Into Cycling - April 2018

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INTO N E W S PA P E R ISSUE #17

April 2018

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EXPERIENCE GREYTON AT ITS BEST IN THE GREYT ESCAPE

Photo: The Greyt Escape - Photo Credit: Jacques Marais

Greyton, one of the Western Cape’s best loved mountain biking meccas, plays host to the Greyt Escape three day mountain bike stage race from the 15th to the 17th of June 2018. The event showcases the amazing riding on offer in the Riviersonderend Mountains and provides the perfect excuse for a long weekend away in a peaceful country village. The beautiful, quaint country village of Greyton with its old-style, warm country hospitality brings to the discerning mountain biker the terrain that challenges, rewards, and finally releases the rider to reminisce about an experience that won’t be forgotten.

You cannot beat this classic town with its charming Victorian architecture, old-world charm and oak-lined avenues, together with local wines, kick-ass coffee shops, quirky curiosity shops, mouth-watering delis, and even a few laid-back Genadendal donkeys wandering around. And so the ‘Greyton Classic’ MTB Event from yesteryear continues to evolve. The inaugural event in 2015 saw a typical one-day mountain biking ‘Challenge’, with weekend warriors taking on a rough and ready local route. Continue Reading Page 2


NEWS

The Greyt Escape Continues To Evolve

(Continue from page 1)

In 2016 Anneke and Petie Viljoen, together with route-director Andrew White decided to expand the event to incorporate a 2-day Stage Race.

INTO

One year later the Greyt Escape has put up its collective hand as a mountain biking festival of note, incorporating a 3-day stage race, as well as options to ride single days as an individual challenge. Route director Andrew White, has been assisted by iMTB Africa’s, Warrick Kemp to establish challenging, but rewarding routes for each stage. All three stages feature iconic singletracks and fabled climbs, but while the routes are undoubtedly tough they are not unduly so – with the distances kept to below 65 kilometres on each stage and with no more than 1 250 metres of climbing on any day.

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EDITORIALS

Photo: Riders on the startline at The Greyt Escape - Photo Credit: Peter Kirk Media

The race also boasts an e-bike category for the riders who want to experience Greyton’s mountain biking to the fullest without having to suffer up the climbs like UFO, Maermanskloof, the Bakenskop Cobra, Davey’s Sprocket and Rocky Horror. That said for riders on purely human powered machines the rewards of the Middleplass singletracks, Blue Hippo Slide, Nguni Singletracks, Bone Shaker, Luislang and R.I.P descents will more than make up for the altitude gained.

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The event starts with a long stage, but also arguably the easiest stage of the race. Featuring 62 kilometres of racing and 1150 meters of climbing, most of which comes in one go on the famous UFO Climb mid-way through the stage. Rolling farm roads get the Greyt Escape underway before riders take on the Wreck Route, the UFO Climb and the Middleplass singletracks, before an undulating return to Greyton concludes the first day’s racing.

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SONGO.INFO CELEBRATES 10 YEAR MILESTONE Charity organisation, songo.info is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in March 2018. From its humble beginnings of providing a safe space for children to play on bikes after school, it has grown into a sport and academic support programme focused on creating a long term positive impact on the children in Kayamandi, Stellenbosch. A decade of building brighter futures for the children is something special to be celebrated and to commemorate the occasion songo.info will be hosting an event to celebrate all its supporters, contributors and friends. The celebrations will include an exciting live and silent auction of a number of special and unique items kindly donated by supporters of songo.info. These items include works of art by local artists, boutique/ exclusive wines, sculptures, a variety of signed cycling jerseys, vouchers for weekends away, event entries and other exclusive experiences.

Photo: Jaroslav Kulhavy of Investec Songo Specialized, Stage 1, 2017 Absa Cape Epic - Photo Credit: Nick Muzik/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

The songo.info commemorative 10 year anniversary kit will make its official racing debut at the songo.info Champions Race on the 14th of March and four days later, at the start of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic, it will be worn by the riders of Team Investec-songo-Specialized.

In addition, the custom painted songo.info Specialized S-Works Epic mountain bikes, to be ridden by Jaroslav Kulhavý and Annika Langvad at the 2018 Cape Epic, will be revealed. Thanks to the generosity of Specialized Bicycles, these bikes will go on auction on the 26th of March to raise funds for songo.info.

The annual Champions Race is a great source of pride for songo.info and is supported by many top class athletes enthusiastically lining up for what has become the traditional leg-loosener for the Cape Epic. It exhibits world-class talent racing through the streets of Kayamandi and attracts supporters from all communities in the area.

Sustainability is key to the success of any charity organisation. It is with this in mind that songo.info welcomes all its supporters and friends to join the celebration and support the exciting fundraising initiatives to allow the organization to continue to build on its legacy for future generations.

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2018/02/25 09:24:13

Single Issue: Free Copy Photo's: Riders on The Greyt Escape Route - Photo Credit: Jacques Marais

DIGITAL

Stage Two traces the Greyton Classic route of old, 64 kilometres filled with punchy climbs and testing descents produces a total elevation gain of 1 250 meters. The route takes in local favourites such as the Blue Hippo Double Climb and the Blue Hippo Slide; Hemelsbreed and Oaks singles; up Castle Hill, down the Oaks pines, through the Oak glade; up to the highest point of the day and then down the Nguni singles. Piet’s contour and then down the Casy await; followed by the Oewerzicht Trails and finally the Bone Shaker which takes you home to Greyton.

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The final stage boasts an action packed 45 kilometre route, with a shade under 1 000 meters of climbing. Four climbs – namely Maermanskloof, the Bakenskop Cobra, Davey’s Sprocket and Rocky Horror – provide the day’s challenges. Each climb is followed by a rewarding descent however, and none more so than the final two of the race, the Luislang and R.I.P - a new addition to the race. It is a fun and twisty descent which takes you back to Greyton, fast. Cost

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Entries are R4 700 per solo rider or R9 200 per team of two; for the option which includes dinners. While the non-dinner options are R4 250 for solo riders and R8 300 for teams. Entries include lunches, from Friday to Sunday, the option of dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, a Ciovita Greyt Escape cycling jersey and a Performance Brands winter warmer.

Photo: Riders on The Greyt Escape Route Photo Credit: Jacques Marais

Accommodation

NOTICE

Off the bike the treats of Greyton await. With accommodation options left up to the riders’ discretion the bed and breakfasts of Greyton are sure to be bursting at the seams. For a comprehensive list of all the options visit www.greytontourism.com.

Articles & Advertisements published in Into Cycling is not necessarily the opinion of Into Cycling unless so stated.

For the riders who choose to spend their time dining in the race village the festive atmosphere of Greyton is sure to take the edge off the riding. The Greyt Escape epitomises the stage race experience, catching up with old friends and making new ones over the shared love of the great outdoors and the amazing sport of mountain biking.

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To experience the trails and the winter festival atmosphere of the Greyt Escape for yourself, enter online at www.thegreytescape.co.za or contact Race Director Anneke Viljoen on 084 228 0414 or via email on anneke@freebody-sports.com

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NEWS

Investec-songo-Specialized Ride To Absa Cape Epic Glory The Investec-songo-Specialized teams of Annika Langvad and Kate Courtney; and Jaroslav Kulhavý and Howard Grotts rode to Absa Cape Epic glory on 25 March 2018 as they crossed the finish line at Val de Vie Estate. In doing so the team became the first to win the UCI men’s and women’s categories in a single race; while Langvad became the most successful woman in the race’s history, Kulhavý joined the illustrious three time winners club and Grotts and Courtney became the first American winners of the untamed African mountain bike race. Kulhavý and Grotts rode a trouble free 67 kilometre stage, crossing the line in second position – behind the stage winning Trek Selle San Marco 2 pairing of Fabian Rabensteiner and Michele Casagrande. In the Men’s overall General Classification Investec-songo-Specialized: Jaroslav Kulhavý and Howard Grotts were followed by Canyon Topeak: Alban Lakata and Kristian Hynek in second, and Cannondale Factory Racing: Manuel Fumic & Henrique Avancini in third place on the podium. The UCI women’s team of Annika Langvad and Kate Courtney, with a comfortable general classification lead could afford to shadow their closest rivals, Robyn de Groot and Sabine Spitz during the final stage. The pair crossed the finish line in fourth position, as Margot Moschetti and Raiza Goulao, of PMRA/CST Racing took the stage honours. Langvad became a four-time winner of the Absa Cape Epic when she, and Courtney, crossed the finish line of the Grand Finale. In so doing she pulled clear of former teammate Ariane Lüthi on three victories, and now lies only one behind the all-time-greats of the race: Christoph Sauser and Karl Platt. At only 34 years of age, and having won each edition of the race she has taken part in, it seems likely that the Dane will surpass Sauser and Platt. Ascendis Health: Sabine Spitz and Robyn de Groot came second overall in the women’s General Classification with Silverback – KMC: Mariske Strauss and Annie Last finishing the podium off in third. In the Absa African Men’s special jersey competition Matthys Beukes and

Photo: Team Specialized during the final stage of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic Photo Credit: Ewald Sadie/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

Julian Jessop (PYGA Euro Steel) took the honours, while the Absa African Women’s special jersey winners Candice Lill and Amy Beth McDougall from Team dormakaba came out on top. Lucky Mlangeni and Tshepo Tlou (Exxaro/PWC 1) punched the air in joy after they won the Exxaro special jersey race at the Grand Finale of the Absa Cape Epic. The Pretoria men have dominated the competition for previously disadvantaged riders all week, winning seven stages. The attention for the elite men and women now shifts back to the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup calendar and the second round of the cross-country series in Albstadt, Germany, in May.

