CREAM OF SA CYCLING CONVERGE IN PAARL

A brilliant stage win by superstar mountain-biker Alan Hatherly brought the curtain down on four days of incredible racing in the inaugural Tour du Cap 4-Day Stage Race last year, and Brandon Downes (TEG Pro Cycling) successfully defended his yellow jersey on the final stage which finished at the iconic Afrikaanse Taal Monument in Paarl.

Local professional HB Kruger finished second overall while exciting newcomer Travis Stedman claimed his first podium spot in a major cycling tour.

These incredible riders as well as all the other heads of state of South African cycling converge on Paarl again this coming Thursday for the 2022 edition of South Africa’s signature road tour, presented in association with Wealth Associates and Drakenstein Municipality, and the stage is set for aggressive and action packed racing over four days in the Boland.

HB Kruger, the most versatile cyclist in South Africa, was crowned King of the Mountain while 21-year-old sprint sensation Rickardo Broxham (Honeycomb Pro Cycling) won the points jersey. Broxham also won the first stage which finished in the heart of Paarl.

The elite riders who have confirmed their participation need no introduction and are part of an 80 rider elite racing field who will lead the other bunches when the tour commences on Thursday at the Faure Street Stadium in Paarl.

Besides the elites already mentioned, Nolan Hoffman, Clint Hendricks, SA Time Trial Champion Byron Munton, Flavio Venceslau and Marc Pritzen will be among the other big protagonists who will set the racing alight. Hoffman was undoubtedly the most aggressive rider in the 2021 Tour.

To round off an already impressive picture, superstar mountain-biker Alan Hatherly has also confirmed his participation and a total of 11 riders from other African have travelled to Paarl and will be on the start line for the UCI Africa Cycling Academy.

There is so much excitement as the countdown to South Africa’s iconic road stage race of the year has begun!

The 4-Day Tour du Cap encompasses a total distance of 445km and 5090m vertical ascent.

Race Director Wynand de Villiers says the event provides a world-class racing platform for South Africa’s top professionals. “The consistent aggressive racing throughout all four stages in the inaugural edition was remarkable.

“The Boland is the best geographical area to present a road stage race in South Africa. Road surfaces are good, we have ample passes to ensure variety, and the route support from the municipalities is exemplary. Drakenstein, Stellenbosch and Provincial Traffic are faultless in their support to ensure route control.”

The tour is based in Paarl for all four days and caters for racing and non-racing cyclists. It makes provision for all CSA age group racing category cyclists up to 60+ Veteran Men, as well elite women and Open/Seeded riders who have a normal CSA affiliation.

The Tour du Cap represents a beautiful cycling journey in some of the best road cycling roads in the country. The event showcases the splendour of the Boland over four days and enables riders to explore Paarl’s many attractions.

Other towns on the race route include Stellenbosch, Simondium, Pniel, Klapmuts, Hermon, Saron, Riebeeck Kasteel and Malmesbury.

Besides exploring the Cape Winelands of the Boland, riders also get to view the extraordinary landscapes of the Boland’s Swartland district over this time of year.