Latest news with #UCIRoadWorldChampionships
The Citizen
05-08-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Save the rhino… but what about the road cyclist?
Save the rhino… but what about the road cyclist? Yes, save the rhino, but don't forget about another endangered species, South Africa's road cyclists. While road cycling is flourishing in Africa and the world championships are being held in Rwanda later this year, road cycling is dying a silent death in South Africa. Several cycling races have been cancelled in the past year, including the Kremetart, Jock, Panorama tour and Emperors Palace, which were postponed. The race in Rwanda will be the first UCI Road World Championships in Africa. The country couldn't get enough of the then Rapport tour, with the duel between Alan van Heerden and Robbie McIntosh a highlight on the sports calendar. Cycling in South Africa was big. The Middelburg Observer spoke to various stakeholders in cycling circles over the past month, and everyone agrees that road cycling is in danger. There are five main reasons… The deterioration of the country's road network. Local and provincial authorities make it almost impossible to host races. Cycling South Africa does 'little or nothing' for road cyclists. Safety on roads with motorists who have no respect for cyclists. The rise of mountain bikes and gravel bike racing. Roads The Kremetart cycle race was the only one-day four-stage race in the country and was to be held at Makhado. One of the stages was located on the Vivo national road, but the section was left scraped up by the contractor. It was impossible to host the race. After the passing of cycling legend Hendrik Wagener on July 14 last year, a day after the last Jock, it was the end of the Jock and Panorama tours. Ironically, Mpumalanga was a cycling paradise with top cyclists, such as Ertjies Bezuidenhout, who had been in action in the province several times. Authorities Race organisers say they are in the process of throwing in the towel with local and provincial authorities, who are demanding thousands of rands before roads can be used. The Emperors race had to be cancelled earlier this year due to the metro traffic department's strike. Cycling South Africa The country's leading cycling writer, Colin Hoffman, said bluntly that Cycling South Africa is doing nothing for the sport. Pay before you pedal, and what happens to the money? During last year's RideJoburg, participants in the racing category were forced to pay their fees to Cycling South Africa before they were allocated numbers. One participant was so furious that he wanted to punch an elderly woman, who was helping with registration, in the face. Safety The long-time commissaire, Rudi van Wyk, said it is clear that motorists do not respect road cyclists and often drive as close as possible to them, which is very dangerous. Rower and cyclist Kerry Grundlingh (27) was hit by a car and killed in Johannesburg a fortnight ago. She represented South Africa at the World Rowing Championships. Mountain and gravel bikes No government fees, the freedom to ride in nature, and safety are making cyclists switch to mountain and gravel bikes. However, it is not only road cycling that is on the list of extinction, but also track cycling. 'Track cycling is basically at its end. The Velodrome in Bellville seems to me to be doomed. And if this one falls, it is the end of track cycling in the country. The rest of the tracks are in a terrible condition, and of the 32 we had in 1989, only seven remain.' One of the tracks that has fallen into disrepair is outside Middelburg on the Duvha road. An excellent track with top facilities that stands unused and dilapidated. A story on that will follow later. However, all is not lost. There are people like Wynand de Villiers who present various races in the country and are busy organising a five-day tour from Wellington next year. Lenie Smit of Lenrick Promotions is also trying her best to keep road cycling racing going and is hosting her popular Rooiwal Women's Day race on Saturday. Another big campaigner for road bikes is Eduard Prinsloo of Pretoria Cycling Club, who has also recently been hosting safe races at Rooiwal. Read a follow-up about the comments of the various role players on road bikes, including Danie Botha, the president of Mpumalanga Cycling, who shares big news about a possible race in 2026. Cycling South Africa did not respond to enquiries.
Straits Times
30-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Pogacar to skip Vuelta a Espana after 'demanding' Tour de France
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Tadej Pogacar will skip the Vuelta a Espana in order to rest after winning a fourth Tour de France title, the Slovenian said. The 26-year-old UAE Team Emirates XRG rider sealed his Tour de France title on Sunday after three weeks of dominance, but said fatigue had crept in during the final days. His previous Tour de France titles came in 2020, 2021 and 2024. Pogacar will return to action at the one-day races in Quebec and Montreal in September before shifting focus to the UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda, where he is the defending champion. "After such a demanding Tour, we decided it was best to take a break," Pogacar said in a statement late on Tuesday. "The Vuelta is of course a race I would dearly love to return to. I have fantastic memories there from 2019, but now the body is telling me to rest. "I'm excited to go back to Canada; the races are tough but beautiful, and they fit my style well. I'll be aiming to be back racing well again for that part of the season and for the World Championships especially." Pogacar is yet to win the Vuelta a Espana, having captured three stage wins and securing the young rider classification in his only appearance in 2019. The Vuelta runs from August 23 to September 14. REUTERS
Irish Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Who is Ben Healy, why is he famous and what's his pet dog called?
