​During the past 21 years or so I have been privileged to have had the opportunity to training with many different training groups both locally and international. Usually these are great experiences but every so often there are situations caused by riders not familiar with general group riding etiquette let alone the “code of conduct” of that particular group.
 
Whether you are a road cyclist, mountain biker, triathlete or a track rider, at some stage you will and SHOULD be doing group rides.
 
The group dynamics are interesting and ever changing. As the pace and terrain changes the pack stretches and compresses like a rubber band. You have to remain alert at all times as this rubber band effect of a group can cause some very tight quarters and even the occasional crash…
To be safe, its important to ride smoothly, don’t over react, avoid hard braking, be alert and anticipate what the traffic will do.
Inexperienced riders who panic or touch a wheel may crash or cause a crash; however by following these simple rules you can help to avoid these situations:

1. Stay alert at all times
2. Hold your line
3. Don't overlap wheels
4. Don't look back
5. Relax
6. Focus on the rider(s) ahead
7. Beware of potholes in the road
8. Don't brake unless absolutely necessary
9. Pass carefully
10. Always move through the pace-line at a steady pace and make sure you are clear of the front rider before moving across

 
When riding in a group it's important that the group acts as “one” so that other road users are not surprised by an unexpected move by one or two riders.
 
The leader(s) of the group will usually announce that the ride is starting and move off slowly. The other riders will fall in behind and take up position two abreast. As all riders fall into position the speed should slowly increase.

The lead riders should rotate off the front frequently to avoid fatigue. If you are tired, rotate through the front quickly. If you are feeling comfortable on the front, spend a little longer on the front rather than riding faster, but do remember your partner. The group rotates anti-clockwise when the outside lead rider accelerates to move up and across in front of the inside rider. The outside riders all move forward one place while the inside riders move back a place. The inside rear rider moves over to become the tail rider.

The lead riders call out hazards such as bumps, gravel, potholes, road kill (etc) and point out the position of the hazard so that the following riders know on which side to pass. This information is passed on down the line to ensure that everyone is aware of what hazards are ahead.
 
When riding uphill, its best to adjust your speed to that of the slowest rider to maintain formation. If the formation breaks up on longer hills, riders should stop at the top to allow the group to re-form. Don't leave slower riders behind as they will not catch up and their safety may then be at risk.
 
The tail rider must indicate when there is a car behind the group. If it's dangerous to overtake he should attempt to delay the car until the front rider indicates that its safe to overtake.
 
When approaching a single rider or a slower group from behind, check that the way is clear then pass allowing plenty of room. Do not cut in front of the riders you have just passed. If there is oncoming  traffic and the road is not wide enough for both groups side-by-side, then the group leader should either wait until its safe or change to single file and then pass. If there is traffic following the group, the tail rider should indicate that the group is going to overtake and that the following traffic should wait.
 
From past and sometimes bitter experiences, I know its not always easy to communicate the groups intentions to motorists, however if you stick to the golden rule that the group acts as “one” the chances of achieving this are better.
 
So, why ride in a group? Well, other than the safety benefits, there is the aerodynamic benefit.
 
When riding at over 25km/h the major factor restricting movement is air resistance. To overcome this air resistance, up to 80% of the cyclists total power output is used and a “small increase in speed” requires an exponential increase in power output. By riding in formation, you shield the following riders from the wind thus allowing them to “draft” or “slipstream” and ride at the same speed using less energy. Using oxygen uptake as a measurement of improved performance, riding behind one rider reduces oxygen uptake by around 18 percent, and by up to 39 percent for a group of 8 riders. There is some variance in the aerodynamic benefit depending on bunch size, speed and the gaps between the cyclists.
 
In addition to this aerodynamic gain, training cyclists enjoy more social riding in groups with a “gentleman's agreement” that each rider will take their turn in the lead. Bunch riding allows slower cyclists to ride faster and further than they would be able to alone thus permitting riders of varying fitness levels to train together.
 
