09 Oct 2024

 The much loved Route 73 Mountain Bike (MTB) Challenge will not take place this year due to lack of sponsorship, says Cycle4Life cycling club chairperson Modiegi Pelaelo.

Pelaelo said the club, which organised the cycling event for six years, could not secure sponsorship for the event after parting ways with sponsor, Dimension Data this year. 

Since inception in 2016, Dimension Data was the principal sponsor for Route 73 MTB Challenge, hence the cycling event was named Dimension Data Route73 MTB challenge. 

“Dimension Data will not be participating as a sponsor in the 2024 edition of the Route 73 mountain biking challenge,” responded Dimension Data General Manager, Business Services Dineo Letshwiti on the status of the cycling challenge.

Without disclosing reasons for ending the partnership, Letshwiti said the sponsorship agreement was based on annual review basis, “giving each partner an option to either renew or not renew. Dimension Data will not be renewing for 2024. Cycle4Life has been a great partner with great expertise and high level of professionalism”.

The challenge has for six years been the pride of Botswana’s MTB space, attracting not only local but semi and professional riders from the region, mostly from South Africa. Over the years, the club invested in improving the route putting it on par with competitive international races, benefiting particularly Botswana’s elite riders. 

In 2023, the race introduced a tracking device technology to track cyclists on the route, whilst also giving spectators a chance to watch their favourites at a start venue without having to run around the route. Route 73 MTB Challenge is also more than a cycling extravaganza, as part of the proceeds from the race are channeled to charitable activities. 

As part of their commitment to giving back to the community of Bokaa, Cycle4Life club with proceeds from Route73 donated spectacles to the community with primary beneficiaries being students. The donation was done as a partnership between the club, Dimension Data and Opticals Botswana.

However, without sponsorship all the good deeds cannot take place with little revenue cycling events accumulate. Sponsorships make cycling events, like other sporting events, affordable to participants by shouldering hosting expenses as well as providing a vibe and rewards for the race environment at the venue, on the tracks, rewarding winners upon successful completion and winning of their race category as well as promoting a cause in certain instances.

Cycling races with adequate sponsorship have a  greater value chain with a variety of paid for services such as marshals, timing and registration, catering, route scouting and marking; supplies, amenities, renting venue, entertainment and where a large number of sport loving members of the community gather to partake in.

Also, with sponsorship, talent is harnessed and further developed to represent the country in regional, continental, and commonwealth/global events. 

“Route73 is one of the best races which allowed me to assess my fitness while preparing for big MTB races especially regionally and continentally.

“It is the toughest MTB race locally which put pressure on me to train harder for competitions outside Botswana,” Gontse Lethokwe, Botswana Cycling Association MTB national champion said.

Lethokwe, who won the 2023 Route73 edition, appealed to sponsors to come on board next year, saying the youth needs the race as it gives them “a feel of rough and tough competitive terrain outside Botswana”.

Another elite rider, Lebopo Kono who also won the overall prize in the 2023 edition as a first time Motswana female expressed her sadness at the no show of the race. 

“The race provided me with preparation for my continental races, with its technical terrains of rocky, sandy and climb areas.

 “It also helped me with endurance training, particularly for big races in neighboring countries,” she said.

Kono said since competing in the race, her performance in the MTB discipline improved and she had hoped to even improve on her time compared to last year. 

“I have been training a lot and had hoped to improve on time and arrive 30 minutes earlier than last years,” she said.

Both Lethokwe and Lebopo have represented Botswana at the continental races for MTB discipline, and Lethokwe also represented Botswana at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, among other international cycling races. Ends