the race and were delighted with the outcome.

“It was really awesome to win it for the first time, but we had no real expectations going into the race because of the break,” said the 19-year-old. “We were pretty nervous going into the first stage but thought it would be great if we could give the ASG guys a run for their money.”

Photo: Bradley Weiss - Photo Credit: XTERRA Planet

Bradley Weiss from Stellenbosch, South Africa and Flora Duffy from Devonshire, Bermuda captured the 22nd XTERRA World Championship off-road triathlon elite titles in Kapalua, Maui on Sunday, 29 October 2017.

It’s the first XTERRA World title for Weiss, and the fourth in a row for Duffy. With the win, Duffy joins XTERRA Hall of Famer Conrad Stoltz (South Africa) as the only other elite to win four titles. Both Weiss and Duffy each earned $20,000 USD for their respective victories.

More than 800 endurance athletes – including six physically challenged athletes from 52 countries competed in the event, which started with a one-mile rough water swim at D.T. Fleming Beach, continued with a 20-mile mountain bike ride that traversed the West Maui Mountains, and finished with a tough 6.5-mile trail run in the hot sun. There was more than 4,000-feet of combined climbing on the technical bike and run courses, which were in excellent condition despite pouring rain on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

For Weiss, the day started with a magical swim. It’s often been said that you can lose an XTERRA race on the swim, but Weiss thinks he might have proven the theory wrong.

Photo: Rossouw Bekker (front) & Robert Hobson (back) - Photo Credit: Robert Ward

He said they decided to go fairly hard at the start today to “test the waters and see who has energy left” and the ASG duo were the only ones who could respond.

Hobson said he had ridden the trails on Paarl Mountain often in the past and knew exactly where the last long climb before the final stretch of single-track was.

Hobson proved he was a rider for the future after winning both the Ride2Nowhere, alongside Erik Kleinhans, and Karoo2Coast in September, but said he was focusing on his studies for now. He looked forward to teaming up more with Bekker – an 18-year-old matriculant at Paul Roos Gymnasium – as the latter would be studying in Stellenbosch from next year.

The women’s race was won by Halcyone Muller and Heidi Nieuwoudt, with mixed honours going to Corne Barnard and Cecilia Roberts.

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“One hundred percent I won the race on the swim,” said Weiss, perhaps half in jest. “It’s been letting me down all these years. When I stood up out of the water and saw Mauricio and Ben, I thought, ‘Game on, here we go.’ And I think mentally I won the race there. I was just so confident.”

Weiss finished in 2:32:10 and was a humble champion in his first victory after three attempts on the Maui course.

After Weiss surprised himself with a great swim, he took a chance and charged hard from the beginning of the bike course. Ruben Ruzafa caught up to Weiss just before the second water station, but Ruzafa never had more than 30 seconds on his competitor. Weiss and Ruzafa swapped the first and second spots. Weiss caught up to Ruzafa about one-mile into the run and put a charge into it, ultimately finishing down the chute with his arms outstretched, sharing high fives with the crowd.

CYCLING EVENTS

15th Grootbrak Grabadoo

Klipheuwel Run/Walk & Ride

A Highlight Of Holiday Fun

Great Brak is the place to be on Saturday, 30 December 2017! Why? The Grootbrak Grabadoo is taking place.

Families will for the 15th year running, be able to enjoy heaps of active fun during the 2017 Grootbrak Grabadoo.

This iconic event will like always offer all the top-class mountain bike family fun with breath-taking routes through some of the most beautiful flora in Garden Route.

The routes for this year’s Grabadoo will be the same as the previous year with a 4.8km Fun Walk around Great Brak River during which runners, walkers, families and even pets can participate.

Klipheuwel is busy preparing for the first Klipheuwel Run/Walk and Mountain Bike event in the Klein Brak-river region on 23 December 2017.

Mountain bikers can again choose between four routes: a 15km, 36km, 53km and 71km, all of which have been professionally laid out and tested with a tremendous amount of passion and attention to details.