One final point that should be mentioned is that if you are on your time trial bike do NOT ride in a group as you have very limited bike control while in an aerodynamic position placing yourself and other riders at risk. Experienced riders may feel comfortable riding at the back of the bunch or just hammering away on the front , however it is not recommended and you did not hear it from me...:-)
 
Until next time...
Ride safe

Let’s face it, cycling is a great sport and pastime, especially when the sun is shining and the sky is blue, however getting out of bed when you know it’s below freeing outside can be a challenge.
 
So, why do we do it?
There are many reasons, but for some the biggest reason has to be the fear of loosing all their hard earned fitness because they know is gonna hurt like hell trying to get it back.. :-)

Another obvious reason would be the fact that with winter we all tend to eat a little more “comfort foods” than required and this tends to result in a few extra kilos that we as athletes can ill afford. Speaking of weight, there is no “magic formula” when it comes to weight loss. Its all about input – output!!!
Simply put, if you eat more calories than your body is utilizing, you will put on weight and visa versa. Obviously what you eat will have an impact on your ability to perform but that is beyond the scope of this article…
 
Now that we have an “idea” of why we train through winter, achieving this is often easier said than done.
At the start of winter so many riders have great plans of just what training they will be doing, how they are going to do it… bla, bla, bla… Once the first cold snap hits, they find an excuse why they should NOT train and the next thing they know… its spring, and all is lost… Sound familiar?
 
The best advice I can give is for you to set yourself some goals. These goals can be a mid-winter race or two but a more important race towards the end of winter or early spring is vital. The mid-winter races are there to help with the motivation and should be used more as a “hard training ride” than as a “win at all costs” race. Having an important race towards the end of winter will help give you a valid reason to train. So, when you are looking for a reason why you should NOT train, think of that important goal.

With the lack of light and freezing temperatures, winter also presents you with a perfect opportunity to get in some good cross-training. Along with the obvious cardiovascular benefits, cross-training helps maintain balance skills, muscle strength, hand-to-eye co-ordination and an improved range of motion.
If you have the facility, then a little gym work should be good for you. You don’t really want to add any weight or pack on bulk so keep the weights low and the reps high. Focus on your core and upper-body but don’t forget to stretch…  

Ply-metrics, Pilates and yoga along with your general circuit training should fit the bill. While cycling may not help you build your core, a good core will help improve your cycling as it aids your cycling technique and will help improve your power.

Running is also excellent as it will give you a tough cardio workout in a limited amount of time while also helping with your bone-density.

Swimming, hiking, skiing and ice-skating are other good examples of sports that will benefit your cycling come the summer months, don’t worry about a structured program, just have some fun and go for it!
 
Another “trick” I use with my athletes is to give them shorter more intense workouts during the week and then let them get in their longer slower rides over the weekend.
The fact that these week day rides are shorter makes it easier for them to be completed on an indoor-trainer. If the weather is “acceptable” however, make a commitment to a training partner and set a time and place to meet before hand. Why, well if you break your commitment you are not only letting yourself down, you are letting your training partner down, and THAT is not “cool”!!!

If you have problems with a runny nose in cold weather, here is a tip for you. Vasomotor rhinitis occurs when cold air makes your nose run, but nasal spray works well to help prevent this. Just make sure that what you are using is not on the banned list of substances :-)

On the weekend, you should have a little more time available so find a group that will enable you to get in some longer rides at a “controlled” pace and not at “race pace’… It’s ok to have a few “sprints” or surges here and there but you don’t want to be hammering it all day long. If you feel the pace is too high, sit in, get sucked along and enjoy the company that only a group ride can give. If you feel that the ride is too slow, then get on the front and do some work. Remember though that this is not a race, so ride within your training zones. Cycling is a sport that has a fair amount of etiquette so make sure the group you are riding in suites your needs. You don’t want to be the "that rider" messing it up for everyone else!
 
