July 4, 2007
By Lucky Sindane
IT'S July, and again time to get your bicycles out to start training for the Pick 'n Pay 94.7 Cycle Challenge.
Now in its eleventh year, the annual cycle race will take place through the streets of northern Joburg on Sunday, 18 November.
Tanya Harford, race organiser, Fortune Monaheng, a rider from Ivory Park, Malcolm Lange, professional cyclist and Elsabe Booyen, director of marketing in the City
(Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
The station manager at 94.7 Highveld Stereo, Ravi Naidoo, said that the Cycle Challenge had grown from strength to strength over the past 11 years.
He was speaking at the official launch of the 2007 Pick 'n Pay 94.7 Cycle Challenge on Tuesday, 3 July at the Waterfall Equestrian Estate in Sunninghill.
"There is nothing better than seeing thousands of cyclists taking to the streets of Johannesburg," Naidoo said.
The race, believed to be the second largest cycling event in the world, attracted about 27 000 cyclists last year and organisers are expecting that number to increase this year.
In her remarks welcoming guests, Elsabe Booyen, director of marketing in Joburg, hailed the partnership between the City and the Pick and Pay 94.7 Cycle Challenge, now in its eleventh year. "Let's see how many more years we can do this together."
Booyen said the City looked forward to the race with great excitement, describing it as "a firm favourite of the community of Johannesburg."
Tanya Harford, the race organiser, said: "The race has grown rapidly in the past decade, with a whopping 27 000 riders participating in last year's event. This year we are hoping to rally up even more cyclists and put on a really quality ride and experience."
The group marketing manager at 94.7 Highveld Stereo, Dex de Bruin, said, "Cycle Challenge Sunday is a day when the city celebrates the sport of cycling and Joburg welcomes everyone to view it from a different perspective – on two wheels instead of four."
Known as Joburg Safest Race, there will again be full road closures to ensure the safety of all cyclists, spectators and motorists.
The race takes cyclists through some of the major landmarks of the city
"The full road closure means that serious competitive cyclists as well as thousands of recreational cyclists can participate in this safe, fun event. We invite all our listeners to be part of one of the biggest annual mass participation sporting events in Joburg. Whether they are cycling or supporting the cyclists, everyone can be involved in the action on the day," De Bruin said.
"The residents of Joburg have accepted this event as their own and support it from start to finish. Many new friendships are formed by participants and supporters on the day and that sense of belonging that is created through an event like the Cycle Challenge is exactly what we want to achieve."
The race is fully endorsed by the City of Johannesburg.
"We are incredibly proud to be part of this race," said Bongi Mokaba, the City's events manager. "Seeing this race grow over the years has been gratifying. We take pride in the infrastructure that the City has invested to ensure that everyone benefits.
"I would like to wish all the cyclists safe riding and I hope that everyone enjoys themselves."
Starting in Woodmead on Woodmead Drive, between Maxwell Drive and Van Reenen Avenue, the race will finish at the Waterfall Equestrian Estate, on the corner of Maxwell Drive and the R55 in Sunninghill.
The route is the same as last year. It goes through Parktown, over the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Braamfontein, up Jan Smuts Avenue and through Diepsloot to finish at the Waterfall Equestrian Estate.
On Saturday, 17 November, the Children's Cycle Challenge and Mountain Bike Challenge will take place, starting and finishing at the Waterfall Equestrian Estate. The Cycle Challenge expo and race registration will take place from Thursday, 15 November to Saturday, 17 November at the Sandton Convention Centre in Sandton.
And once again, the Pick 'n Pay 94.7 Cycle Challenge will support the Homeless Talk pre-school in Joubert Park, which provides day care for the children of Homeless Talk newspaper vendors. Fortune 10, a group of passionate riders from Ivory Park, will also benefit.
This year's cycle challenge will be broadcast live on SuperSport and will feature two world famous Tour de France commentators - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen.
For more information, contact the race office on 011 463 2743 or log on to the Pick 'n Pay 94.7 Cycle Challenge website.
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