ProTouch riders all set to tackle Africa’s premier cycle race
It will be the first time that ProTouch will be taking part in the event. They will be cycling as ProTouch South Africa and will be the national side representing South Africa.
Honeydew-based ProTouch Cycling Club has set off for Rwanda to take part in the Tour du Rwanda for the first time, and will also be the national South African team at the race.
The Tour du Rwanda has grown from strength to strength over the last 10 years, with participation numbers and competition quality growing year-on-year.
Over the last four years the eight-stage Tour du Rwanda has firmly established itself as Africa’s premier cycle race, with 15 teams of five cyclists being invited to take part in the event this year.
Two of these teams will be South African, one being from the local cycling club, ProTouch.
ProTouch has firmly established itself as South Africa’s best club cycling team. The team will be heading into the Tour du Rwanda off the back of a strong victory in the inaugural Tour de Limpopo in May. As the South African National ProTouch team for their debut Tour du Rwanda, the team will include one cyclist who has completed the race before, namely 26-year-old Calvin Beneke who placed eighth in the general classification when he rode the race in 2016.
Calvin, who is an all-round cyclist and doesn’t prefer either hill climbs or sprints, feels the Tour du Rwanda is a race you can’t turn down.
“It’s probably been the best organised event in Africa for the last four to five years, and the quality of the competition in the race is right up there,” he said.
For Calvin, one of the toughest portions of the race is Rwanda’s infamous ‘Wall of Kigali’, a 1km 12 per cent climb on cobblestone that always draws the crowds. “It really is a tough climb that isn’t really suitable for road bikes, so it is definitely one of the toughest parts of the race,” Calvin said.”It’s probably been the best organised event in Africa for the last four to five years, and the quality of the competition in the race is right up there,” he said.
For Calvin, one of the toughest portions of the race is Rwanda’s infamous ‘Wall of Kigali’, a 1km 12 per cent climb on cobblestone that always draws the crowds. “It really is a tough climb that isn’t really suitable for road bikes, so it is definitely one of the toughest parts of the race,” Calvin said.
According to the team manager, Tony Harding, the Tour du Rwanda is going to be an important way of determining where the team stands, as they are aiming to become a UCI Continental Team next year. “It’s going to be a lot of hard work this year, but learning is key and we will be using the Tour du Rwanda to gauge where the guys stand,” he explained.
The prestige of the Tour du Rwanda is emphasised by the fact that the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), which also organises the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, has taken the organisation of the tour under its wing.
The eyes of the African cycling fraternity will be focused on the Tour du Rwanda on Saturday, 4 August and Sunday, 5 August.
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