Those of you with a little extra time could look at a cycling training camp, preferably in a warmer climate. The objective behind these training camps should not be to simply “ride yourself into a coma” but rather to get in some steady miles over a rolling terrain. The change of scenery and added camaraderie will do wonders for your motivation and obviously aid your winter training.
 
On a final note, you don’t get bad weather you only get bad clothing… :-)

Ride safe, 

​Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined pretty much the entire world would be forced into lockdown. That sort of carry on only ever happens in Hollywood, right? … Wrong,  2020 took care of that!!!

For the majority of us, our training has been limited to indoors, for others limited outdoor training has been allowed provided we remained within our bubbles and geographical region.

At this point in time racing and events in general are pretty much on a wait and see basis. 
Not ideal for you as an athlete or for your coach as training with a plan is always the best way to achieve those results.

Now that I have gotten the doom and gloom out of the way, there does appear to be some light at the end of the tunnel. Restrictions in parts of the world are starting to lift and hopefully sooner rather than later the world will be returning to a new normal. 

With this in mind, as an athlete you need to start thinking about your training not only going forward but just as importantly what have you been able to achieve whilst still in lockdown? 

I was amazed at the incredible rides athletes were able to achieve indoors and while I can't really agree with the logic behind them I do tip my hat in admiration. I guess it's fair to say mental toughness has been taken to new heights. I was also taken back by the amount of intensity so many riders were training at day after day. All I can really say to this is as with most things in life, moderation is almost always the best approach.

​If you are lucky enough to have some indication when your racing is likely to resume I would highly recommend adjusting your training accordingly. Now is the perfect time to chat with your coach and get the remainder of the season dialed in.

If you have not yet made the commitment to getting a coach another option could be to purchase an online training plan. Again, think about what your training has been like over the past month or two, then decide on what you are expecting to achieve on the bike and choose a suitable plan that will help you achieve that.

As a small token of our appreciation to our athletes and friends we would like to offer a 15% discount on all our online training plans purchased from now until the end June 2020. Simply use the discount code Covid.
​
Stay safe and happy training. 

As I've previously mentioned I'm not really a fan of riding indoors however, with the lockdown I did spend a fair amount of time training inside.
As a cycling coach and a rider who has pretty much always ridden to a structured workout having my PC screen "showing me" the watts I needed and my smart trainer trainer making all the resistance changes really did make the workouts "easy".
By this I mean I never had to think about my training, I just rode and my PC and trainer made sure I stuck to the plan.
With Level 3 came a little less restriction so I decided it was time to hit the road once again.... freedom never felt soooo good... :-) 
As good as it was, I suddenly realized that I was struggling to remember just what I had to do, in many ways I felt I was riding blind. In the old days, I would just write what I needed to do on a piece of tape and stick that on my stem and away I went. 
Well, this got me thinking, I have all the technology why not simply load it into my Garmin and take all the guess work out of it, hence this weeks blog as I'm sure I'm not the only one with a memory like a sieve... :-)

As I use TrainingPeaks and a Garmin Edge 520 when riding a quick Google search gave me the info I needed to get myself sorted. Obviously you would need to read up on the system you are using. 

Having used this on a few rides now, I can say with confidence that it does work way better than the old masking tape on the stem trick. It's simple enough to setup and really does help you hit your numbers.

A few pointers before heading out, for sure if its a basic ride, something like a recovery or aerobic workout where its pretty simple to remember your numbers I would not bother but add in some intervals and a bit of mental and physical fatigue and for sure you will start to struggle to recall everything that's required.

Another thing I would look at doing is opening up your workout in TrainingPeaks before you upload it to your Garmin and enable your "lap" button to determine just when you start the interval phase of your workout especially if you have some traffic to navigate or need to ride a few extra miles to find an appropriate section of road that's both safe and practical.

Once you are riding you can scroll through your Garmin pages as normal and at the start of each step you will be notified by a beep (actually 5) with the targets flashing up visually as well. 

