09 Nov 2022

Botswana Cycling Association (BCA) cycling Individual Time Trials (ITT) will take place this Sunday on the Boatle-Mmankgodi route with riders competing across seven categories.

Organisers say this year’s race trials route has not only shifted from Rasesa to give participants a different environment, but there were other factors considered for the route change. “We changed the route venue considering factors such as less traffic on the B111 road compared to A1.

There are also no speed humps which cyclists were always complaining about on the A1 route, and the Boatle-Mmankgodi road is also potholes free, which is great news for the cyclists,” BCA Secretary General Game Mompe explained.

The ITT race categories include youth, juniors, under23, elite, vet, masters and grand masters.

The race trials for the elite category will commence from Fikeng on the B111, heading south towards Boatle and cyclists  will make a u-turn at Metsimaswane and head north to Mmankgodi, where they will make another u-turn on the A10, back to the start point to finish off.

It will cover a total distance of 44km with ascent and descent of 314m and 315m respectively.

The young riders will have a relatively short ITT race trial of 14km, with ascent and descent of 77m and 75m. They will start off at Fikeng bus stop heading south towards Boatle and make a u-turn at Metsimaswane back to the start point and finish off.

This category is expected to be highly contested with a new crop of riders including Simphiwe Potongwane, Ted Makgetho and Ghosh Subho; all from Tsela Riders Cycling Club. The three have shown resilience and appetite for cycling in both Mountain Bike (MTB) and road riding.

The women ITT category will close off a total of 30km, with ascent of 180m and descent of 182m. Their race route will start at Fikeng on the B111 road heading south towards Boatle, making a u-turn at Metsimaswane, head to Mmankgodi and then make a u-turn at Manyana junction and back to finish at Fikeng.

It is not clear if the reigning ITT champ  Bakang Ebudilwe of Tsela Riders will be competing as she has been missing in action in recent prominent races as well as the national road championships.

However, all eyes will be on Jwaneng cycling club’s Nonofo Maswabi, who is the national road champion. She came back to the cycling scene determined after a short absence, and claimed her place by winning big local races such as Southern Epic Challenge and the National championships.

In the men’s elite category, riders such as Abeng Malete, Lloyd Molale, Thabiso Mokalake and Gontse Lethokwe, Oabile Tingwane of Jwaneng Cycling club who is the current national ITT champion are expected to compete for the national title.

The under23 category also has competitive riders such as Matlhogonolo Botlhole, Kitso Moseki, Jamieel Noor as well as Sandile Slave, who will be aiming for this year’s national title. Botlhole of Team Swift is the current national ITT title holder and he is expected to defend his title.

Registration to partake in the national ITT championships, which is supported by Coca Cola, Protime, Blue Horizon, Flush Away and ER24/7, is open at P250 for all categories. Interested cyclists can register online at www.protime.co.bw. Ends