Nedbank Cycle Challenge

The annual Nedbank Cycle Challenge again proved a roaring success, with the Nedbank Kidz Challenge and Nedbank MTB Challenge hosted on 21 and 22 February respectively, followed by the road race on Sunday, 1 March 2015.

Managing Director Lionel Matthews said at the media launch that the Nedbank Cycle Challenge remains one of the greatest sporting spectacles in our country, while the 30th edition of Namibia’s premier cycling race was billed to be an even greater experience for participants and spectators alike. 
“We can only hope that our investments into growing the sport and provide a competitive environment for our country’s cyclists will continue to translate into greater sporting achievements on the global cycling stage,” said Lionel.

The president of the Namibian Cycling Federation, Mannie Heymans, praised Nedbank for their support towards developing cycling in the country. 
“I have cycled in the very first edition of the Nedbank Cycle Challenge in November 1986 and have seen the event grow bigger and bigger every year. Like every cycling enthusiast in the country, I am always excited to see what is in store for every cycling event that Nedbank organises,” enthused Heymans.

Cycling in the kit of Nedbank, Costa Seibeb gave a great performance to win the Nedbank Cycle Challenge road race for the fourth year in a row.

Seibeb completed the 100km race in a time of 2 hours 24 minutes 42 seconds to finish 17 seconds ahead of Martin Freyer who led the peloton home in a sprint to the line. 

Freyer's Kia team mate Michael Pretorius came third in 2:25:00, followed by Xavier Papo (2:25:00) and Brandon Plaatjies (2:25:01). 

It was the third year in a row that Seibeb had won the Elite Men's 100km title while he also won the title in 2012 over 75km. 

It was a remarkable achievement bearing in mind that he was racing on his own and had to withstand the tactics of other top cyclists who were racing in teams. 

Seibeb broke away from the leading peloton on the Daan Viljoen mountains, but the pack managed to close the gap and haul him in on the Western Bypass. 

With about 4km to go, Seibeb however caught the pack by surprise with a strong surge from the back of the peloton and opened up a 200m gap which he held till the end. 

“It was a really difficult race because I was trying to get away from the pack, but some of the other teams were trying to slow me down. It was very hard and I was under pressure the whole time, but when I got away the second time at the Katutura bridge, I opened up a gap and they couldn't catch me anymore,” he said. 

“This victory means very much to me,” an elated Seibeb said.

Michelle Vorster meanwhile won the Elite Women's 100km race in 2:31:01, with Irene Steyn coming second in 2:32:51 and Wanda Tattersall third in 2:37:54. 

George Hamukwaya won the men's 75km race in 1:42:58, followed by Victor Krohne (1:42:59) and Marckernzy Eiseb (1:43:00), while Mandy Huyshamen won the women's 75km race in 1:44:07, followed by Maike Bochert (1:46:07) and Steffanie Grossmann (1:46:11). 

Shapange Afrikaner won the Men's 35km race in 1:01:44, followed by Ananias Uushona (1:01:45) and William Boshoff (1:01:48), while Hildie du Toit won the women's 35km race in 1:05:22, followed by Anneke Steenkamp (1:07:16) and Christine Steinfurth (1:08:41). 

Marius Wessels won the Men's 20km race in 48:34, followed by Nicholis du Plessis (50:58) and Ulrich Manckensen (51:45) while Connie-Marlene Theyse won the women's 20km race in 51:20, followed by Monique du Plessis (54:24) and Jessica Hoeksema (54:45). More than 1 000 cyclists entered the Nedbank Cycle Challenge which took place for the 30th successive year.

(source: The Namibian)

The Nedbank Kidz Challenge and Nedbank MTB Challenge will be hosted at Eagles in Avis, while an exciting feature of this year’s Nedbank Cycle Challenge will see the race finish in the city centre!

With cycling perennially being Nedbank Namibia’s strongest sporting affinity, the Bank was also the anchor sponsor for the road race series, organised by the country’s oldest and largest cycling club, Windhoek Pedal Power, as well as the national cross-country mountain bike series. The latter is organised by the enthusiastic team at the Rock & Rut MTB Club, which saw the national cross country championships hosted in the picturesque Namib Desert.