It's also important to note that you can set this up for power, heart rate or perceived exertion. 

The link below is the YouTube clip that I used to navigate my way through the setup.
https://youtu.be/_j2LkXqNArw

I hope you find this to be useful, now all you have to do is get out there and ride... :-)

Ride safe & enjoy

Years ago I spent hours indoors, instructing in my studio and even training myself, but to be honest the past 10yrs or so I have avoided it like the plague... um perhaps not the best choice of words given the current Covid19 crisis the world is dealing with right now. 
Fact is, like most of you, I would rather be outside enjoying nature and clocking up the miles. 

That said, I have had so many clients asking me about training indoors, to be fair we have been extremely lucky in New Zealand as we can STILL get in some rides. Funny thing is even though I despise riding indoors, that's all I have done since we went to Level 4. 

Over the years a lot has changed and the indoors systems really have improved and become a lot more realistic and dare is say it, enjoyable.

So what's changed, well for starters trainers have come a long way from the good old "mag turbo" trainer, wind trainer and rollers. All still serve a purpose, actually a roller is really good when it comes to helping iron a few kinks in your pedal stroke and technique.

For many years I used (still have one) a CompuTrainer PRO and this was THE indoor trainer to have in its day. They were bullet proof and accurate, had great software for the time but they lacked the versatility of the modern direct drive trainers. 
Currently I have a Wahoo Kickr as well as an Elite Zumo. Both of these are great units even if the Zumo is a little tricky to set up especially if you have a power meter on your bike. Being direct drive trainers they offer the versatility for todays modern bikes and they are accurate enough. 

Another area of improvement are the various software platforms that are now currently available. For sure the current flavor of the month has to be Zwift. I believe one of its biggest features is its ability to give the riders the opportunity to ride in groups and races.  I'm not really a fan of the whole "avatar thing" as I much prefer video of the route or even simply just a digital display similar to what I would have on my head unit. 

My platform of choice is PerfPRO 2020 as it's ideal when you want to link up 1-3 trainers (Basic) and if you purchase an unlimited license you can obviously add more. For me it gives me what I'm looking for in a clear, simple package. As with most platforms you can simply ride, create your own workout or use one of the 100's that are available from different websites. As a coach I use TrainingPeaks and therefor create structured workouts for my athletes (and myself). Having the agility to import my daily training into PerfPRO is great. Obviously on completion it simply uploads the completed workout to TrainingPeaks, Strava, Garmin etc.

If I'm looking for a more realistic riding experience another great app is FulGaz which offers really high quality training videos from well know rides / routes around the world. A downside to this app is that you can't have multiple trainers or group rides riding through a single account like you can in PerfPRO. That said its still a great app that offers a good training experience. 

I would be interested to know what platforms you ride on and why? Looking forward to hearing from you...

Till next time, take care and be safe

Alan Palmer 30 March 2020 

Tour Aotearoa is one of the world’s great bike-packing trips.  Stretching 3,000km from Cape Reinga to Bluff it follows a combination of cycle trails, tracks, paths and lanes connected by the most enjoyable country roads available. This year over 1000 riders took part in 14 groups starting from 17 February through to 8 March. As a consequence the last groups of riders were riding into wintry conditions in the deep South. This time of year in the North Island is warm enough for camping but once temperatures drop below 10 deg C in the South Island you need to be a hardy soul to camp out.

