Cycling Dreams, South Africa

I met Jessica last year at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle , Switzerland while visiting Tegshee. He was great to speak with her and listen to her story.

My name is Jessica Brown, I have been cycling for 7-8years. Three of those years being a professional cyclist for a women's team in South Africa and two years being a national representative. I have achievements on the road and track,

I've also represented SA at 3 international events as a junior and 2 track training camps at the WCC (World Cycling Center) in Switzerland. I'm am the 500m, team sprint and points Junior Track African Champ for 2017 and Team Sprint record holder. 

My experience as a young cycling was quite tough. I was thankful to have development teams (Uber Development & Lorraine BestMed) that helped where they could. 

We did not have many races or sponsorship to support our young rider back then and yet still today. Progress from U/16 to junior and elite is a big step for the youngsters and in the process we've lost many young riders , parents also play a big role in our cycling lives financially and supportively. Many found it expensive and unfortunately had to pull there kids out of this amazing sport. 

Two of my biggest and most amazing races in SA was the Cape August Cycle Tour and Paarl Boxing Day track event. These two events were my biggest events as a youngster, organizers and supporters brought an amazing welcoming and supportive atmosphere with some of the best races in SA. 

My expectations for young riders is for CSA (Cycling South Africa) to develop a development project, including all 6 cycling sports (road,track,bmx,mountain biking,xco and para cycling) . This will help the riders and provinces to see what development is needed to be put into the rider and performance expected. 

I also would love to see more development functions for the youth and not only coaches as we all need the guidance to show us the right direction and to make those big discussions. We expect to see more support from sponsorships and international recognition for our riders international and local. 

Young riders in SA mostly dream of making it as an international professional cyclist. Junior Worlds is there main goal, until they realize there is bigger fish out there to catch, after junior worlds there dream or goals get bigger aiming to the Olympic Games. Where others dream of representing there country with pride and making every move to get SA recognized and show them we can do it. 

My dream was always to be a professional cyclist and win an Olympic medal for my country in the 200m flying lap and 500m time trial. After my dream and goals give back to the youth and show them the direction and guid them to a successful future. 

Thank you for sharing your dreams with us.

SD Team.

La Vacanza e' Finita!!

Ciao a tutti,

Now the holidays are over and we will be getting back to the normal life,routines, activities.

We will spent the next few rides chit chatting away about the amazing holidays we had & peoples we met..

Photo Credits of PA-Cyclism

Brain cells will start to plan for your next trip,goal.target or PB's...Always remember to stay concentrate on the road while talking on the saddle.

Therefore if you let me, I would like to give you few cycling events which are worth taking part:

1. The Road World Championships 2017 Granfondo in Bergen,Norway just less the 4 weeks away;
2. Leg of Steel 2017 in the Surrey Hill it say on the tin..good riding.Amazing event organised by Ful On Tri (30th of September); 
3. Our few days trip around the Mount Ventoux, 8th to the 10th of October email us at ride@saddledrunk.com for more info;
4.  The stunning KOM in Taiwan ,for real climbers not for the faint hearted (October 2017);
5. The Granfondo China in November ,multi stages event in the stunning Yunnan (November 2017);
6. We also have another little trip away to Majorca from the 6th to the 9th of November, email us at ride@saddledrunk.com for more info;
7. Ethiopia Wild Bike organised by a good friend Willy at PA Cyclism (December 2017);
8. Another one is the Patagonia,Argentina & Chile ride, for real wilderness (December 2017);
9. Finally my favourite...The Mongolia Bike Challenge....Mongolia is a stunning country,people are amazing and this is the best way to see the true colours (August 2018);

The beautiful Colours of Yunnan.

Those ones are my favourite that I would like to share with you. So now is time to shape up, to keep dreaming or start dreaming.

Be determine and you will reach your destinations, push your limits.Don 't create barriers that are not needed.Just do it.

SD Team.

Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge,New Zealand

The SaddleDrunk Team has not returned to UK after a month Down Under.During our road trip we met copious amount of Cyclists & Triathletes. A particular rider volunteered to be our guest writer and share with the SaddleDrunk Community an event he attended.The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge 2016. 

The skies overhead looked threatening as the thousands of riders gathered to take part in the 40th Annual Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge. Some rain droplets hit the up-turned riders faces as they were waiting to start in their selected categories for the iconic 160km loop around the spectacular Lake Taupo.

Fortunately, the rains did not come and it was a record-breaking day across all the categories, with the fastest time of 3hrs 39 minutes going to Aaron Gate. The fastest Round The Lake female of the day was Kate Mcilroy who was the first female ever to crack the sub 4hr barrier with just 12 seconds to spare. The 2016 event turned out to be a stunning day, heating up towards the end of the challenge when the sun came out in full force to provide warmth to the elated finishers who spent time mingling around the event village, recounting their epic journey around the Lake and enjoying a picnic style lunch and festivities.