The professional team of interface by goji PR and Events hosting this fun event for the whole family as it forms an integral part of the Great Brak community. The officials used for the event are all locals from the community in Great Brak, such as Greenhaven as the May Flower Cricket club. The aim of this event is to involve, empower and contribute to this special and often overlooked Great Brak community’s economy. Cape Pine has supported the Grabadoo for the past 14 years and the fact that the routes run through Cape Pine forests makes it even more unique.

By taking part in the Grootbrak Grabadoo participants can experience this picturesque part of the Garden Route first hand.

With the support of the local business sector participants will also be able to enter at Coimbra Cycle House, WeFix Garden Route Mall, and De Kaap Properties.

For more information visit www.greatbrakriver.co.za

Groeneweide Duo Challenge

After successfully hosting the second Spur School MTB League event on the newly built Cross Country track it is time to share the beauty along the Klein Brak River as well as the hills surrounding the Klipheuwel dam on private Farmland with holiday visitors?

This event will be presented annually during December to provide an event for the holiday makers as well as locals. The 2017 event will involve mountain bike race with distances of 8, 12 and 30km and a night trail run of 4km and 8km. This event is taking place on private farmland and a not to be missed opportunity. The first 600 entrants will receive a buff and all finishers will receive a medal.

“Our venue is ideally situated directly next to the N2 at the Klein Brak River turnoff close to Hartenbos, Mossel Bay as well as Great Brak River and Glentana. We have ample safe parking and with the Klipheuwel Farm Stall, Boplaas Wines and a Salty River Craft Brewery on site the needs of the participants as well as the supporters will be well catered for the MTB Pump Track, Eliminator and Cross Country tracks can provide great alternative rides to those who do not feel like doing the mountain bike or trail run.”

For more information contact Fred on 076 0291796 or visit www.chaingangevents.co.za

Windpomp Sjerrie Challenge Come enjoy your last bike ride before Christmas on 23 December 2017 in the beautiful coastal town of Still Bay, during one of the most popular and beautiful mountain bike races, the Windpomp Sjerrie Challenge.

The Groeneweide Duo Challenge is set to take place on Saturday, 30 December 2017 at the Saasveld campus (which is part of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University) just outside George in the beautiful Southern Cape.

This individual single-day event gives athletes the opportunity to explore one of South Africa’s most breathtaking areas in not just one, but two ways: MTB riding and trail running.

The event starts off with a trail run which predominantly takes place on SANPark’s Groeneweide hiking routes through this area’s indigenous forests, while the MTB section will be on single and jeep tracks around the Garden Route dam edged by fynbos and forest.

The Main Duo (athletes 16 years and older) covers 12,2 km of trail running and an 18km MTB section. The Lite Duo (athletes 14-16 years) covers the same distance in the saddle, but has a shorter trail run of 7,4km.

What makes the Windpomp Sjerrie Challenge so special and enjoyable is the scenic 50km and 100km route along the Goukou River, through the Sandveld, nature reserves and also private property that is usually not accessible to the public. Mountain bikers, from beginners to the more experienced cyclist, can enjoy beautiful scenery, unique fynbos, wildlife and birdlife along the route.

The 50km route is an excellent route to sharpen your fitness or to undertake your first official mountain bike race. It’s a relatively easy and safe route with some challenging ups and downs and one reasonable climb. Climb 626m and descend 500m.

This is a great event for active families visiting the Garden Route over the December school holidays as it’s doable for younger MTB riders as well as beginners; truly a great way to enjoy the great outdoors with family and friends.

The 100km route is specifically designed for the more experienced and competitive mountain bikers and compares to any good day on the bike in the Joburg2C, the Epic or the Attakwas. The riders can look forward to fast-moving roads, customized single tracks, a huge downhill, bridges, technical turns and many more. (Climb 1100m and downhill 970m).

Pre-entries for the event close on 20 December 2017 and late entries are possible on the day.

