In ten days’ time, top professional road cycling team, ProTouch takes on the inaugural UCI Tour de Limpopo. The line-up includes nine other South African-based and a number of other international teams. The event forms part of the UCI Africa Tour calendar and this young team will take on the challenging 4-stage course, totaling over 416 kilometers and an elevation gain of over 6 880 meters of climbing.
ProTouch, which started in 2016, is a self-funded U23/ Elite Road Cycling Team based in Honeydew and is currently ranked in joint first place as the Best SA Team, in the Support SA Talent Road Cycling Series. A number of its athletes are also currently ranked in the top three positions in the Best 1-Day Classic Rider, Best Young Rider and Best Tour Rider Competitions. The Team has had a fantastic start to the season having finished 2nd overall at the Mpumalanga Tour and Tour of Good Hope (1st South African Team, behind Dimension Data), three consecutive wins in 1-day Classic events and 3rd overall in the Cape Town Cycle Tour.
The PROTOUCH Team selected to participate in the 2018 Tour de Limpopo includes (from left to right): Mitch Eliot (U23), James Fourie (Elite), Myles Van Musschenbroek (Elite), Jaydé Julius (Elite), Reynard Butler (Elite) And Gustav Basson (U23). most days of the week and when they are not racing.
“In addition to these great results, ProTouch’s Junior riders Rickardo Broxham (current SA Junior Road Champion) and Tiano da Silva (SA Champs silver medalist) have also been delivering fantastic results supporting their Team and currently lying first and second overall, in the Junior Men’s Category” commented Tony Harding, Directeur Sportif for ProTouch.
About the Tour de Limpopo
The Tour de Limpopo will start in Polokwane at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Monday 23 April for the first day as they embark on a 96.6km stage. They will climb 446m in ascent and summit at 1700m above sea level and will descend the scenic Magoebaskloof Pass en route to Tzaneen along the R71. The stage has one hotspot for points accumulation for the Sprinters at 26.6km, with a second points accumulation at the finish. Total elevation gain for this stage is 1266m, no small feat! For the mountain goats, a King of the Mountain hotspot at 56.6km will contribute towards the overall King of the Mountain jersey points.
Stage two – the “Queen Stage” – shows no mercy. Starting in Tzaneen with a distance of 175km and 2735m elevation gain, it’s going to be a tough day in the saddle. The harsh mountain climbs up the Magoebaskloof Pass early in the day will have teams sweating it out at an altitude gain of 867m within the first 45km. Teams will race along the R71 until the University of Limpopo, where they will turn away from Polokwane toward the R81 passing through Marobala, Moketsi and Modjadjiskloof before returning to Tzaneen. The undulating route is spiked with short and sharp climbs thereafter that will acknowledge those in the hunt for the King of the Mountain jersey with three hotspots at 26.6km, 40.5km and 153km, while Sprinters have the opportunity of gaining points at one hotspot positioned at 14.5km. A cultural evening to award the prize winners at the end of a long and hard day will be a welcome relief in Tzaneen.
Teamwork will be in play on stage three as teams tackle the Team Time Trial, an exciting dynamic to this year’s Tour. The revised circular route covers a distance of 28.6km. With the fastest four riders to count when crossing the line, team members supporting those at the top-end of the race will have their work cut out for them to protect their leaders’ positions, while the remaining teams may upset the applecart by posting challenging times in this exciting discipline of racing.
The final stage takes riders from Tzaneen back to Polokwane along a 96.9km distance to finish at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, where it all started. However, there will be no plain sailing as the sprinters stake a last points’ claim at the hotspot at 14.5km followed by the majestic Magoebaskloof Pass that will get hearts racing – the King of the Mountain hotspot is positioned at 25.5km! From there, the undulating route takes riders back to the finish.
You can follow the Team in the Tour by liking their Facebook Page or Twitter Account.
ProTouch is a self-funded team and depends on contributions from local business, friends and supporters to cover the costs associated with enabling the team to perform. They have a crowdfunding campaign on Fund your Passion, that can be found here or you can get in touch on the details below.