Tsela Riders Cycling Club will next week host a one of a kind cycling event at Rasesa Village in Kgatleng District.
The cycling event, open for all cyclists across the country, is scheduled for Saturday the 9th.
Speaking in an interview with Standard Sport, the club’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Nicholas Kitsi, said that the event is part of Tsela Riders Cycling club to develop cycling in the country.
He says while cycling exists locally, the sport is not visible to all and their intention is to take it to the people. He further added that they want to showcase cycling as an alternative and enjoyable sport that can be used to keep fit.
“Cycling is an aerobic sport and, as such, is a perfect way to keep people healthy,” Kitsi told Standard Sport.
The Tsela Riders Club PRO says to make the event accessible, the event will be open to all professional and non professional riders as well as to juniors and kids.
He says to accommodate local riders, they have included a 14 kilometre Humber Race, which caters for fixed wheel bicycles that are commonly used by locals.
Kitsi says the event will kick off at 7 o’clock in the morning. The races, sponsored by several businesses, will boast of several prizes, including cash money, hampers and goody bags.
Kitsi says going forward, they intend to hold the event annually to make sure that many local people take to cycling as a sport and to try find potential future national team cyclists.
For those who do not finish on the podium, Kitsi says they won’t go away empty handed as they will be given t-shirts, water bottles as well as other amenities, courtesy of the several sponsors involved in the event.
The races’ main event will be a 28 km time trials in which cyclists race individually against time with the one clocking the least time over the 28 km race being declared a winner.
The other race categories will include the 14 km Humber Race, the 14 km Social Race as well as the Kids’ Challenge to cater for children aged between 3 and 12.
The winners of both the main event and the 14 km Humber race will walk away P1000 richer while those coming second and third will be given P750 and P500, respectively.
Kitsi says these prizes will be the same irrespective of gender. While there will be prizes for other competitors, Kitsi says they have decided that all children taking part in the kids’ challenge will be given goody bags, irrespective of the positions they finish in.
The Tsela Riders Club PRO says a registration fee will be requested from all taking part in the races.
P50 will be needed to enter the main event, P30 for Social Race while Humber race entrants and kids will pay a registration fee of P20. The event has been sponsored by several companies and businesses in the country.
