Windhoek, Feb 3 – – All is set for the Nedbank National Time Trial Championships on Friday, 4 February and the Nedbank National Road Race Championships on Sunday, 6 February, in Windhoek.
The races are part of what promises to be an action-packed 2022 cycling season following the return of most sporting events, which were not held last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The events are expected to see the country’s leading cyclists battling it out for national titles. The National Time Trial Championship will take place on the Okahandja Road, starting and finishing at the Namwater Bridge on B1 road, past the police checkpoint, just north of Windhoek on Friday, 4 February from 15h00.
The Nedbank National Road Race Championships will start at Zoo Park in the central business district of Windhoek, with a looped route in the city centre, sweeping past the Nedbank Campus along Fidel Castro Street on Sunday from 06h00. The route will mimic some of the technical intricacies expected for road cyclists competing at the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Nedbank Namibia Head of Marketing and Communication, Gernot de Klerk, has assured cycling enthusiasts that Nedbank remains committed to the development of cycling in Namibia.
“We, as Nedbank Namibia, are committed to remaining as one of the biggest supporters of cycling in Namibia. We believe that cycling has further potential for growth to become a leading sport code in Namibia, alongside football, rugby, and boxing. Interest in cycling continues to grow among both young and old Namibians. We believe that our sponsorship has been a significant cornerstone, and in conjunction with the yeoman work done by the Namibian Cycling Federation and local cycling clubs, has led to the growth of the sport in the country,” he said.
Both elite men and women are expected to battle it out for the national titles during the races. The male and female categories, besides the elite group, include U/23s, sub-veteran, veteran, master, and grand master categories, as well as the junior group categories from U/10 level and up. The distances for the road race range from 14 km for the U/10s to 150 km for the most experienced riders.
Both the Nedbank National Time Trials and the Nedbank National Road Race are hosted in conjunction with the Namibian Cycling Federation. De Klerk has appealed to motorists to be considerate and exercise patience during the race, and thanked the Windhoek City Police Service for their support in ensuring the safety of participating cyclists and road users.
He said Nedbank Namibia has committed itself to supporting major sporting and community events, including the longest single-stage mountain bike race in the world, the Nedbank Desert Dash; the Nedbank Cycle Challenge, the Nedbank Rock & Rut MTB Series, as well as the Nedbank WPP Road Series.
“Nedbank believe in giving back to the community in which we operate, hence our commitment to sponsoring sporting and community events. I can confidently say that through our many sponsorships, we are more than a financial services company, indeed a company that is very involved with the Namibian community,” said de Klerk.
The Nedbank National Time Trial is open to anyone in non-UCI (the International Cycling Union) categories, but only Namibians are eligible for national medals, and only Namibians may enter the UCI categories. The entry fees are N $150 for those 16 and over and N $50 for those 16 and younger.
The Elite and U/23 Men’s total distance is 40,84km.Elite Women, Junior Men, Junior Woman, Sub Vet Men & Women, Master Men & Women, Grand Master Men, U/16 Boys & Girls, and U/14 Boys cover a total distance of 20,42km, while U/12 Boys, U/14 Girls, U/10 Boys, U/10 Girls, and U/10 Girls cover a distance of 12KM.For the Road Race Elite and U23 Men, the total distance is 152km.
The prize-giving for both the National Time Trials and the Road Race will be held on Sunday, February 6, 2014 at 14H00 at the new Nedbank Campus, and only the top three in all age categories and their immediate family are invited to attend in adherence to COVID-19 health regulations.
mrobert@namibiadailynews.info
