Johannesburg, 11 Jun 2012
The announcement of the South African cycling team for the 2012 Olympic Games in London has given Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio the chance of lifetime: a shot at winning Olympic gold. Sponsored by DVT, the cyclist from Riebeek Kasteel, in the Western Cape, will be part of the three-person women's road cycling team.
A professional cyclist for just three years, Moolman-Pasio has powered her way right to the top of the cycling tree in an extraordinarily short time. In fact, she only began cycling in 2008 while studying for her Chemical Engineering degree - now, a scant four years later, she is recognised as a leading light in women's cycling.
It's been a great year for Moolman-Pasio. She claimed the 2012 South Africa Road Championship, in Nelspruit, on 3 March, and won the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour just over a week later, on 11 March. The latter victory, however, was bittersweet, owing to a crash at the finish that injured all three of her teammates on the Momentum Toyota team.
Over the past three years, Moolman-Pasio has spent six months a year racing on European tracks in a bid to gain big event experience. She has always had the London Olympics in her sights and now will have the opportunity to represent South Africa against the world's best.
“This is a tremendous opportunity and the dream of a lifetime,” says Moolman-Pasio. “I can't thank DVT and its staff enough for all the support they have given me thus far. I'll be doing my best to win a place on the podium for them!”
Chris Wilkins, CEO of software house DVT, is full of praise for Moolman-Pasio's drive and determination. “Ashleigh has always emphasised the importance of strong mental preparation and the need to follow a clear strategy. We have been supporting her for two years because she is such a great fit with our company ethos and such an inspiration with her drive to succeed. We are very proud of her and are behind her all the way,” he says.
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