On Saturday, 19 July, Cape Town cyclists Patrick Majeke and Nicholas Qotoyi will become the first black Africans to participate in the 650km TransAlp, Europe`s toughest and most prestigious mountain bike race. They`re only the second South African team to participate in this event. Their trip to Europe has included a stop-over at the Tour de France.
It seems Africans can`t stop conquering the world`s highest mountains.
Shortly after SA celebrated the first black African`s summit of Mount Everest, CSC cyclist Majeke and Southern Sun`s Qotoyi will become the first black African cyclists to compete in the legendary adidas BIKE TransAlp Challenge, a 650km event that will take them across the Alps from Mittenwald in Southern Germany through Austria on to Lake Garda in Italy. The duo will compete against more than 400 teams from more than 20 nations in the event, which takes place from 19 July to 26 July.
Majeke (21) and Qotoyi (20) were chosen by The Cape Epic Race Organisation and the Bicycling Empowerment Network (BEN) to represent SA at one of the toughest mountain bike stage races in the world.
"We hope that their experience will grow cycling in the communities and encourage and inspire young athletes to participate in this exciting sport," says Kevin Vermaak, race director of The Cape Epic, who will accompany the cyclists to Europe.
According to Vermaak: "It is Patrick`s and Nicholas` goal to become SA`s top black riders and to represent SA in international cycling competitions. They will gain valuable international experience by riding with some of the world`s top mountain bikers in Europe. These two guys will be national heroes when they return from their exciting journey."
To prepare them for the gruelling event, Majeke and Qotoyi have been training in the Western Cape mountains under the guidance of one of SA`s top mountain bikers, Geddan Ruddock, in conjunction with the University of Stellenbosch Department of Physiological Sciences. When they arrive in Germany, they will undergo a two-day Alpine-specific mountain bike skills workshop.
Majeke`s club sponsor, Computer Sciences Corporation in SA, has also arranged the stop-over of a lifetime on the way to Germany - a four-day visit to the Tour de France, including a meeting with the world-class Team CSC, one of the world`s top 10 road cycling teams. The cycling duo also witnessed the racing on the most famous climb of them all, the L`alpe d`Huez.
According to CSC in SA`s Rene Otto: "Attending the Tour de France has been an exciting opportunity for Patrick and Nicholas, one that will allow them to benefit from CSC`s international association with cycling."
Otto says CSC initiated its development programme for previously disadvantaged cyclists less than two years ago and has been encouraged by the success that Majeke, a key member of the programme, has enjoyed. "Patrick is a role model and an inspiration to all."
The cyclist`s participation in the TransAlp has been made possible by sponsorship from adidas, Rotwild and the CAPE EPIC Race Organisation.
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CSC offers the South African market a wide range of services, including systems integration, application and infrastructure outsourcing, and business process outsourcing, as well as customer relationship management (CRM) and healthcare and financial services solutions. In SA, CSC also provides offshore business process outsourcing (BPO) services to manage the policy processing and administration for its US and UK financial services customers which include life and pensions providers, short-term insurance and banking. By combining international best practices with local expertise and knowledge, CSC is one of the fastest growing IT companies in SA.
A leading IT services provider, CSC adds value through its collaborative approach to delivering fast, reliable and flexible solutions. CSC opened its doors in SA in November 1999 and today has offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Richards Bay. It is continuing to expand rapidly in SA and is extending its services to the rest of Africa. For more information, contact (021) 529 6500 or (011) 686 5400.
CSC
Founded in 1959, Computer Sciences Corporation is one of the world`s leading IT services companies. CSC`s mission is to provide customers in industry and government with solutions crafted to meet their specific challenges and enable them to profit from the advanced use of technology. With approximately 90 000 employees, CSC provides innovative solutions for customers around the world by applying leading technologies and CSC`s own advanced capabilities. These include systems design and integration; IT and business process outsourcing; applications software development; Web and application hosting; and management consulting. Headquartered in El Segundo, California, CSC reported revenue of $11.3 billion for the 12 months ended 28 March 2003. For more information, visit the company`s Web site at www.csc.com.
BEN
The Bicycling Empowerment Network (BEN) promotes the use of bicycles in order to address low-cost mobility, health and access to opportunity, employment, skills and education. In collaboration with both national and international development/ donor agencies, the project facilitates the transportation of bicycles from Europe, Great Britain and the US to SA, the establishment of bicycle workshop projects and the introduction of bicycle user paths/networks.
To ensure the success of the project, BEN has established close ties with the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) in New York, Afribike Nederland in Amsterdam, the Institute for Cycling Enterprise (I-CE) in Utrecht and Re-Cycle in London. In addition, BEN is focused on the ongoing partnership with the Shova Kalula (Pedal Easy) project of the South African National Department of Transport (NDoT), Rotary clubs, Pedal Power Association, the Cape Argus Cycle Tour Trust, and recently The Cape Epic Race Organisation. BEN is a national programme based in Cape Town.
Patrick Majeke
Eight years ago, determined not to be drawn into the cycle of township crime, Langa-born Patrick Majeke chose to embark on a cycling career that would take him from the dusty township streets to top finishing positions in the Cape Argus Pick `n Pay Cycle tour. His talent was soon spotted by Cape Town`s top cycling club, CSC City Cycle Lab, which signed him up as a development rider.
The son of a domestic worker, Majeke is a full-time IT student at Boston College in Cape Town. His dedication and potential have also attracted the attention of the Bicycling Empowerment Network, which recommended him to The Cape Epic Race Organisation as candidate for the first black team ever to participate in the adidas BIKE TransAlp Challenge in Europe.
"I must do sport to get out," says Majeke, who has born on 20 April 1982 in Langa, Cape Town. "I know where I`m coming from and I can`t live that kind of life. I`ve made a lot of friends through cycling."
Nicholas Qotoyi
Born on July 23, 1982 in Kayelitsha, Cape Town, Nicholas Qotoyi embarked on his cycling career in 1998 at the Langa cycling club, where he was living at that time. He started an education as motor mechanic in 2000. He spends every afternoon on his road bike (and now his Mountain Bike too), cycling between 50km and 120km per day. His biggest dream is to win the Cape Argus Pick `n Pay Cycle tour. This year, he finished the 109km loop in his best time so far at 3hr 3min.
Qotoyi admires Jan Ulrich. "He is cool and doesn`t talk much." That he will soon be visiting Ulrich`s home country is hard for him to imagine. "I am a bit scared to fly and my mother is scared, too. I have never been further away from home than 200km on my bicycle."