What team was he riding for? UCI WorldTeam EF Education–EasyPost. 24, DOB 11/Sept/2000 Kingswinford/Wordsley Ronnie O'Sullivan is Wordsley. It is south-west of Birmingham, you might follow Wolves or Birmingham City, they are equidistant away. His grandparents on his father Bryan's side are from Waterford and Cork and they moved to London in the importantly, has he a gorgeous pet, what's her name? Yes, she is sausage dog called Olive. What were his Irish cycling accomplishments as an amateur? Ben is a two time national champion (once each in the road race and time trial), ridden the road race at the 2020 UCI Road World Championships. Yes, he spent most of a day out in front in the Road Race, had us on the edge of our seats but got swamped at the end and was placed has he been since joining the professional ranks? He has previously won a Giro d'Italia stage (2023). There were podium finishes in Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Amstel Gold Race - second to the 2025 tour de France favourite Tadej Pogacar a junior, he has also had stage wins on Tour de l'Avenir and Baby did he start riding the big races? Healy made his grand tour debut in the 2023 Giro d'Italia, winning his first grand tour stage a week later - featuring a 50k solo break2024 was his first Tour de France, finishing fifth on stage 9 and winning the combativity award on stage 14. What did he say about his Tour de France stage win: "I switched on from the start. Maybe I spent a bit too much [energy] to try to get into the break but that's the way I do it. Once I was in there we really had to work for that gap and we were on the pedals all day. "I knew I needed to get away from the group and picked my moment. I think I timed it well and hopefully caught them by surprise a bit. And then I knew what I had to do: just head down and do my best right to the finish. "This stage suited me down to the ground. It was one I circled from the start and to do it feels amazing. "I grew up watching the Tour, one day wishing I could maybe be there, and to even be here is an achievement. Now to win a stage is so amazing."
The Star
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Cycling-Italy's Bussi betters own hour world record
FILE PHOTO: Cycling - UCI Road World Championships - Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy - September 24, 2020 Italy's Vittoria Bussi in action during the Women's Elite Individual Time Trial REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini/File Photo (Reuters) - Italy's Vittoria Bussi broke her own hour world record when she covered 50.455 km at the Velodromo Bicentenario in Aguascalientes, Mexico, on Saturday, cycling's world governing body the UCI, said in a statement. Bussi held the women's hour record from 2018-2021 and became the first woman to break the 50-km barrier in October 2023 when she reclaimed the record from Ellen van Dijk of the Netherlands, covering 50.267 km. The 38-year-old mathematics PhD attempted to better her own record on Friday but stopped after the halfway mark, before achieving the feat in a fresh attempt the following day. "This record has always been really special to me as an athlete and as a person," Bussi said in a statement released by the UCI. "The hour taught me that one of the most important things in life is to understand the preciousness of time in every single instant of our life." (Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
The Star
01-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Cycling-Italy's Bussi plots new Hour attempt
FILE PHOTO: Cycling - UCI Road World Championships - Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy - September 24, 2020 Italy's Vittoria Bussi in action during the Women's Elite Individual Time Trial REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini/File Photo (Reuters) -Italy's Vittoria Bussi will attempt to break her own Hour record later this month having already become the first woman to cover more than 50km in 60 minutes around a track. The 38-year-old mathematics PhD will make the attempt on May 9 at the Velodromo Bicentenario in Aguascalientes, Mexico. A week later she will also try to lower the women's 4km individual pursuit record, which was set by Britain's Anna Morris in Manchester earlier this year. "I can say that I started my real cycling career with this record, so it will be the perfect dream to finish it with another record," Bussi said in a statement from cycling's world governing body the UCI. She held the women's Hour record from 2018-2021 with 48.007km and took it again in 2023 by smashing through the 50km barrier. "It will be the most challenging Hour of my career as it has been prepared together with the individual pursuit, my other love. I think it would be a beautiful historical moment for women's cycling to be able to hold both the records at the same time, so I am honoured to try!" Bussi added. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)