I decided to join my son in Greymouth on 19 March 2020 as he completed the final 6 days of this event ending in Bluff. Between us we had sleeping bags, a bivvy bag and a tent for emergency shelter. We intended to find accommodation wherever possible.
My bike of choice was a Giant TCX with 40mm tyres and bike packing gear – all up weight 21kg including food and water. Clothing was limited to 1 set of riding gear, extra merino layers for bad weather, waterproof storm layers and a dry set of merino layers for sleeping.
Day 1 - we biked 12 hours from Greymouth to Harihari through the West Coast Wilderness Trail in OK weather. So far so good. The Travel Lodge Hotel had everything we needed for the night.
Day 2 – we biked a further 10 hours from Harihari to Paringa. Again we had OK weather but it was getting cooler. Palm Grove Motels were well placed as a staging point to get over the Haast Pass the following day. We knew bad weather was coming around midday and so we set the alarm at 4am to get a head start in the morning before the bad weather arrived.
Day 3 – Conditions deteriorated as we rode and the weather bomb struck just before we left the Haast township. We were heading for Makarora through the notorious Haast Pass. Strong gusty head and side winds plus rain and temperatures down to 0 deg C made the going hard when riding on narrow sections of this busy highway. This was no place to stop as body temperatures plummeted quickly due to the wind chill and wet clothing only accelerated the problem. Arriving in Makarora ‘Wonderland’  to a hot shower, food and accommodation felt like arriving in paradise after being out in a storm for most of the day. This was another 10 hour day.
Day 4 – After a ‘big breakfast’ at the Café, we set off for Arrowtown through Wanaka and over the Crown Range. Skies were clear and temperatures reached 22 deg C. The scenery was spectacular and the riverside cycle trails were fast and fun. Although the Crown Range is one of NZ’s highest and steepest roads we found it to be a gradual climb with the last short section being the steepest. The traffic was annoying as overseas travellers prepared to evacuate NZ following news of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2 days time. It had been a long day (12hrs) but the hot spa and cold beer in Arrowtown seemed to make it all fade away into distant memory.
Day 5 – After a 35km meander through the QT cycle trails we caught the Earnslaw Ferry across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station. We set off from the station at 1pm into deteriorating weather. In the space of a few minutes temperatures dropped from 12 deg C to 2 deg C and later dropped to -3 deg C when rain and hail started falling. We were soon wet through and struggling to maintain body temperature in spite of layers of merino and waterproof outer layers. Although we had adequate gear to spend a night in the open we were determined to push on and get to Mossburn by nightfall. This was only made possible by keeping a steady pace and the regular micro stops for food and water at the purpose built (lifesaving) shelters along the way. Towards the end of a day a young guy in a 4WD vehicle approached and checked we were OK. He had been tracking the online progress of our GPS tracker and wanted to make sure we were OK – he drove 45km to find us and then drove home again. We thought he was a ‘trail angel’ – one of those special people who look out for TA riders. At 9pm we arrived at the Railway Hotel in Mossburn. We were the last guests before the COVID-19 lockdown. The owner’s wife had prepared delicious meals and breakfast for an early start in the morning. This kindness was a great boost to our morale as we wondered if we might even be able to get back to our family in Christchurch.
Day 6 – We made another 4am start to make sure we could get to Bluff and back to the airport by early afternoon – one of the last flights to leave Invercargill before the lockdown. Although the riding was mostly on tar seal and slightly downhill, the cold temperatures, winds and rain made the going tough especially when all of the Cafes were shut along the way and there were few places to shelter. The arrival in Bluff was special for Nick after 21 days biking the length of the country.
Looking back after a few days rest here are some ‘no surprises’ reflections on our experience on days 3,5 & 6
​