Often Last, But Always First In Our Hearts

As a former Springbok prop, Marius Hurter is used to putting his head down and pushing as hard as he possibly can. He has had to do much of that in his ninth Absa Cape Epic this year.

Hurter, nicknamed the “Hurtenator”, was the last-placed rider in the Absa Cape Epic after the time-trial on Stage 5, having ridden on alone after his partner on the JAG team, Greg James, had been forced to pull out of the race after the third stage. As he refuelled in the Absa VIP tent after the time-trial, he described the day as one of the toughest he had experienced. Hurter has a diesel engine. Like Springbok captain John Smit and Robbie Kempson, his body takes a while to warm up before it hits full steam and rumbles to the finish. Tipping the scales at around 120kg and standing 1.87m tall, he flirts with time limits but has only failed to finish two of his eight races before this year’s event. He and James were last on the first stage, fifth from last on Stage 2 and 3 and crossed the line on the fourth stage ahead of just two other riders. There has been no thought of stopping or giving up for Hurter, despite finishing sixth from last in the final stage and second last overall on General Classification. In the six Absa Cape Epics he has finished to date, Hurter has spent 346 hours in the saddle, and has guided the likes of South African sports administrator, Raymond Hack, through the 2012 Comrades. He has also ridden with Photo: Marius Hurter former Welsh captain Colin Charvis. In 2017, he and Rola Motor Group teammate were the 503rd and last team over the line at Val de Vie Estate. Hurter’s endurance challenges for 2018 will not end with the Absa Cape Epic. He has also planned to run the Two Oceans and Comrades, and also take part in the IRONMAN. It is another part of the journey Hurter took on when he rode his first Absa Cape Epic in 2009. He was looking for an “extreme” challenge following a successful rugby career, the highlight of which was being a part of the Springbok team that won the 1995 Rugby World Cup. He had not been a cycling fan before 2009, and even described himself as an “anti-cyclist”, having hated it when it was included as part of his rugby training programme. He wanted to lose weight, though, and after he read a story on the Absa Cape Epic decided to do it. He began his training on an indoor trainer in the gym before getting a bike. He cracked the frame on his first bike and rode his first few Absa Cape Epics on a hardtail. Hurter is a little slimmer than he was at the peak of his rugby career, but he is still a big man and an iconic sight at the Absa Cape Epic. He may be the last man across the finish line, but he is first in the hearts of many.

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NEWS

Epic World Cup Sets New Benchmark for UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Series

In the under-23 women’s race it was Denmark’s Malene Degn who sprinted to victory in a dominating display of power, endurance and skill. She beat under-23 World Champion Sina Frei of Switzerland by 27 seconds. The field was unfortunately bereft of South African hopeful Bianca Haw who sustained a serious injury to her leg while practicing on the course on Friday afternoon. The men’s under-23 race was a hotly contested affair that saw a throng of riders fight it out for overall victory. But it was Norwegian Petter Fagerhaug who came up trumps decimating his nearest rival – New Zealander Ben Oliver – by over a minute. Annika Langvad of Denmark showed some good form ahead of the Absa Cape Epic by winning the elite women’s race. South Africa’s top performer on the day was Mariske Strauss, who finished in 28th position.

A full-capacity crowd, a world-class course and sensational racing from the world’s best cross-country racers made Coetzenburg, Stellenbosch the place to be on 10 March 2018. Stellenbosch, South Africa. A mesmerising sunrise greeted riders ahead of the first round of the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain bike World Cup Series on Saturday morning in Coetzenburg for the much-anticipated Epic World Cup. For thousands of South Africans however, the wait to see the world’s most talented XCO riders in action was finally over as fans, wielding vuvuzelas and cow bells, descended upon Stellenbosch in their droves.

In the main attraction of the day, the men’s elite race, World Champion Nino Schurter made his intentions clear by setting a blistering pace in the early laps with the kiwi pair of Anton Cooper and Sam Gaze following closely behind. After starting the race in 30th position, Gaze eventually moved to the front where he and Schurter battled it out for the remainder of the race, with Marotte and van der Poel in hot pursuit. Gaze attacked Schurter on the final lap and held his lead to secure his maiden elite World Cup win in a sprint finish. “Winning that sprint was just a moment of disbelief,” said Gaze. “I was starting to cramp with a lap and a half to go but as we got closer to the finish I knew I had to be in front. You always dream you can do it. You always go to sleep wishing you can do it. And to do it, is incredible.” The rain eventually arrived to the delight of all Capetonians and fans, many of whom stayed behind to enjoy a free shower, ushering in the perfect ending to quite possibly the most Epic World Cup ever held on South African soil.

The 2018 HI-TEC Walkerbay Xtreme Returns To Hermanus The HI-TEC Walkerbay Xtreme (WBX), a four-day adventure sports festival situated in the heart of Hermanus, will return to the Whale Capital for a third time between 27-30 April 2018. Although relatively new on the regional race calendar, WBX has been growing in popularity and is considered a firm favourite among elite and recreational sport enthusiasts alike. With 12 disciplines to choose from, the Walkerbay Xtreme offers something for everyone – from adventure seekers, professional athletes and fitness fanatics to the recreational outdoor enthusiast looking for a new challenge and a fun-filled sporting holiday in one of SA’s favourite adventure sport hotspots. In addition to the old favourites - the Big 6 Xtreme, triathlon, MTB Criterium, open water swim, surfski and SUP events, as well as the popular Swim-Run-Jump Challenge - the organisers have added a street mile sprint, off-road triathlon, junior triathlon, shorter open water swim and mountain bike challenge to the 2018 event mix. An added drawcard to the 2018 Walkerbay Xtreme is the prize money on offer - R100 000 in prizes split across a number of events.

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The Big 6 Xtreme - which is entered as a separate event and sees athletes competing in the street mile, 30km MTB Challenge, Swim-Run-Jump Challenge, sprint triathlon, open water swim, and a beautiful 17km trail run - will be held over the course of four days and participants will share a R30 000 prize purse. Other events with prize money include: Walkerbay Xtreme Triathlons: R14 000 prize purse, Marine Mile Xtreme: R11 000 prize purse, Cliffpath Xtreme Fun Run: R10 000 prize purse, Open Water Xtreme: R15 000 prize purse, and R20 000 prize total for athletes participating in both the Valley Xtreme MTB Challenge and the Urban Xtreme MTB Criterium. The Walkerbay Xtreme is unlike any other event in South Africa - The Perfect Event To #FindYourXtreme As A Family. It is an urban adventure and extreme challenge rolled into one that promises to test the speed, stamina and strength of every athlete participating, no matter their fitness or skill level. Athletes across several disciplines will congregate in Hermanus to test their physical and mental limits on land and sea. The action is centred in the heart of the village between the old and new harbours, providing an equally thrilling experience for supporters and spectators. For more information visit www.walkerbayxtreme.com


REALTY

Stronger currency

makes a Plan B in Europe cheaper! Acquiring a 2nd citizenship or permanent residency is very appealing to many South Africans. The main reason is to implement a Plan B to assure the family’s future by protecting against political risk and economical instability. Europe is still the preferred destination due to being the world’s largest single market & global trading block; as well as the lifestyle aspects and business / work opportunities on offer. But up until recently, the weak ZAR has made investing in Europe almost unattainable. The recent strengthening of the ZAR against the EURO has made securing a Plan B in Europe affordable. When comparing last year’s high of R16.98 to this year’s low of R14.40 – securing permanent residency in Cyprus is now R775,000 cheaper; and acquiring a 2nd citizenship is now a whopping R5,1Million cheaper! Having a 2nd citizenship in Europe gives unlimited access to the EU & the UK. Chief benefits include travelling, living, working & studying anywhere in the European Economic Area; plus visa-free travel to many countries. Permanent residency is also attractive because it gives the permit holders the legal right to live in that country without having to go through an onerous immigration process should they wish to make a permanent move. Cyprus, an English-speaking, ex-British colony and full EU member currently has the most attractive 2nd citizenship and permanent residency programmes available. Citizenship is granted in 3 months via Cyprus’ “Citizenship through investment” programme: - It’s the quickest process in Europe; - all dependent children up to age 28 and the parents of the investor qualify; - it’s an investment – not a donation; - the property/ies CAN be rented out; and need to be retained for only 3 years; - citizenship is passed down through descent offering a legacy to future generations.

