By Staff Reporter
SWAKOPMUND, April 11 — Seven new national mountain bike cyclists received national jerseys at this year’s Nedbank Namibian National Cross Country Olympic (XCO) UCI Championship races, held in Swakopmund over the Easter weekend on 7 and 8 April. The races, which were sanctioned by UCI, included a first-ever E-bike and Short Course XCC race, Elite Men and Women, Under 23 Men, and Junior Men and Women categories.
Around 100 cyclists from different parts of the country participated in the event, which was a first for Namibian cyclists. In the Short Course and E-Bike race, inaugural winners received 50 UCI points each, while Elite, Under 23, and Junior Men and Women winners walked away with 100 UCI points each.
Alex Miller won the Elite Men XCO and Short Course XCC UCI Championship Race, Monique Du Plessis won the Elite Women XCO and Short Course XCC UCI Championship Race, JG Van Der Westhuizen won the Men’s Under 23 XCO UCI Championship Race, Kevin Lowe won the Junior Men’s XCO UCI Championship Race, Eden Spangenberg won the Junior Women’s XCO UCI Championship Race, Elvira Dickerson won the inaugural Women’s E-Bike UCI Championship Race, and Andre Steinfurth won the inaugural Men’s E-Bike UCI Championship Race.
During the prize-giving ceremony, Axel Theissen, President of the Namibian Cycling Federation, thanked all the cyclists who attended the event. He also mentioned that Kevin Lowe, the Junior Men’s winner, is currently leading the World UCI Under 18 rankings. Namibia is ranked number 36 in the world and second in Africa on the UCI Mountain Bike World Ranking. Theissen concluded by thanking Nedbank Namibia and the organising teams for their impeccable job.
Gernot de Klerk, Nedbank Namibia Head of Marketing and Communication, also expressed his appreciation to the cyclists who participated in the races and to the organisers. He said, “We are proud to be associated with such exceptional athletes who constantly push themselves to the limits to achieve success.”
The event was sponsored by Nedbank Namibia and supported by the Namibian Cycling Federation, Seawork Fish Processors, VZ Trucking, Guans Packaging, Cymot, Swakopmund Hire and Sales, Plastilon, Cycles4U. – Namibia Daily News