1. Be prepared for alpine weather between Queenstown and Mossburn at any time of the year.
2. Be prepared to layer up early and have waterproof top layers – a backup plastic poncho or similar is essential for extreme weather if your top layer is not totally waterproof.
3. Plan and act within the limitations of your capability. Get advice from DOC or other riders if necessary.
4. Make sure your bike is up for it. A mechanical breakdown in bad weather could rapidly turn a marginal situation into a life threatening one. Get the bike checked by your local bike shop at least 2 weeks before the ride.
5. Be prepared to spend a night out in extreme weather. If you have a mechanical problem or puncture, you may have no choice but to set up camp – choosing a sheltered spot out of the direct wind will be essential.
6. Carry sufficient high energy snack food and water for the time you will be away from normal supplies. Stop every hour or even 30 minutes to eat and drink and check on each other.
7. Keep an eye on your fellow riders as hypothermia can strike very quickly and then you may no option but to set up camp in extreme conditions.
8. Expect vehicles anywhere. Make sure your lights are fully charged and wear highly visible clothing. I work on the assumption that no one on the road wants to hurt me but they may hit me if they can’t see me. We saw a number of riders dressed in black clothing in atrocious weather – they were virtually invisible against the background.
9. Bikepacking like any form of travel throws up unexpected challenges. A recent winner of the Silk Road Mountain Bike Race said “The winner is not the person who goes the fastest but the person who is most able to deal with the endless challenges that occur” We had more than our share on this trip! 

Dylan Girdlestone sealed his second overall victory in the 151km Bestmed Jock  Cycle Classique in a dramatic two-man sprint in the third and final stage at Mbombela in Mpumalanga on Saturday.    
 
In the dash to the line, the  Westvaal-BMC rider got the better of  MTN-Qhubeka’s Ethiopian climber Alem Grmay to steal the stage and overall wins by a single
second.

After a series of well-timed attacks by Girdlestone, the two broke clear of the group containing the main contenders in sight of the finish at the Mbombela Stadium.

The 23-year-old from Pretoria
completed the 30th edition of what is believed to be South Africa’s
toughest road race in
a combined time of 3:43:02. Westvaal’s Nico Bell
secured the final step on the podium in 3:43:12.

“It feels just as good as the first time I won it,” said an elated Girdlestone. “I’ve always
put the Jock down as one of my goal races because it suits me really well.
“This year’s route was very much  like the old one in that you have a hard final stage with a tough last few  kilometres.

“The trick is to stay protected and if you’ve had the easiest ride there, you’ll have the most power – which is exactly what happened.”

Although Girdlestone’s small five-man outfit was without the services of Tyler and Dusty Day, he said they had raced tactically to be able to compete against the numerically superior teams.

“The plan was for my team-mates to have an easy ride in the first two stages. I said, ‘You can drop  off, just don’t get eliminated’.

“So we went into the last stage all guns  blazing.”

Team Abantu sprinter Nolan Hoffman took the day’s first yellow jersey when he came out tops in a bunch sprint in the 43km opening stage between Mbombela, formerly Nelspruit, and White River.

Hoffman crossed the line in 1:05:08 to edge ahead of MTN-Qhubeka’s Ryan Gibbons and team-mate David Maree.

On stage two, a grippy 45km ride from White River to Sabie, Grmay and team-mate Yohans Getachew took advantage of an
early attack by Europcar’s Paul van Zweel to forge ahead of the front group over the steep 7km Spitskop climb.

They were reeled in less than a kilometre from the finish by a four-man chase group consisting of Bonitas’s Willie Smit, MTN-Qhubeka’s Nicolas Dougall, Van Zweel and Girdlestone.

Grmay held on for the win ahead of Smit and Dougall as the front-runners were all credited with a time of 1:09:40.
With Hoffman distanced on the climbs, yellow went to Smit.

With time gaps almost negligible, it all came down to the 63km final stage between Sabie and Mbombela, which included an 8km ascent of the iconic Long Tom Pass.

Girdlestone, who won the final stage of the Mzansi Tour earlier this year, said the win had given the team renewed confidence ahead of next  month’s Clover Lowveld Tour.

OVERALL RESULTS
Elite Men

1. Dylan Girdlestone (Westvaal-BMC) 3:43:02
2. Alem Grmay (MTN-Qhubeka)  3:43:03
3. Nico Bell (Westvaal/Bell’s Cycling) 3:43:12
4. Nicolas Dougall (MTN-Qhubeka) 3:43:12
5. Paul van Zweel (Europcar) 3:43:12
6. Kevin Patten (ASG) 3:43:22
7. Yohans Getachew (MTN-Qhubeka) 3:43:28
8. Willie Smit (Bonitas) 3:43:44
9. Ryan Gibbons (MTN-Qhubeka) 3:44:41
10. JJ van Wyk (MTN-Qhubeka) 3:44:46

Original post can be found here...