Permanent residency is granted in 4 – 6 weeks on the “Fast Track” programme. - this is the only programme in Europe where 3 generations in the same family (including both the parents & in-laws) all acquire residency by buying one property! - dependent children up to 25 qualify; - the property can be rented out; - there is no requirement to live in Cyprus; nor be domiciled there for tax.

- minimum property investment is €2Million.

Some lifestyle attractions that Cyprus offers are: - Euro-accredited education gives your children an advantage when they enter the global job market; - low cost but high standard of living; - Europe on your doorstep; - 1st world medical facilities & affordable healthcare with highly qualified doctors & specialists. An astute offshore property investment that works for the short, medium and long term is the achievement of a lifetime. In Cyprus investing in the “Citizenship through Investment” or the “Fast Track residency” programme not only makes financial sense, but it will tangibly benefit your family for generations to come.

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LIFESTYLE

ActionCoach - Engineer More Time For Cycling

The less thinking and planning that’s involved the better. As a child you woke up at the same time, had a timetable dictating the subjects for the day, when sport would happen and even dinner and bedtime were barely 30 minutes apart. Doesn’t sound as free to me as I remember then. It was however the schedule that created the freedom. Less thinking just more pitching up to enjoy. The schedule ensured we were always present in an activity as everything else was already taken care of.

As adults, when we think back to our childhood, we often reminisce on the seemingly endless time freedom we had. Life seemed simpler, slower and filled with more of what we wanted. Fast track a few years (inserts decades where applicable) and everything has fallen on its head. You’re reading this very newspaper because you’re Into Cycling, but there’s hardly enough time to read about cycling let alone get on the bike. The answer is however simple and lies in the freedom of your youth. We at ActionCOACH business coaching call it a ‘Default Diary’. As much as possible needs to be scheduled and happen by default.

So to create your ‘default diary’ put in the important rocks into your schedule first. If you’re Into Cycling make sure it’s scheduled. Add in health and fitness time, regular family and partner slots (e.g dinner time, date night), work and even commute time etc. Try not to create balance of life in a day or even a week but schedule balanced activities so that over a month or even a quarter every area of life gets it’s rightful share. That way you remove the guilt and can actually enjoy your time on the bike instead of thinking where else you need to be. The tight schedule is in fact your best friend and a well designed ‘default diary’ will feel like you’ve gained literally hours per day. That way you start doing more of what you really want and not just chasing between the must do’s. Perhaps now is the time to get into Action! COACHING. Not Just for Sports. For more information visit www.actioncoach.co.za

Versus Socks Partners with Qhubeka

Qhubeka and Versus Socks have come to a license agreement that gives Versus Socks the opportunity to retail an exclusive Qhubeka sock to the public. 20% of the purchase price of these socks goes towards funding Qhubeka Bicycles for people who earn them, improving their access to schools, clinics, and jobs. Lise Olivier, Marketing Manager at Qhubeka, says: “Qhubeka is always excited to partner with businesses who support the work we do. We love the idea that people can support a growing South African business and help us to fund bicycles for our programmes at the same time. Plus, I think the Versus socks look great!” “We love the Qhubeka Charity and the awesome work they do – literally changing people’s lives with bicycles. We are super happy to have the opportunity to contribute to the Qhubeka Charity and help to fund more bicycles for people in Qhubeka programmes. These bicycles will help people to travel faster and further, and to carry more,” say Hanno Lategan and Jurgens Uys from Versus Socks. The socks come in two colour variations - black or white - and retail for R130 per pair (roughly USD11), with 20% of the purchase price going to the Qhubeka. Worldwide delivery is available.

O�Ryan Bruintjies at the helm of SA Para-cycling b ra n d i n g s o l u t i o n e x p e r t s

Cycling South Africa has the pleasure in welcoming the Western Cape’s O’Ryan Bruintjies as the new Para-cycling Commission Director. With his background firmly entrenched in cycling, and with many years involved with cycling administration, O’Ryan is ready to tackle a new project with great enthusiasm. O’Ryan hails from Ravensmead, married with two daughters and a son. He has been intimately involved in cycling for over 15 years and is currently a Western Province and Western Cape Executive, a Western Province and Western Cape Schools Commissioner, and belongs to the Kinetic Cycling Club, where he is an active administrator and has held the position of Chairperson for many years. He also holds a Grade C Manager’s License and is well-versed with the rules of Para-cycling. His son of 15 years old is a good cyclist and is the current under-15 South African National Road Champion, which according to O’Ryan, “has forced me to become more involved in the sport,” he laughs. In 2017, O’Ryan was awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Department of Culture and Sport in 2017, he also has a day job where he has been the Branch Manager at Absa Bank for 18 years.

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When asked what attracted him to the position of Para-cycling Commission Director, O’Ryan said: “I was excited to explore a new challenge. I firmly believe that there is so much more that can be done for the growth of Para-cycling in South Africa, and I’d like to implement the models that have been applied to school cycling growth to that of Para-cycling.” “My approach will be to get a team together as I can’t do this on my own, and to build the right team around me. I’m looking for people who know the game and can help me take this discipline forward. My plan is to implement a model to take on more races and streamline the process for South African teams and to create more opportunities for Para-cyclists to qualify for more events. Once the model is right, then we can initiate it to the other provinces and build this process and monitor the growth in each province,” he said. Funding is always a challenge but O’Ryan is confident in his experience in applying for funding from the avenues that are available. By operating on so many different levels within cycling administration, O’Ryan is able to utilise a variety of his networks to make his ideas work.


LIFESTYLE

Rolling Out SA's

Bike Friendly Certification Programme

New Wheelchair Event

A Success At Cape Town Cycle Tour Lifecycle Week Lifecycle Week, the week leading up to the Cape Town Cycle Tour (CTCT) presented an opportunity for people from all walks (or wheels) of life to participate in this iconic event. Approximately eighty people with disabilities participated in the Cape Town Cycle Tour’s newest, pilot event - a wheelchair route of almost 3 kilometres around Green Point Stadium. It served as an opportunity for participants to raise funds for the Cape Town Association for Physically Disabled (CT APD) by collecting sponsorships for each wheelchair. Organised by CTCT partners, the Rotary Club of Claremont, the wheelchair event aims to tell one message: everyone, no matter age or ability, can participate in the CTCT.

During March 2018 South Africa’s first-ever Bike Friendly Certification Programme, with the new Bike Friendly signage up for display at participating venues! This exciting initiative recognises and promotes businesses that welcome cyclists. The programme also assists businesses to become more bike friendly, while making it easy for cyclists to find top bike friendly spots like cafe’s and places to stay and visit.

“Each participant had between two and four friends supporting them, taking turns, much like a relay, to push them around the course,” explained Liz Rose, President of the Rotary Club of Claremont. “Most of the participants only met their team on the day, creating a fantastic interaction opportunity while they decorated the wheelchairs under the theme ‘Bling Your Ride’. The wheelchair event was not a race though, but a route to complete for each team, to include differently abled people in CTCT.” Each team was eager to complete the course, cheering each other on with broad grins as they moved toward the finish line.

South Africa’s first-ever Bike Friendly Certification programme recognises and promotes businesses that welcome cyclists and cycle tourists. The programme also assists businesses to become more bike friendly, while enhancing the South African bicycling experience. The programme is open to businesses in the service and tourism industry: Restaurants, Cafes, Wineries, Breweries, Food shops; Accommodation establishments providing lodging or camping; Bike Shops, Bike Rentals or Cycle Tour Operators and Retailers/Shops, Attractions, Visitor Centres or Tourism related businesses. The programme will boost the thriving cycle tourism market and the local cycling community. Cycling is one of the fastest growing sports and recreational activities in the country, with events like the Cape Town Cycle Tour and the Cape Epic, bringing millions to the region. By joining the programme business owners will be primed to tap into this growing segment of the economy. Some benefits of the initiative include: build customer loyalty and attract new cycling customers, being bike friendly is good for business, get featured on SA’s leading cycle tourism platform, the location-based directory showcases bike friendly businesses across SA, access Membership Benefits and encourage more people to bike local, shop local and create a healthy, happier and more active communities. For more information visit www.bicyclesouth.co.za

Photo: Participant Shahied Africa with (from left to right) Faith Tabisher, Nada Diedricks and Dylan Tabisher

“While wheels are a critical part of a bicycle, they are equally important for a wheelchair to function, giving a differently abled person the freedom they deserve to move about. We are thrilled to support the Cape Town Association for Physically Disabled through this fundraising event, helping them to help people with disabilities to achieve true independence and inclusion in society,” says Rose. “It is wonderful to include differently abled people in one of Cape Town’s most wellknown sporting events and see their determination and enthusiasm.” The Rotary Club of Claremont has partnered with the CTCT for over three decades. The Rotarians managed the refreshment stations, marshalling duties, communications and sweep operations amongst other logistics at the CTCT, in a bid to raise funds for the social outreach projects they support.

Land Rover Explore, The Outdoor Phone!

