Development our top priority says Cycle Lab Supercycling

Saturday, 29 January 2011 17:38

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Development top priority for Cycle Lab Supercycling under Nic White and Lynette Burger

Cycle Lab Supercycling, the largest cycling club in South Africa, has taken the development of cycling to another level by creating an Under-21 women’s road cycling team.

This is a continuation of the club’s emphasis, in association with Cycling South Africa (CSA), on growing the depth of South African women’s cycling talent after being the first club to establish a professional women’s team three years ago. And it’s an ideal complement to the club’s Under-23 Toyota Supercycling CSA Academy men’s team, which is also set for an exciting 2011.

Mentorship is a strategy that’s always worked well for Cycle Lab Supercycling and in Lynette Burger and Nic White, they’ve got two of the best mentors available to lead the quest to identify and nurture new cycling talent.

White retired from full-time professional racing at the end of 2011 following an illustrious career, which established him as one of the best tactical minds in road cycling. Through his new role as manager of the Toyota Supercycling Academy he’s now putting back into the sport that gave him so much.

Burger, one of the country’s top professional female racers, and captain of the Nashua Toyota women’s team, has shown exceptional leadership skills and is relishing her dual role as mentor of the country’s first women’s cycling academy.

“It’s very exciting for women’s cycling to have a dedicated academy. There’s such a high attrition rate in women’s cycling between the Junior category and the Elite category, mostly because there’s never been a supportive infrastructure for young ladies with potential,” said Burger.

“The Nashua Toyota CSA Academy is aimed at ensuring talented riders throughout the country are identified and supported. Those that show the greatest potential and/or desire to make it all the way to the top will be given additional support, opportunities and mentorship on the Johannesburg-based racing team.”

Cycle Lab Supercycling has, over the past two years, developed a successful rider exchange arrangement with the Belgian-based Lotto women’s professional team, sending its top professional women to race for the high profile team during the peak racing season in Europe.

“This means that with our Women’s Academy, we now have a three-step system in place from youth talent identification right through to racing at the highest level in the sport,” Burger pointed out. “It’s a significant achievement when you consider that just a few years ago, we didn’t even have one full-time professional women’s team in South Africa.”

The Nashua Toyota CSA Academy currently comprises a team of four young riders selected from provinces throughout the country that were invited to send CVs of their top young women. A training camp was held and the four most appropriate riders were chosen. Others are on trial at the early season races where they have opportunities to impress Burger who will add to the existing team.

“That’s where we’ll start and then grow in which ever direction we feel needs growth. The important thing is that we’ve started by planting a seed and now we look forward to the process that will ultimately lead to the blossoming of women’s cycling in this country in the near future.”

White’s Under-23 Men’s Academy is more established, but is still the only platform in the country that offers the all-important stepping stone for riders during that ‘in-between’ phase.

“The five years between Junior and Elite (18–22 years of age) are when talented riders most need support and infrastructure. In 2011 we will continue to play this role, but plan to add even more depth and opportunities for the riders on the Academy team,” explained White.

“I’m taking an Academy team, known as Toyota CSA, to compete in the upcoming Tour of South Africa (CSA facilitated an invitation), which will be only the start of bigger things for these riders. We won’t include some of the younger riders as it’s too big an ask from them at this stage, but it will give the older guys a chance to show themselves off to the established teams they’ll be racing against.

“We have some incredibly exciting talent in this Academy and I feel honoured to be able to help guide these youngsters on a firm career path in road cycling. The Academy has already produced some successful ‘graduates’ and I’m really excited about the Class of 2011!”

White’s Toyota Supercycling Academy racing team currently comprises: Louis Meintjes, Johann van Zyl, Christiaan Kriek, Kallen Williams, Willie Smit and White himself as mentor/captain. Other riders are still being observed to determine who will be added to the team.

Burger’s Nashua Toyota Academy racing team currently comprises: Heidi Dalton (Under-16) from Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, Kirsten de Beer (Junior) from Benoni, Gauteng, Chimone Lewis (Junior) from Oudtshoorn, Western Cape and Leandri du Toit from Welkom, Free State.

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