The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is definitely New Zealand’s premier cycling event with fun and serious racing combined, having started way back in 1977 when only 26 riders lined up together to raise funds for the local IHC (ihc.org.nz), supporting people with Intellectual Disabilities.  Since then, more than 200,000 people have taken part in this annual fixture that saw 10,000 riders participate in its heyday.  After a few challenging years where numbers dipped, the event has always retained its title as New Zealand’s biggest cycling event for the masses. This year almost 7,000 cyclists turned out from across all the categories including the solo and elite groups. The mountain bike event categories that utilises the famous Craters of the Moon MTB Park in Taupo attracted one of the largest group of riders of any event in the country. 

2016 saw 23 countries across the globe participate with the majority of international visitors coming from Australia. So, if you are looking for an excuse to visit New Zealand this 2017 year, the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is the perfect excuse. You can sign up for this event, spend time in Taupo and then when the event is over, you can check out many other stunning cycling opportunities in the Central North Island; take a look at ridenz.co for a more MTB focused website in the region. It pays to organize well ahead of time, as this amazing event sees the population of Taupo almost double with more than 17,000 spectators and supporters streaming in for one big fun-filled weekend.  As part of the experience, the Great Lake Cycle Trail should not be missed.  It is highly recommended to plan your New Zealand trip to allow enough time to visit some of NZ’s Great Rides like the Timber Trail, Waikato River Trails and the Mountains to Sea. All of these rides are within easy reach of Taupo and would make your journey to New Zealand a fantastic cycling-centric holiday.

If the fast and furious criterium racing appeals to you, then you can also experience the criterium event which is held on Friday night through the centre of Taupo in front of a good sized crowd with cycling legend Robbie McEwen providing non-stop commentary, for the record Robbie also took part in the160km Round The Lake fun event. If you want to ride in the criterium, you can enter the elite category (provided you have an elite license) and mix it up with the big boys of New Zealand racing.  There is an open category also.

ABOUT LAKE TAUPO CYCLE CHALLENGE

The first organised ride around Lake Taupo was in 1977 when local schoolteacher, Walter de Bont gathered 25 others to ride with him to raise funds for what was then the local IHC charity.  Walter, who was the event patron sadly passed away in October 2016. 

The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is best known for its 160-km Round The Lake ride, a one-lap circumnavigation of Lake Taupo, but this is just one of the 13 categories on offer with short and longer road cycling and mountain bike course options for individuals and groups, catering to all levels of cycling and fitness abilities, including young children who ride the 5km Kids Heart Ride.  Because it was the 40th anniversary, it was a blast from the past as retro clad cyclists turned up on their retro bikes for pre-event build up the day before the main 160km event.  There was plenty of colour about as there were prizes up for grabs for the best 70s costume, best retro bike and first across the line on the criterium circuit which provided ample entertainment for the spectators just before the serious criterium racing begun.

According to Event Organizer Aaron Carter, “The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is a celebration. It’s an incredible, unique opportunity for thousands of like-minded people to spend time together to connect and share what they love, which seems to be getting off the couch and onto their bikes in one of NZ’s truly great regions, Lake Taupo.”

If you are thinking about planning a New Zealand cycling holiday this year, do consider signing up for the 41st edition of the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge to be held on Saturday 25 November 2017 and then design the rest of your trip around this amazing New Zealand event. You can jump onto their website to start your planning process, sign up to enter the race this November.

Until next time a big thank you to Daniel to write this amazing article and providing amazing photos.

Have a good week everyone & stay safe on the road.

SD Team.

..!! FIRST DATE !!..

WHAAAT?? A date, on a Cycling Blog!! You must be kidding,my son would say to me.

Not exactly a date but close enough.I am talking about my first experience as National Team Manager for the Mongolia Cycling Federation(MCF) at the latest UCI Road World Championships in Doha.

To cut the story short....

The morning after my late arrival in Doha,I had an email from MCF General Secretary Naran Zundui delegating me as Team Manager for the Championships...

WOW...

I was like a kid with his new favourite toy.I don't want to sounds monotonous.

City of Great Architecture.

During the championships I had the pleasure to meet great new people,see friends of the past, attend meetings, visit the commissaires office & much more. We had long,hot & exhausting days but the ambience of the UCI RAOD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016 made it easier.

6 hours late finally room service arrived.

The MCF represantation was composed by 5 riders,1 Coach and Me as Team Manager.I had the pleasure to be a DS(Directeur Sportif), Mechanic,Soigneur for the riders while they were training or resting and working alongside their coach.

You can use anything to make a Coffee Bar

It was a great place to see the SD logo amongst the big cycling brands during the championships, but mostly important enabled me to meet some of our supporters around the globe.We are looking forward to see all of them again soon.

Tegsee before the start of the Junior Race.

Under 23 waiting to start a training ride.

A typical day at the Championships:

• 0530 Wake up call
• 0630 Breakfast
• 0730 Training ride for few hours before the temperature going up
• 0900 Attend Meetings at UCI Event Hotel
• 1200 Maybe lunch
• Shopping for rider's food
• 1600 Chillax by the pool
• 1800 Meeting again
• 2000 Dinner of course
• 2200 Bed time

Supporting(Shouting Tegsee) out of the car during the Junior ITT race.