The Land Rover Explore withstands everyday use outdoors with exceptional durability. It is drop tested to 1.8 metres with a factory fitted screen protector, it can survive underwater, including salt water, complying to IP68 rating and can cope with extreme temperatures, thermal shock, humidity and vibration exposure. This level of protection ensures the device can survive heavy downpours or a muddy trail and will continue to work, keeping users connected at all times. Designed in close collaboration with Land Rover, the smartphone takes subtle design cues from the unbeatably capable and versatile Land Rover Discovery. Taking inspiration from the front grille design through to the headlamp architecture and even the knurled finish of the interior dials, it elegantly reflects the essence of the Land Rover brand. It’s a durable smartphone in a stylish design that is suitable for the office or enjoying the great outdoors. The home screen features a customisable Outdoor Dashboard for instant access to weather condition information and sensor data from the device. It can be set up to show the details most relevant to any activity at a glance.

Land Rover and Bullitt Group have unveiled details of the Land Rover Explore Outdoor Phone designed for people who live for adventure and need a phone that can survive whatever its put through. At the heart of the Land Rover Explore is a powerful 4000mAh battery that gives two days of typical use, or a full day of activities, with constant GPS Navigation mapping activated on the 5” HD display. Battery life can also be doubled by adding the included Adventure Pack while on the go. Once added, it can replace the need for a separate GPS device with its GPS patch antenna that improves the reliability and accuracy of the GPS. It also adds additional 3600 mAh of battery power and premium topographic mapping with Skyline augmented reality, courtesy of ViewRanger. Other hardware packs available include a large 4370mAh additional battery and a universal bike mount, all designed to enhance any adventure by enabling owners to go further, and stay out for longer.

Separately, the Explore Hub is a curated app portal, with a content catalogue relevant to many outdoor activities, as well as the Land Rover InControl apps. Plus, small features like a handy SOS flashlight and a Night red filter mode to reduce screen glare, help to ensure the Land Rover Explore is perfect for everyone with a passion for the outdoors. Notable features also include a bright 5-inch full HD screen that’s optimised for sunlight legibility, while the touchscreen can be controlled with wet fingers or while wearing gloves. Improved connectivity options are provided by a dual SIM feature, giving users the ability to connect to two networks. The Land Rover Explore launches with the Adventure Pack, bringing GPS handheld capabilities to the smartphone straight out of the box. The Land Rover Explore was on display at the Mobile World Congress followed by the Geneva Motor Show, 8th - 18th March. Land Rover Explore will be available for pre-order in South Africa from April 2018.

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ACCOMMODATION

WELCOME TO DE HOOP – THE JEWEL OF THE CAPE De Hoop Nature Reserve offers the following activities that can be booked at reception: Vulture Experience, Eco Boat Cruise, Guided Bird Walk, Interpretive Marine Walk, Stargazing and Star Identification, and Guided Mountain Bike Trails. Rich Cultural Heritage De Hoop Nature Reserve has a rich cultural history dating back to the Stone-Age. Hunter-gatherers lived off the veld and coastal resources in the area thousands of years ago. The ‘middens’ of the nomadic Khoi tribes can still be found all along the De Hoop coast. The H-shaped homestead of the earliest registered owner, Pieter Lourens Cloete, still stands and forms part of the Opstal accommodation establishment. The farm changed hands many times and in 1956 the area was proclaimed as a Nature Reserve. In 1979 the Homestead was declared a national monument and the restoration of the buildings, then in a state of disrepair, began. The Manor was further furnished by CapeNature and the wife of one of the current private investors Nini Stephens from the nineteenth century. If you desire to escape from the city to unwind, reconnect with nature, re-unite with your family and forget all about the stresses of life - visit the De Hoop Nature Reserve, a three-hour drive from Cape Town on the world renowned Garden and Whale Route, near the southern tip of Africa. De Hoop Nature Reserve with its Marine Protected Area is one of CapeNature’s flagship nature reserves, approximately 36 000ha in size and extends 5km out to sea, and is one of the largest marine protected areas in Africa, providing a sanctuary for a vast and fascinating array of marine life. The reserve is also the largest conserved area of lowland fynbos in the Western Cape and its diverse flora includes 1500 species, many of them endemic to De Hoop’s specific climate and soil. In total De Hoop Nature Reserve boasts 86 mammal species, more than 260 bird species and over 250 species of fish in its marine reserve. Activities De Hoop Nature Reserve is probably most commonly known for its enormous Southern Right Whale migratory calving population. Females and their calves swim in the clear waters, while males put on spectacular displays. During the whale watching season, particularly from August through October these endangered mammals ensure that the De Hoop Nature Reserve is one of the world's best land based whale-watching areas.

Cape Vulture - Photo Credit: Peter Chadwick

De Hoop Collection Accommodation With so many accommodation options available for families of 2, 4, 6 and 8, it’s easy to choose the perfect option according to your needs and requirements. Guests can choose between affordable campsite rondawels, self-catering chalets, to more luxury self-catering cottages, suites, and the Opstal and Melkkamer Houses. Enjoy a culinary experience in the cosy Fig Tree Restaurant which is open daily and offers a la carte menus for breakfast and lunch and set dinner menus, as well as snacks, teas, coffees and cakes. Picnic baskets can be pre-ordered and enjoyed on the beach, under a fig tree, or next to the reserve’s 19km vlei. Relax and rejuvenate at the Spa @ De Hoop and inhale the healing powers of nature with ingredients inspired from Africa and South Africa - a true experience to the senses.

The De Hoop Nature Reserve is a safe, outdoor destination with the ultimate wildlife experience for the whole family where all ages can relish the freedom to explore the reserve. Not only is there plenty to do, but guests are spoilt at a truly “family friendly” retreat to spend quality time with their loved ones. Few other reserves offer as complete an outdoor experience as De Hoop with the endless white beaches, towering sand dunes, the vlei, intertidal rock pools and diverse fauna and flora with the Potberg Mountains as a backdrop.

Birders can observe and enjoy birdlife, game, otter and even porcupine sightings on the shores of the De Hoop Nature Reserve wetland/Vlei by taking an Eco Boat Cruise, while the adventurous can embark on a journey to the cliffs of Potberg Mountain to view the endangered Cape Vultures – the Western Cape’s last surviving colony of these amazing birds. Activities are diverse and guests can choose a guided Bird walk experience around the vlei area with a qualified field guide focused on the identification of flowering fynbos and the behaviour of the birdlife found in De Hoop Nature Reserve. Others can find the Interpretive Marine Walk exploring coastal rock pools and sandy beaches more interesting. Hikers and cyclists can have close-up encounters with bontebok, Cape mountain zebra, eland, baboons and ostrich while running or mountain biking through the rich fynbos plains or along the deserted coastline. Get the chance to cycle with a qualified field guide who will share his knowledge of less obvious natural and historical aspects of De Hoop Nature Reserve. There are 4 cycling trails to choose from: 12km, 13km, 28km and 30 km and trails can be linked to make your own route around the terrain. Lazing on the beach and snorkelling in the many turquoise rock pools is simply another way to pass a rewarding day. Guests can also experience the magnificent stars and constellations that the clear De Hoop night sky has to offer at night and learn about the various star signs and other interesting facts about the sky.

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Events De Hoop Collection provides a beautiful backdrop for events including weddings, family reunions and other special events. De Hoop Collection offers a unique wedding venue under the wild Fig Trees and will arrange everything for your special wedding day with a number of options to choose from to create a unique and unforgettable weekend wedding celebration with family and friends. During the winter season De Hoop Collection will treat guests to yoga retreat weekends; Wine, Whales and Music; Winetasting and team building weekends. For more information contact De Hoop Collection on +(27) 28 542 1253, Reservations +(27)21 422 4522, email: info@dehoopcollection.co.za or visit www.dehoopcollection.com


MTB

EXPERIENCE NATURE AT ITS BEST AT DE HOOP VLEI MTB The jewel in Cape Nature’s reserves, De Hoop Nature Reserve, will be hosting a three day mountain biking experience this September which will change your perception of Western Cape mountain biking. View big antelope, rare birds and one of the world’s most diverse floral kingdoms from the saddle of your bike in the De Hoop Vlei MTB Experience. From the 22nd to the 24th of September 2018 the De Hoop Vlei MTB Experience will explore the game trails, 4x4 tracks and gravel roads of the 36 000 hectare nature reserve. Nestled between the Potberg Mountain and the Indian Ocean the reserve boasts a rugged coastline – known for shipwrecks and perfect whale watching – the vlei is a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance and a diverse landscape of mountains, limestone hills, grassy plains and snow white sand dunes. The De Hoop Nature Reserve provides a backdrop of unparalleled beauty to this three-day Mountain Bike challenge which takes place in the height of the whale-watching season, in a region that is renowned as the best land-based whale watching site in the southern hemisphere riders will not only experience and enjoy the excitement and exhilaration of the ride but will also have the opportunity of possibly spotting whales. Route

Accommodation

The three day mountain bike experience will showcase all of these aspects, as well as visit the surrounding farms where wheat and canola fields will be growing in the Overberg sun, while Merino sheep graze alongside blue cranes, the South African national bird, in the next paddock. Two of the three days of the event will feature entirely new routes, never used before by mountain bike races or weekend fun riders visiting the De Hoop Collection. Local farmer and avid mountain biker, Niel Neethling, is responsible for the routes and promises stages of 55, 65 and 52 kilometres in distance with 900, 1 300 and 800 meters of climbing respectively. Neethling has been hard at work securing land access to private farms and negotiating thoroughfares through highly restricted areas. One of these special sections is the Renosterveld Reserve, located within the heart of the region’s wheat farms, which protects the biodiversity of the exceptionally endangered renosterveld fynbos vegetation. Another is the western banks of the De Hoop Vlei, where the historic 200 year old Melkkamer Manor house is located, which has not seen public access off the main road to the Melkkamer house since the 1980s. With three days of mountain bike exploration provided by the De Hoop Vlei MTB Experience game sightings are guaranteed.