Here is a flashback to 2011 when he rode for MTN... Darryl, today you made us ALL very proud...

Cycling South Africa News

South African 1, 2 at Tour of Rwanda, Lill Takes the Tour Win

26 November 2012 – South Africa’s national road cycling team stuck to their game plan and claimed their first victory at the 2012 Tour of Rwanda when Darren Lill retained the yellow jersey after the seventh stage to claim the overall win with compatriot Dylan Girdlestone finishing in second place. The Tour of Rwanda ended on Sunday in Kigali with a stage of 124,3km.

After starting in Kigali nine days earlier, international teams toured the scenic and hilly Rwandan countryside to span 876 kilometres in total, starting with a Prologue on Sunday 18th November followed by eight stages.

For Lill, who was not feeling up to peak fitness prior to the Tour after recovering from a virus, the victory was a pleasant surprise.

“This was an unexpected win for me,” said the 30-year old from Cape Town. “I went as part of the team to help the younger guys, so to claim the overall victory has come as a surprise!”

Lill captained the 6-man national team to victory in his first Tour of Rwanda. “It was a good tour, with challenging stages, and great terrain, which made for positive racing. There is fantastic talent in Africa, but I think my experience in international racing, and being a mentor to my younger teammates gave our team the edge, especially when we cannot use race radios.”

National team manager for the Tour of Rwanda, Ian Goetham was supremely impressed with the team’s performance on his first international outing with the squad. “We had very good days that were well planned, and we succeeded,” said Goetham. “The team camaraderie was very high, and they all understood the goals of the tour. From stage one, the initial plan was to get the yellow jersey and win the tour.

“It was a brilliant team effort, with each one of the six riders contributing to the team’s success. An overall victory for Darren and a second place for Dylan is an excellent accomplishment. David (Maree) sacrificed a lot to work in front, and Avery (Arendse) and Reynard (Butler), both new to international racing, contributed a lot for us to keep the yellow jersey. Shaun (Ward) kicked off the tour with a stage in the yellow jersey [after his combined efforts of the Prologue and stage one, with Girdlestone only seven seconds behind in the GC at that point]. Darren was an excellent team leader.”

Further to holding the top two positions in the top ten of the final GC (general classification), South Africa also won the Team competition. “Considering that this team spends most of the year representing other teams within the country, they worked very well together as a unit. The quickest times of the top three riders in each stage resulted in a team win for us as well.”

Cycling SA’s road cycling director Hendrik Wagener was very pleased with the results. “We always hope for a win when we send a team to an international event. To have a first and second place in the final overall GC is a great achievement, and gives us a great base to build on in the early stages of our aim to take part in more African events, and of course, some valuable UCI points.”

Summary of Results – 2012 Tour of Rwanda – Overall GC

1. LILL Darren (RSA) 22h43’41’’
2. GIRDLESTONE Dylan (RSA) 22h45’28’’
3. NJOROGE MUYA John (KENYA) 22h45’40’’
4. ATSBHA Getachew (Ethiopia) 22h45’48’’
5. DEBRETSION Aron (Eritrea) 22h46’40’’
6. MERHAWI Kudus (UCC) 22h49’58’’
7. LIPONNE Julien (Rein. Br.) 22h53’01’’
8. ABEBE Alem (ETH) 22h53’34’’
9. NIYONSHUTI Adrien (Rwanda Kalisimbi) 22h54’14’’
10. HABTE Solomon (Eritrea) 22h54’39’’

For further information and results of the Tour of Rwanda, visit http://en.tourofrwanda.com/

ENDS