Tegsee con la nostra bella amica Australiana TIffany Cromwell

The Cannibal(EDDY MERCKX) with Tegsee

Belgian Fans walking to the Start Line.Behind one of stadiums for the FIFA WORLD CUP 2022

Instructing Miga before the start of the Elite race, with the rest of the Delegation arrived for the main event.

Desert Feed Zone #1.South Africa 

Live Cam in the middle of the Peloton!!

Team Germany had few DNF's.Doctors checking body temperature.

We are now working  to get the MCF team across for the CycloCross World Championships 2017 in Luxembourg.If you like to support them please get in touch with us.

The Teams watching the last few KM of the race on the TV's

Willunga Hill trifecta for Richie Porte as Simon Gerrans all but guarantees overall victory at the Tour Down Under

Richie Porte (BMC) won his third consecutive Willunga Hill stage, overpowering Sergio Henao (SKY) and Michael Woods (Cannondale Pro Cycling), while race leader Simon Gerrans finished eighth, 17 seconds later.

Robbie McEwan described Stage 5 of the Tour Down Under as “a battle of wills on Willunga Hill.”

The queen stage of South Australia’s festival of cycling started at the winemaking town of McLaren Vale, but unlike the spectators, the riders wouldn’t be sampling the dry red wines the area is famous for producing.  Instead, the riders could look forward to 150kms spanning from the vineyards to the sea, while ‘enjoying’ two 300m ascents straight up Old Willunga Hill in quick succession.

It was Lars Boom (Astana), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Pim Ligthart(Lotto-Soudal)  and Reinhardt Janse Van Rensburg (Dimension Data) who escaped, as Orica GreeEdge settled the following peloton.

Orica GreenEdge’s Michael Hepburn again set the pace, as they sheltered Gerrans further back in the bunch and the breakaway continued to stretch their advantage. Previous race leader and Orica GreenEdge sprint sensation was the consummate teammate, taking a long turn on the front for his team leader.

he break was the strongest of the TDU so far, all men worked and their advantage was six minutes with 50km to go. Neither sprint point was contested by the breakaway, the four leaders were happy keep rhythm.

“I’m giving the break a chance,” said Robbie McEwan.

The peloton was nervous with 30km to go, they trailed the break by 4 minutes. Ag2r La Mondiale, Cannondale, SKY, Giant-Alpecin, Trek-Segafredo and Tinkoff all took turns to push the pace hard at the front.

They started the first ascent of Old WillungaHill two minutes down on the leaders, and Peter Kannaugh (SKY) applied the pressure.  Rensburg attacked the break, and summited the climb first, but was soon caught by the breakaway. BMC pushed the pace hard behind, trying to pressure Orica GreenEdge.

The break conceded before the final ascent of Old Willunga Hill, led by SKY. Soon the field was in single file as Geraint Thomas inflicted pain on the front. Simon Clarke (Cannondale) and then 19-year old Lucas Hamilton (UniSA) tried attacks, but both were shut down by Daryl Impey’s (Orica GreenEdge) relentless pace setting.

Richie Porte made his annual Willunga Hill move with 1km to go, followed by Woods and Henao as an isolated Gerrans led the peloton behind. Porte tried everything to shake Henao, launching multiple attacks. The Columbian cracked within the final 400 metres, Porte gapped him and pushed for the line. His celebration was muted, the hard effort written all over his face.

“I never expected that one,” said Richie Porte, slumped over his bars.

“The BMC guys were absolutely incredible. It’s always nice to win in Australia. Three in a row, I’m really happy.”

The thick, deafening crowd on the ascent made Porte comment that “it does feel like riding the Tour De France up this climb”.

Porte has clawed himself to second overall, but concedes victory to Gerrans with tomorrow’s stage likely to be a bunch sprint.

“I couldn’t sprint out of sight on a dark night,” said Porte.

Race leader Gerrans looked just as exhausted as Porte.

“Wow that was a tough finish,” said Gerrans. “The calibre of climber in this race made that final ascent extra tough.”

Gerrans showed no sign of complacency ahead of the final stage.

“Hopefully that’s enough. One stage to go, and anything can happen, but I’d rather be ahead than behind,” he said.

Gerrans leads the race by 9 seconds over Porte, and 11 seconds over Henao.

The final Stage 6 of the TDU is 20 laps of a 4.5km street circuit through the centre of Adelaide and around the world famous Adelaide Oval, the home of cricket in Australia. It’s a day for the sprinters, but it’s far from easy with 20 ascents of a steep but short effort on Montefiore Hill to sting their legs.

What were they thinking?

There are 17 teams on the pro tour that didn’t sign Daryl Impey. What were they thinking? While Gerrans takes the race victory, the MVP of the Tour Down Under is Impey. He’s set up three victories for his teammates (including the pre-race People’s Choice classic) and was the last man left for Gerrans on the Willunga Hill climb.  Not to mention, cushioning Simon Gerrans as the two men crashed on Stage 2. That’s dedication! The South African deserves a holiday. Might I suggest South Australia? It’s lovely this time of year.

Author:JamesRaison Photos: Santos Tour Down Under/Regallo    

THANK YOU FROM SADDLEDRUNK TEAM