The De Hoop Vlei MTB Experience entry fee includes accommodation in a single two person tent per rider, but offers riders and their families a choice of accommodation upgrade options in the De Hoop Collection from the affordable rondawels to self-catering cottages. For those who prefer their creature comforts the De Hoop Collection offers luxury tents, luxury self-catering cottages, self-catering houses and luxury suites in the 300 year old manor houses.

The entry fee also includes three breakfasts and lunches as well as two dinners during the event. All rider and supporter meals will be catered for by the amazing Antoinette Events, the Overberg’s premier wedding and functions catering company. Supporter packages which include meals are available for riders’ family members and friends. The De Hoop Collection is also offering a fun ride and trail run, environmental education tours, an Eco-Boat Cruise, a Family Night Ride and even spa treatments for non-riders to book during the event. Find out more about the activities the De Hoop Collection has to offer for non-cyclists and their accommodation options. For more information visit www.dehoopcollection.com

Not only will riders see the De Hoop ‘regular’ of bontebok and cape mountain zebra; but also herds of eland, the world’s second largest antelope. For the birders in the mountain bike community the vlei’s Ramsar status ensures it remains a protected and ideal habitat for a plethora of wetland bird species, while the Potberg Mountain is also home to a large colony of Cape Vultures (now almost extinct) which take to the wing most afternoons in search of carrion.

Entries Entries are R3 600 per solo rider or R 6 900 per team of two. Entries include breakfast and lunch from Friday to Sunday, with dinner Friday and Saturday night. For more information on the De Hoop Vlei Experience please visit www.dehoopvleimtb.co.za Contact Race Director, Anneke Viljoen on 084 228 0414 or via email at anneke@freebody-sports.com Photo's Credit: Oakpics.com

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INSPIRATIONAL

ASSIST PARALYMPIAN TO REACH 2020 TOKYO PARA-OLYMPICS Goldy who has been cycling at international level since 2010 says there isn’t enough corporate sponsors supporting para-athletes. His biggest dream is to win the World Championships and to medal at the 2020 Tokyo Para-Olympics, but with no support, this will always be a huge challenge for him to achieve, participating in a very competitive class with competitors getting full support form their countries. “The UCI points system, to allocate slots for the 2020 Tokyo Para-Olympics, starts from this year and if we cannot get Goldy to participate in UCI events for the next two years, there will be no points to be allocated in order to participate in the Games,” says Janine Fuchs. Goldy’s focus is on the two UCI Para-cycling Road World Cups to be held in Belgium from 3 - 6 May, and the Netherlands from 6 - 8 July and the World Championships in Maniago, Italy from 2 - 5 August 2018.

Rio Paralympian Goldy Fuchs from Cape Town, more than lived up to his name when he rode to double gold at the SA Road and Time Trial Championships held in Oudtshoorn in February 2018, racing in the T2 (tricycle - classified as an asymmetrical quadriplegic) classification, winning both races and retaining the SA Championship jersey. After months of training for the upcoming World Cups, Goldy is still unsure if will be able to participate in the upcoming World Cup in Belgium in May, due to financial constraints. At the age of 5 months, Goldy Fuchs sustained serious head injuries during a motor car accident in which he lost his father. As a result of his injuries, the strength of both his right arm and left leg is poor and creates an imbalance. Goldy started cycling during 2003 at the age of 12 years and achieved Provincial colours for cycling, swimming and athletics. Representing his province, he set national records and won numerous gold medals at the Nedbank National Championships, organized by the SA Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (SASAPD). In 2010, while a junior cyclist, Goldy decided to participate in the Senior T2 category and won the Time Trial and Road Race at the SA National Championships against much older competitors. Since then, Fuchs who has won 10 medals at international level, represented South Africa internationally in thirteen UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup events, four Para-cycling Road World Championships and the Paralympics, only has his mother Janine Fuchs as his support structure.

“The original plan was to send Goldy to the Belgium World Cup in May while staying with a friend in Spain until the next World Cup in the Netherlands in July, but due to financial constraints, he will only be able to go to the Netherland World Cup and stay with a friend in Italy until the Italian World Champs in August.” “Cycling means everything to Goldy. He has given up many things in life in order to build a cycling career - and he always believes that what ever should happen, will happen,” Janine concludes. “As Cycling SA has a self-funding policy in place, I need to pay for all my expenses in order to participate in Europe during 2018. All donations will directly help me fund my fees for International competitions. By contributing you will help me reach my goals, but you will also take part in my journey of becoming a gold medallist,” says Goldy. For more information contact Janine Fuchs at 082 4000 232

GRANT LOTTERING ATTEMPTING IM’POSSIBLE TOUR TIMES TWO The numbers are overwhelming but hardly define the human element of Lottering’s riding, his training sacrifices and those tribulations he’s encountered over the past five years. Since a horrific, life-threatening crash in the Italian Alps in July 2013, Lottering has endured ten surgeries as well as having survived acute hypothermia during his 2017 Im’possible Tour. Most of these hospitalisations have been rehabilitative, but he’s had to face the specter of emergency cancer surgery last year too, before an accident out training in December separated his AC joint in his shoulder, requiring two further surgeries. Resilience is remaining true to the goal and Lottering has processed his multiple surgeries, whilst sustaining a punishing training schedule, to forge the mental resolve required for his Im’possible Tour 2018. Each setback merely escalates the value of his challenge, enhancing the urgency to succeed. To find and complete the greatest solo, non-stop endurance fundraising ride. Miracle cyclist, Grant Lottering, to conquer the most famous Tour de France Mountains all in one ride. They say adversity is merely a test which breeds success, and for South Africa’s most accomplished ultra-endurance road cyclist, Laureus Sport for Good Ambassador and inspirational speaker, Grant Lottering, this has been a theme of his extreme brand of fundraising. When others say it can’t be done, Lottering believes it can, and his portfolio of astonishing solo, long-distance riding is a testament to his extraordinary commitment. The first principles of what Lottering does are rather simple: to suffer up and over the world’s most famous cycling mountains for the benefit of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, an organisation that educates less privileged youngsters using the power of sport. For the caliber of extreme cycling Lottering does, training requirements are severe. In 2016, during his third Im’possible Tour, he cycled 962km in 46 hours, climbing some of most brutal Alpine mountains in all of cycling folklore. This year, Lottering will attempt something considered even more impossible: the linking of the two most celebrated European mountain ranges, the Pyrenean and Alpine mountain ranges, ones which have humbled the greatest Tour de France riders. Lottering’s target date is 1 September, when he plans to depart from Laruns in the Pyrenees, which will host a Tour de France stage this year, before finishing at Les Saisies in the French Alps. It’s an awesomely ambitious goal made possible by the support of his title sponsors, VO Connect, Mercedes-Benz SA and Air Mauritius, covering 1 480km in distance within 72 hours. Lottering will have to conquer 32 mountains, with a total elevation gain of 26 470m, effectively riding up Mount Everest three times.

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The training accident late last year has left Lottering with his greatest challenge, two months of inaction. When riding exhaustive mileages is what you do, being immobile for weeks on end is an abrupt altering of routine. For a person who pushes the boundaries of solitude and sacrifice in the saddle, not being able to access his ‘office’ has been testing. This period off the bike has revealed that even the most committed of ultra-endurance athletes, with the purist of charitable goals, suffer moments of self-doubt and introspection when injured and disrupted from executing their routine. Symmetry is a balance of things often desired, but rarely achieved. Lottering’s 2018 Im’possible Tour has a brutal and beautiful symmetry about it, combining both the Pyrenean and Alpine mountain ranges, each steeped in Tour de France tradition. In 2016, Lottering did what many considered impossible and rode the French Alps in one go. This year he’s going to warm-up for a repeat of that, by traversing the entire Pyrenees first. For a man who has endured ten surgeries in the last few years, adding 12 additional mountains to the 20 he’s already familiar with conquering in the Alps, is exactly the steepness of challenge Lottering relishes. The more mountains he can ride, the more peaks he can auction to corporate sponsors and the closer he gets to the goal – which is raising funds for less privileged youngsters. The riding is an enabler. Lottering’s annual Im’possible Tours have raised almost R2 million to date for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, despite severe challenges, and has seen him share his remarkable story with corporate audiences in over ten countries worldwide. He’s determined to make the 2018 edition his best Im’possible Tour yet and as a Laureus Ambassador, starting in a Pyrenean town named Laruns can’t only be sheer coincidence … it’s surely symbolic of destiny too.


