Windhoek, April.22 — One of Namibia’s most promising young cyclists, Petrus Hanga, says his cycling journey began many years ago when his parents bought him a second-hand BMX bicycle, which he rode on the dusty streets of Oshitenda, in Windhoek.
Born 21 years ago in Windhoek to parents originally from Ohangwena Region, Hanga never knew that the love for a BMX bicycle would lead to his receiving one of the world’s most precious cycling sponsorships, the International Cycling Union (ICU) Solidarity Programme, to support his development in cycling.
He received the sponsorship early this year, which will saw him go to South Africa for a training camp earlier this month. This sponsorship programme is in conjunction with the World Cycling Centre’s (WCC’s) satellite network in Cape Town, South Africa. Its support is designed to foster development, provide equipment, and facilitate training for riders in nations where cycling infrastructure is still growing.
Hanga said: ‘Growing up, I had a BMX bike, which I rode around the streets of my location in Windhoek. I never knew that cycling was a sport or that one day would change my life the way it has now.’
Growing up, he would go watch the Nedbank Windhoek Pedal Power Series with friends from the same location, and after that he rode his steel bike, following the racers. Then he was spotted by the Namibia Cleaning Chemical Solutions (NCCS) Pro Cycling Team. The team managers and riders and asked if he wanted to join the team after they saw the hunger in him for the sport.
Though it was tough at the beginning because of struggles with equipment, Hanga soldiered on until Lotto Petrus of the NCCS pro cycling team organised for him his first professional racing bike via the team, which recently rebranded to Barloworld Cymot Racing Team.
This is where he honed his skills and developed into the cyclist that he is now.
Hanga says receiving the sponsorship early this year was the best news of his life, as it will help him develop into a world-class cyclist. He has cycled locally since 2022, and recently cycled internationally in Angola, Botswana, and Eswatini.
One of his biggest career milestones was when he won the under-23 MTN Kemani 2024 race in Swaziland. He also claimed third place twice in Jwaneng, Botswana, while locally he recently came second in the Nedbank Individual Time Trial Championships U23 and sixth in the U23 Nedbank Namibia Road Race Championships.
He adds that local competitions such as the Nedbank Desert Dash, Nedbank National XCM, and Nedbank Windhoek Pedal Power have shaped him to be the rider that he is: ‘We have massive talent in Namibia, and the local races help me judge how good I am here before I even think of competing internationally. I, together with other riders, am indebted to Nedbank Namibia for providing us with such great opportunities to shape our talents.’
He said the local races afford them opportunities to put into practice what they train for every day and assess their progress as upcoming cyclists while also learning from the more experienced cyclists.
When quizzed about his training regime, Hanga said he trains on the road 3 to 4 times a week, mixing endurance rides with short intervals of speed/sprint.
Hanga says representing Namibia at major international events like the Olympics, All Africa Games, and Commonwealth Games is also part of his long-term plans.
His manager and coach, Petrus, said he spotted the raw talent of his young protegee the moment he saw him on a bike. Petrus says the sky is the limit for Hanga if he uses this UCI-offered opportunity to learn as much as possible from his coaches in Cape Town.
Nedbank Namibia’s Communications and PR Manager, Selma Kaulinge, says that as money experts who do good, supporting sport with purpose has always been central to the bank’s values. “This is one of the reasons we have supported cycling for the past 40 years. When we support cycling, we do so with the intention of changing lives. Stories like this allow us, as a bank, to pause and reflect on our return on investment—measured one cyclist at a time,” she says.
Kaulinge adds that Hanga joins a growing list of Namibian youth who have benefitted from Nedbank Namibia’s long-standing support, using the opportunity to improve their lives both on and off the bike. “We wish him every success in Cape Town as he has the chance to learn from some of the world’s top cycling coaches and engage with elite cycling talent.”
In line with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda, the UCI Solidarity Programme supports these federations in their growth through training, knowledge transfer, and equipment allocation, thereby promoting a sustainable and inclusive development of cycling at all levels.
