24 Feb 2023

It’s all systems go for cycling clubs as they hone their skills ahead of the 45th Cape Cycle Tour billrf for Cape Town, South Africa in two weeks’ time.

The local clubs have been having scheduled races in preparation for the Cape Race set for March 12. One of the preparation races is a road race organised by Tsela Riders Cycling Club in Kopong on Sunday

Besides using the race as a yardstick to test their expertise for the Cape Town meet, the club holds this road race annually prior to start of the racing season.

Last year’s race was a team time trial race format, which was to limit numbers due to COVID-19.

“This year we are going for the full traditional road race format, with two distances of 48km and 96km,” Tsela Riders Cycling club Chairperson Anouk Van der Geest said.

Van der Geest said with no sponsors yet, they would only be recognising overall male and female in the 98km as well as youth male and female for the 48km distances.

She said initially the race was exclusively for Tsela Riders Cycling club members, but decided to open the race to other clubs, with a limit of three riders per club.

“We decided to open the race since there are no road races yet and riders are hungry for some competition,” she said.

The race is expected to attract elite riders, most of whom will be using the race as training for the Cape Cycle Tour.

Tsela Riders members Kao Ramahobo as well as U23s Thebeyame Ruele and Kitso Moseki together with Youth Subho Ghosh are some of the riders who will be using the race as their preparatory meet for the Cape Cycle Tour.

“The Kopong route is perfect preparation for the climbs that will be encountered in Cape Town, as the route is characterised by hills,” Van der Geest noted.

Regarding the additional new categories to the Cape Cycle Tour, Botswana Cycling Association (BCA) president, Kagiso Potongwane, said it was a welcoming and exciting development for them as it afforded the youth and junior athletes an opportunity to compete at an international stage.

“Exposure and experience in such competitions is fundamental for the overall development of our athletes and the inclusion of the new categories also generally supports efforts to expose children to cycling at an early age,” noted Potongwane.

He further noted that BCA would be supporting and sending junior athlete, Katlego Ditlogolo, to the Cape Cycle tour.

Ditlogolo of BotRail Cycling club is currently a beneficiary of Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) Zebra Athlete Fund. Ends