MTB EVENT

New adrenalin stage race in the

KAROO

Three days of pure bliss under the African sun and the Milky Way in the Karoo. This route will mainly consist of jeep and single-track crossing private farms around Steynsburg with sections of gravel roads, sheep trails including the majestic Bullhoek pass. Go underground into the service tunnel of the Orange Fish tunnel, afterwards cross the open water channel at the tunnel outlet. Stunning scenery on all 3 days, exceptional food and a great goodie bag for all entrants. FORMAT A 3day MTB stage race

DATES 27, 28 & 29 APRIL 2018

STAGE DETAILS STAGE 1 72km, 1030m ASCENT STAGE 2 55km, 980m ASCENT STAGE 3 80km, 780m ASCENT

VENUE Harmonie Farm Steynsburg, Eastern Cape COST Full Rider Package: 3 DAY Stage Adventure with Luxury tent & all daily meals included. COST: Team of 2 - R8600 Solo Rider Package: 3 DAY Stage Adventure with Luxury tent & all daily meals included. COST: Solo - R4300 (You might have to share a tent with a same-gender rider)

DAY 1 - 72km

DAY 2 - 55km

www.petrichoradventures.co.za/t2t Trek2Teebus rohan@petrichoradventures.co.za or rudolf@petrichoradventures.co.za

Trek2Teebus Ad PR3.indd 1

DAY 3 - 80km

ENTER NOW!

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COMMUNITY

GOING XTREME FOR KIDS - A CYCLE TOUR WITH A DIFFERENCE “There are many cycle tours similar to ours,” explains organiser Monique Strydom, “but none of them has the impact on local communities like this one has. This tour is not only about extreme cycling, but it is about extreme emotions and extreme impact and lives being changed.” Every year more than 5000 children hear the child protection messages spread by the group and their support team with the special school visits along the route. The tour has the full support of the South African Police Services who also render their assistance along the way and during the school visits, should a child wish to disclose any crime against them. During the last 6 years of its existence, more than 40 000 children were reached in rural areas where outreaches are seldom seen.

“Put your hands on your head! Put your hands on your shoulders! Put your hands on your knees. That is what it is all about and turn!” Attempting to do the turn, the group of all male cyclists slide around on their cleats much to the delight of the 500 children watching them. It is the 6th day of the Xtreme for Kids Cycle tour and the cycling team finds them in a small school in rural Aberdeen. They have just completed two gruelling days totalling 515km of cycling, with another long stretch of 235km still ahead. As the group look into the excited faces of the schoolchildren who are in awe of their dance moves, all they can think of is the difference they are making.

“This cycling tour is a life changing experience,” says Lt Col Andre Van Rooyen, SAPS National Team cyclist from Graaff Reinet. His is echoing the sentiment of many of the 45 plus cyclists who have participated in this tour during the last six years. For most of the cyclists, this tour of 1890 km, starts out as an endurance cycle challenge, but quickly becomes a stark reminder of the dangers children in South Africa face every day. The funds raised with the tour are still affecting communities and children. Matla A Bana creates Child Friendly Reporting Facilities at police stations and such facilities were created in the Western Cape, Gauteng and the Southern Cape with these funds. These facilities help thousands of children every year who report crimes against them.

The Xtreme for Kids Cycle Tour saw the light when 2013 three business men responded to a challenge by General Arno Lamoer (then SAPS Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape). He challenged men to stand up against child abuse. The group, under the leadership of extreme athlete, Dirk Lourens, collaborated with hostage survivor, Monique Strydom and her organisation Matla A Bana – A Voice against child abuse. The plan was not only to cycle from Johannesburg to Cape Town via the Karoo and end the tour with participation in the Cape Town Cycle Tour, but also to reach deep into rural communities with a special school program presented at schools. “The success rate of completion of the this Xtreme tour, is not very high,” explains Dirk Lourens, who rates this as one of the most difficult cycling challenges in South Africa. “This is not about physical endurance only, it is about mental strength. To cycle for such a long period up to 13 hours a day, facing extreme heat and strong winds and still be positive, is not for everyone.” Up to date only 10% of cyclists who joined have managed to complete the whole tour. This year four team cyclists (with the average age of 46 years old) competed the tour. A very special quality of this tour is the community involvement along the wayfrom a treat to Karoo Sushi on the top of a mountain to home cooked meals at private homes. For business consultant, Alan Klette, who has done his third tour the impact on the children is first prize, but for him another highlight is the incredible people they meet along the way and the teamwork between the cyclists and backup crew.

Photo Credit: Edgar Hibbert

The team (Dirk Lourens, Alan Klette, Lt Col Andre Van Rooyen, Lt Col Mike Henning and junior Marco Calitz) received a hero’s welcome at the welcoming event at Willowbridge on 10 March 2018. To them their passion – cycling – has become a powerful tool to bring about change in the lives of many young children. The Xtreme Tour starts annually 11 days before the Cape Town Cycle Tour and runs from Johannesburg to Cape Town with the last day cycling the Cape Town Cycle Tour.

A PROUD DAY FOR DEVELOPMENT CYCLING The Nedbank Sport Affinity has funded the programme since it started in 2005. It has taken the sport of cycling into 12 under resourced Western Cape high schools and their communities, notably the Cape Flats, Kraaifontein, the West Coast and Boland. Each year, between 180 and 220 development cyclists participate in the programme. “Over the past couple of years the programme has seen such vast improvement in the all-round performance of the development cyclists, that the Elite Development Cycling Squad was created in 2017. Members of the elite squad have been selected to represent Western Province and potentially South Africa,” says Tippett. “We have put a lot of effort into the training, nurturing and recruiting young cyclists, and we are very excited about its exponential growth of cycling in these under resourced areas in the Western Cape, including a growing number of girls, with 32 riding in this year’s CTCT,” adds Tippett. “We work closely with the principals and educators in our participating schools to promote and manage cycling, and several have done an outstanding job.” A record 130 cyclists from The Sports Trust Development Cycling Programme competed in the year’s Cape Town Cycle Tour (CTCT), and 129 of them completed the race. Times of 3:06:15 and 3:10:58 were achieved by Olwethu Nodolo and Vuyolwethu Nkomo who are both from Khayelitsha; and two of the 15 cyclists in the Elite Development Cycling Squad, who are part of the programme. Nine of them achieved sub 3:30 times, which is an outstanding achievement. “It was an incredible day in the most perfect of conditions and for each of the cyclists it was their own special journey. They would naturally have preferred sub-3hour rides and they will get there. What they experienced is how tough the competition is against the top cyclists, which is an important part of the learning curve,” says Mike Tippet, the Cycling Development Manager for The Sports Trust. “What is so exciting is to see the personalities of the cyclists developing and the confidence with which they participated in the event, and bonded as a unit. It was developing cycling come of age and it is an extremely exciting time for the programme.”

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Tippett adds that the elite development squad is getting focused attention in terms of structured training, nutrition, mental development and professional input from the Sports Science Institute of South Africa. Nicholas Dlamini, who won the overall King of the Mountain title in the 810km Tour Down Under in Australia in January this year, has been mentoring the elite development cyclists. He is from Khayelitsha, and the cyclists idolise him and take in everything he says about training, strategic racing and mental attitude. “We will also be looking to upgrade our top riders’ bikes. Our approach is that our riders need to work for this, and we expect them to complete their matrics with good results before we look at trying to find placements for them in professional cycling and/or high performance sport academies.” “Careers in cycling and elite sport management are also available, and two of our elite development cyclists, Olwethu Nodolo and Power Maribeni who are mentoring the school cyclists, have attended cycling management programmes,” Tippett concludes.


ROAD

2018 Cape Town Cycle Tour #40Take2 Wrap “Last year was a huge disappointment, so it’s great how the weather turned out today. And, I felt really good, I could’ve done another 20 kilometres,” he joked. Minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde, echoed Tony’s sentiments. “It was just such a beautiful day,” he said. “We couldn’t have asked for better weather. Last year when we had to cancel because of the weather, it went viral across the world and what you really want is a day like today to go viral,” he said. Winde completed his 10th event this year and received a special medal for his effort.

11 March 2018 saw the ‘rerun’ of the 40th edition of the world’s largest timed cycle race, the Cape Town Cycle Tour. Over 30 000 cyclists took on the iconic 109 kilometre route around the peninsula in almost perfect conditions, in contrast to the 2017 edition when high winds at the start and on the course forced the cancellation of the race. One of our responses to the conditions in 2017 was to move the start for this year’s Cycle Tour to the Grand Parade Precinct. “We needed to be responsive in respect of this 2017’s challenges and looked to mitigate the wind risk,” commented David Bellairs, Marketing, Media and Sponsorship Director of the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust. The weather, indeed, was a talking point among most of the riders. “What an awesome ride,” said Tony Mcfarlane a 68-year-old rider who completed his 18th Cape Town Cycle Tour.