The Windpomp Sjerrie Challenge is not just a race, it’s also a family day, with a farm and Christmas market, food stalls and music for everyone to enjoy!

For more information visit www.trisport.co.za

For online entries visit www.cyclevents.co.za

Cape Agulhas MTB Classic Entries are open for the Cape Agulhas Classic on 29 December 2017. The event takes place over the holiday season and showcases the stunning beaches of the Overberg. Now in its fifth year, the event will offer something for riders of a range of fitness and skill levels.

With the start and finish at NG Church Suidpunt in Struibaai, there will be four distances on offer with the routes crossing various terrains of tar, beach and off-road trails. What a fabulous time of fun for the whole family to enjoy during the holiday season! The main mountain bike race on Friday morning is 72km, testing the skill and stamina of the rider.

Then there is the scenic 46km route and the slightly downscaled 35km ride, as well as a 10km event to enjoy. The Cape Agulhas Classic Trail Run is taking place on 22 December which shows off the Heuningberg mountains and is a great companion to the MTB Race.

For online entries visit www.entryninja.com

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SA AGENCY CAPTURES RECORD-BREAKING CIRCUMNAVIGATION BY BICYCLE

Scottish cyclist and adventurer, Mark Beaumont, recently broke the Guinness World Record for circumnavigation by bicycle in 78 days, 14 hours, and 40 minutes - an incredible feat captured and shared with the world by South African sports production agency, MoonSport.

The record was previously held by New Zealander, Andrew Nicholson, who in 2015 managed the feat in 123 days.

When approached by the world-renowned cyclist to cover his 80 day circumnavigation, MoonSport couldn’t turn down the privilege and challenge of such a complex, global production.

“Being part of a team that breaks a world record offers a sense of achievement like no other,” says Trent Key, MD, MoonSport. “Professional sportsmen don’t get to where they are easily and our team had to match that intense commitment.”

Mark Beaumont used the Artemis World Cycle as an opportunity to raise funds for Orkidstudio, a small charity dedicated to uplifting communities through innovative architecture and construction, such as the Sachibindu hospital in northern Zambia.

MoonSport was tasked to find a crew that would work for 80 days non-stop, 16 hours a day, and in very challenging conditions. The team gathered footage for the documentary, and also gathered daily content for social media. This included Mark’s website run by 80 Days Digital, as well as the international press. Moonsport was also responsible for the management of Mark’s social media pages including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Daily content included stills, daily previews, reviews, weekly wraps, and incident videos.

The team covered 16 countries: France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Mongolia, China, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada Portugal and Spain. They travelled in two motorhomes and were the only two team members to stay with Mark for every single day of the race.

“As soon as we landed, I knew we were in for one hell of an adventure,” says Helmut Scherz, Cinematographer and Soundman.

“With the nature of such an extreme expedition, everyone involved worked under huge pressure, but with a solid media team on the road and back in Cape Town, we have successfully achieved what we set out to achieve, and MoonSport has captured this epic journey with wonderful and unique content,” says Mark Beaumont.

“To date, the campaign has generated a global reach of over 500 million (514,154,966) with social media content views exceeding 5 million, a number that is still rising!”

“One epic adventure that will never be forgotten. We are very proud to have made history with Mark and the team,” said Johnny Swanepoel, Content director, Photographer and Editor Supported 24/7 by Emanuel Fereira back in Cape Town, the team would get up at 3:30am every morning and film Mark’s morning preview, edit the material, and then send it through to base. Approvals for content were often only through Whatsapp with the UK management team.

Despite the fact that the team faced mental and physical fatigue, minimal resources, challenges with signal and communication, language barriers, losing a drone in Canada, and even having a vehicle collision in Australia, they got the job done.

“This campaign has shown us that the impossible is actually quite possible, and that social media is a truly powerful tool if content is engaging, organic and interesting,” concludes Trent Key.

Bring your life Somerset West Shop 6 The Hub, Somerset Triangle 021 8500 514 076 8783 832 vos@bikerack.co.za