At the sharp end of the field Nolan Hoffman (Team BCX) out-sprinted Sam Gaze (Investec-Songo-Specialized) and Reynard Butler (Pro Touch) to win his third title in a time of 02:37:30. Sam Gaze won the MTB World Cup, the Cape Town Cycle Tour MTB Challenge as well as the songo.info Champions Race. The women’s race saw a pioneering first when the elite and u23 women riders were offered the option of a 76 kilometre race, starting in Glencairn. This shorter route ensured a clear run all the way to the finish for the women. In the end, Kim Le Court (Demacon) took the bunch sprint ahead of Namibia’s Vera Adrian (DormaKaba) and track star Maroesjka Matthee (Ciovita). “For the vast majority of our cyclists and those working behind the scenes, the 2018 Cape Town Cycle Tour reached a successful culmination after months of hard work. But three families are in mourning for the three lives lost on the route this year. One cyclist succumbed to his wounds at the scene of a pileup with other cyclists at the base of Wynberg Hill, another is suspected to have experienced a heart attack going up the hill at Smitswinkel Bay, and a marshall passed away in hospital. ” “Our Rotary marshalls have always been integral to the successful running of the Cape Town Cycle Tour. Most of them work alongside us year after year in a voluntary capacity. They are part of the Cycle Tour family, as are our riders, and we are deeply saddened by this news,” Bellairs concluded.

Momentum Knysna Cycle Tour Announces Seeding Events

The Momentum Knysna Cycle Tour is on track for its 31st year, and the organisers have confirmed that three of the races will be seeding events for the 2019 Cape Town Cycle Tour. One of the two biggest sporting events of the Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival, the Knysna Cycle Tour will take place on 30 June and 1 July, the first weekend of the popular annual festival. The tour comprises MTB Events, Road Races, the SPUR Children’s Tour, and the Forest Family Dam Ride. The 80km and 50km MTB events and the 115km Road Race have been announced as seeding events for the Cape Town Cycle Tour. Race Director Elwin Thompson said that this was a very exciting development for the Knysna Cycle Tour. “There has been a big demand for us to provide seeding events as this ensures that riders wanting to do the Cape Town Cycle Tour are able to start the race with others of similar ability and fitness. This helps reduce bottlenecks and the need to overtake slower riders on the route, which means it’s safer for all riders. The MTB event on 30 June is one of the biggest in southern Africa and includes outstanding cycling routes through the Knysna forest. Traditionally the event consisted of four different MTB routes for varying technical abilities - 80km, 50km, 30km and 15km. Last year, the organising committee changed the 15km route to an easier, fun ride for all ages, and introduced a 30km e-bike route. Set up and managed by Leon Evans, known as Dr Evil, the MTB routes test the skills of competitors to the maximum. “This year, following the fires of June last year, we will be looking to change the 50 km route slightly to divert cyclists from some of the badly burned pine forest where all the trees have now been cut down and the landscape has changed completely. We want to make our MTB routes as scenic as possible to maintain our reputation as a bucket list event.”

The challenging 115km road race on Sunday ,1 July which is also a seeding event, will follow the now-familiar route from Knysna to Sedgefield and Kleinkranz, then back to Knysna via Sedgefield and Karatara. The SPUR Rotary Knysna Children’s Cycle Tour on Sunday 1 July is a fun, safe event for children aged 2 to 10. There are three events for different age groups, all starting and finishing at the Knysna Oyster Festival venue. The popular Forest Family Dam Ride on Sunday, 1 July consists of two events: a 20km and a 30km ride. Both rides are scenic MTB routes through the Knysna forest and past some of the town’s dams. The 30km event is for more experienced riders, while the 20km ride is for MTB riders of all ages and competency, including children aged 12 years and older. They are guided fun rides and will not be timed. For more information visit www.knysnacycle.co.za

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PAGE 13


SPECIALIZED

R155 000 Raised Through Auctions for songo.info

As part of the songo.info 10-year anniversary festivities, a celebration of all the sponsors and supporters of the charity was held at Dornier Wine Estate on the 6th of March 2018. The event looked back at the history and humble beginnings of songo.info before auctioning off a number of items, kindly donated by some of the charity’s sponsors, which raised a total of R155 000 for the programme, excluding the exceptionally generous donation of a further R125 000 by Aurecon. Christoph Sauser, co-founder of songo.info, regaled the guests with the story of how songo.info came about. From the initial problem of finding a potentially race winning partner for the Absa Cape Epic to the meeting with Songo Fipaza, which proved the inception of the charity – with the primary aim of building a BMX track for the children of Kayamandi. As Sauser recounted they were all very naïve in those early years and was it not for the Pedal Power Association they would not have been able to meet that first goal of building the BMX track. Since then the charity’s scope and ability to raise funds has grown exponentially, but it has only been possible with the help of numerous generous benefactors. In their personal and professional capacities many of Stellenbosch’s foremost business people have given charitably of their time, expertise and money to make songo.info the success it is today.

The flagship item of the evening was a Burry Stander leader’s jersey from the 2011 Absa Cape Epic; autographed by the late South African mountain biking legend and his stage race partner, Christoph Sauser.

Following the recount of songo.info’s origins the cycling community of Stellenbosch once again generously partook in a charity auction, with items like getaways to the Arabella Hotel and Spa, entries to the La Leyenda del Dorado MTB stage race in Columbia, a signed Peter Sagan World Champion’s jersey, Richard Scott artwork, and a Maurice Lacroix watch, going under the hammer.

Jaroslav Kulhavý and Annika Langvad both raced with the custom Specialized S-Works Epic bicycles during the opening round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup and the Absa Cape Epic. These bikes feature songo.info inspired decaling and are two of a kind and will be auctioned online after the conclusion of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic.

Specialized Riders dominate songo Champions Race Christoph Sauser; among the over fifty riders who contested the elite men’s and women’s races. The spectators gathered on the Kayamandi sports’ fields to watch the action unfold also Included a star name or two, including Julien Absalon and Bart Brentjens. The action kicked off with an age group race for the future champions and young Luca Wiese and Andrea Schofman bravely lined up alongside the under 18 boys. The pair showed the grit and determination they will surely require to forge a career in competitive mountain biking to claim the under 14 boys and under 18 girls titles respectively. The under 18 boys race was a helter-skelter affair, from which Swiss rider Silas Valaulta emerged victorious over Nielse Erik and the talented youngest brother from the prolific junior race winning Penfold family, Aiden.

Photo: songo.info Champions’ Race - Photo Credit: Ewald Sadie

The 2018 songo.info Champions’ Race saw the Specialized Racing team riders, Annika Langvad and Sam Gaze continued their winning streaks from the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. The pair rode to commanding victories on 14 March 2018 at the charity race in Kayamandi, backing up their wins at Stellenbosch’s Coetzenburg XCO course. The Champions’ Race, celebrating its eighth edition this year, attracts some of the world’s best mountain bikers to an urban cross-country race in celebration of Christoph Sauser’s songo.info sport and education charity. The 2018 race boasted the most illustrious field yet; as the start ranks were swollen by cross-country specialists who had remained in Stellenbosch for warm weather training after the Mountain Bike World Cup event and the traditional crème de la crème of the Absa Cape Epic field. The start list included Jaroslav Kulhavý, Sam Gaze, Simon Andreassen, Howard Grotts, Victor Koretzky, Matthias Stirnemann, Maxime Marotte, Nicola Rohrbach, Andri Frischknecht, Daniel Geismayr, Annika Langvad, Kate Courtney, Julie Bresset, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Esther Süss, Flora Duffy, Ariane Lüthi, Alessandra Keller, Kathrin Stirnemann, Hélène Clauzel and of course the charity’s co-founder

The elite women’s race featured a chance for Pauline Ferrand-Prévot to rekindle her rivalry with Annika Langvad and the French champion was clearly eager to settle the scores after her second position UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, however Langvad rode home the comfortable winner, providing another ominous warning for her Cape Epic rivals, followed by Keller, Courtney, Julie Bresset and Hélène Clauzel. The men’s race boasted a massive entry list but the brutal 4 minute lap and the 80% rule saw the field thinned out as the 40 minute long race enter the business end. A super-elite lead group formed from the opening lap and the lead changed hands between riders throughout the early stages. By the half way mark though the New Zealand champion Gaze was once again showing his form and strength stretching the field and breaking the lead group down to just five riders. With some breathing room Gaze could celebrate his victory as he crossed the line, capping a highly successful South African trip for the under 23 World Champion. After the songo.info Champions’ Race the attention for songo.info riders turned to the Absa Cape Epic. The charity was represented by Jaroslav Kulhavý and Howard Grotts in the elite men’s race and by race favourites Annika Langvad and Kate Courtney in the elite women’s. The programme also had Sipho Madolo and Azukile Simayile contesting the Absa African Jersey; and Anrique Davids and Ntlantla Nonkasa, as well as Lwazi Ntsakaza and Sikhusele Bhungane contesting for the Exxaro jersey.

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

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PAGE 14


EVENTS

TREK2TEEBUS - ADRENALIN AND ADVENTURE IN THE KAROO

The inaugural Trek2Teebus race will take place from 27 – 29 April 2018 under the African sun and the Milky Way in the Karoo - three days of pure bliss! Trek2Teebus stretches over 210km with 2 800m of elevation gain. ‘Teebus’ refers to a well known landmark in the Steynsburg region in the Karoo.

The Karoo has always been a majestic part of our country. The vast plains and endless open spaces can easily make you feel small, but it creates the ideal opportunity grow big at heart and feed your inner soul. Sleeping under clear skies and with stunning views of the Milky Way, will only be a small part of this weekend experience. Discover the full diversity of the Karoo Heartland and breathe the crystal clear air, all while riding the foothills of the majestic Suurberg Mountains. This route will mainly consist of jeep and single-track crossing private farms around Steynsburg with some sections of gravel roads. All stages will start and finish at Harmonie farm, 12km west of Steynsburg. Stunning scenery on all 3 days awaits all riders. Day 1 crossing lots of private land and some sheep trails. Day 2 will include the majestic Bullhoek pass. This pass is not open to the public, but was built as a service road for the Orange Fish Tunnel. With 5.5km and over 400 meters of climbing this will make you legs burn but will be rewarding with beautiful Karoo views and King and Queen of the mountain. On day 3 every rider will have the chance to go underground into the service tunnel of the Orange Fish tunnel and experience one of the best engineering masterpieces of its time.

After crossing the open water channel at the tunnel outlet it will be an amazing memory to take home as the last 10km awaits. There are packages for the team player and the loner available: Full Team Rider Package include a luxury tent and exceptional daily meals for R8600. The Full Solo Rider Package include a luxury tent and daily meals for R4300. All packages include great goodiebags with race garment and a free bike wash and lube after day 1 and 2. For more information visit www.petrichoradventures.co.za/t2t

WINELANDS ENCOUNTER OFFERS A PACKAGE FOR ALL

A memorable experience at a good price is what ASG Events has set out to achieve as they look forward to the three-day Liberty Winelands Encounter from 13-15 April 2018 taking place in the Cape Winelands with trails covering areas adjacent to Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl. Having already received a positive response, with the all-inclusive package virtually sold out, ASG Events acting chief executive Fritz Pienaar believes they are well placed to attract a variety of cyclists.

Photo Credit: Ewald Sadie

Pienaar believes that their target market for the event is amateur riders, keen to experience a stage race. Route designer Johan Kriegler said they were fine-tuning the routes to ensure it suits riders across the board. “For example, we have changed the starting venue for stage one, which used to be in Stellenbsoch. However, we found it was quite tough as it included the Botmaskop climb and the switchback climbs were too technical for the average Liberty Winelands rider,” Kriegler said. This year’s race will start at Zorgvliet Wine Estate at the top of Botmaskop, where cyclists will face a combination of single-track, jeep-track and gravel roads. Stage one, which includes the Boschendal and Franschhoek single-track sections, has about 70% gravel roads, while the second stage starts and finishes at the Le Franschhoek Hotel and does a circular route around the Bergriver Dam – the ratio of single to gravel is about 45 to 55. “The final stage starts at the hotel and finishes at the Nederburg Wine Estate, with plenty of open gravel roads offering ample opportunity to appreciate the scenic autumn colours of the Cape vineyards,” Kriegler concluded. Kriegler said the stage distances ranged between 45 and 55km, with a maximum of 1 600m climbing on the second stage. For more information visit www.winelandsencounter.co.za

GRAVEL & GRAPE MTB EVENTS MAKE BREEDEKLOOF WINE VALLEY - A MUST-RIDE DESTINATION Better known for wine farms and the Goudini Spa hot springs, the Breedekloof Wine Valley is now about to make a mark as the next great Western Cape mountain biking destination. The Gravel & Grape MTB Events taking place from 4-6 May 2018 are now in their fourth year, with riders revelling in the fun, friendly and challenging rides. The threeday and two-day events each pass through various wine farms - in one instance actually passing through a cellar - and take riders on a tour of the best routes in the Breedekloof Wine Valley. The terrain, hand-cut trails and incredible scenery make the Gravel & Grape MTB one of the most compelling rides on the MTB calendar. The wine farmers of the area have embraced the event, with some like Du Toit’s Kloof Cellar carving their own, permanent trails. This year a section of the Du Toit’s Kloof trail was used by the Absa Cape Epic, while Gravel & Grape riders will also get the chance to experience the fast single track sections. A standout feature on their trail is the 100m long hand-built bridge constructed after last year’s Gravel & Grape and is made up of old Eskom electricity poles. For mountain bike purists, the Gravel & Grape also offers the challenge of trails at their most raw. The manicured lines from many events are missing, while trails will offer riders with good technical abilities a true mountain biking experience.

That being said, the Gravel & Grape is also family friendly. The Gravel & Grape Adventure is a 2-day ride covering approximately 30km per day. There is a junior category for both team members between the ages of 16 and 18 years, while the open category can be a parent/child, husband/wife team or any two adults who would like to experience their first stage race. For more information visit www.gravelandgrape.com

CREATE NEW MEMORIES AT THE REDSTONE MTB & TRAIL RUNNING WEEKEND

The well-known and very popular Redstone MTB & Trail Running Weekend will once again take place in the beautiful surroundings of Kruisrivier, Calitzdorp on the weekend of 11-12 May 2018 - an event for the whole family filled with adventure and fun and an opportunity to create new memories. True to tradition the weekend promise to be filled with lots of excitement, lots of cycling and lots of trail running. Not only will there be excitement for the adrenalin junkies, but there will be lots to do for the family and supporters, while waiting at the race village at Buffelskloof. Friday night will host a 11Km Night Run and a 11km Night Ride. This is lots of fun and participants can join their families for potjiekos afterwards at the race village. On Saturday morning mountain bikers will encounter 4 distances: 11, 17, 43 and 60km. The routes will consist of jeep track, single track, a bit gravel roads and a dash of technical sections. The trail runners will be able to choose from a 11km and 20km route with stunning views of the Redstone Mountains and exciting single track. A free 5km fun ride or run are up for grabs for the young ones and the grandpa’s. For more information visit www.jakhalsevents.wixsite.com/jakhalsevents/events

PAGE 15


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TEST YOUR ENDURANCE AT THE 24HOURS OF OAK VALLEY!

The 24Hours of Oak Valley takes advantage of the cooler weather this year and will be hosted on the 14 - 15 April 2018 at Oak Valley Estate in Grabouw.

Mountain bikers from Cape Town and the surrounding areas will flock to this fantastic two-day outdoor camping event and this year there is also a trail run option! The event will start at 12h00 on Sat-urday,14 April and will run for 24-hours until the next day at 12h00. Cyclists test their endurance by seeing how many laps of the 10km route they can do in 24-hours. The event has 5 categories: Solo, Open team (A team of 4 cyclists), Mixed team (A team of 4 mixed male and female cyclists), OneFourZero team (A team of 4 cyclists with a combined age of 140 years +) and Fun team (A team of between 5-8 riders). Whether you’re in it to win it or you just want to have some fun with your friends, there is a category for you! The course has singletrack and Jeep track and keep the riders busy, especially during the night when the course takes a different feel. The loop caters for all level riders and has around 250m of climbing, 2/3 singletrack and over 1/2 of that is forested! For the first time, the event will also offer a 6km route for trail runners to test their fitness levels. There are two trail running categories: Solo runner and Team (team of 4 runners). As with the MTB event, the runner/rider and teams with the most laps within the 24-hour period wins. There will be food, coffee and drinks for sale and other facilities include showers, flushing toilets and massages.

Photo Credit: Mark Sampson

Bring the kids, they’ll love playing on the lawns and jumping castle. Campsites are not reserved and work on a first come, first served basis. Don’t miss out on this fun weekend in the scenic Elgin area. For more information visit www.dirtopia.co.za

CYCLE ACROSS 7 WORKING FARMS IN THE TOUR DE FARM On 5 May 2018 Tour De Farm will celebrate its second anniversary at the 4 brothers Aartappelstoor in Blanco, George. Last year the organisers was pleasantly surprised with the interest shown by riders. Riders will ride mostly on only gravel roads and jeep track with a little bit of single track. The unique race include 4 different distances for riders of all fitness levels to choose from: 11Km, 23km, 40km and 60km. Although the event will be part of the Eden Cycling XCM series, the main emphasis will be to suite the whole family, but also cater for the social rider as well as the more serious rider. A large part of the route is on private land and can only be ridden during the Tour De Farm. Riders will cycle across 7 working farms in the Blanco Area and at the foot hills of the Outeniqua Mountains. On route they will be riding over dam walls and through an old barn, mealie fields, Hops lands and a working milk and a horse stud farm. At the water points riders will be treated to fresh farm milk, strawberries, blue berries and freshly braaied boerewors. Back at the finish-line a festive “plaas basaar” atmosphere will welcome riders back. For more information visit www.jakhalsevents.wixsite.com/jakhalsevents/events

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