Junior peddlers prepare for the Dash
Namibian junior cyclists competing at this year’s Nedbank Desert Dash say the iconic 24-hour race which takes riders through the oldest desert in the world, is one every cyclist should have on their bucket list.Daniel Hahn (17), who made his debut in a four-person team at the 2021 edition of the event, said his first experience, although it was a podium finish, was not enough. He and his team are aiming for top honours in the 4-man team category this year.
“Last time we took the second position, but this year our team’s goal is to go for the win. Although winning is our goal, when we take part in the Nedbank Desert Dash we do it to have fun, laugh about how tired we are after our stages and most important enjoy the time on the bike,” said Hahn.
Ethan Le’Estrange (18) who is no stranger to the race, said that he will use his experience from the previous race to his advantage. “Since I have done the Nedbank Desert Dash before, I am well aware that training is one of the key factors to ensure your Dash stage is somewhat pleasant,” he added.
“Generally, in a week I put in about nine hours of training with two intense sessions and one or two long endurance rides on the weekend. The most challenging factor for me is to constantly have the motivation to train and stay fit and focused for the race,” Le’Estrange said.
Making his third appearance and riding for the Physically Active Youth (PAY), 25-year-old Maruen Kleopas said the Dash is one of the races that challenge cyclists mentally as well as physically. “This is the most iconic race for any cyclist to finish off the season, and this year we want to win this race for our late coach Hella Rust who contributed greatly to cycling in this country.”
He added that their goal for this year is to end up on the podium and have fun while at it.
Kevin Lowe (17) who will be riding for team Cymot, said they are going into this year’s Desert Dash with full commitment and hopefully they can be the first four-person male team across the finish line.
“We know this will not be easy. Last year the aim was just to reach the finish line with as much as possible experience gained. We were not expecting the result we achieved crossing the finish line as the second 4-man team,” he said.
‘Herculean task’
Upon receiving the number of junior cyclists’ entries for this years’ race, Nedbank Communication and PR Manager, Selma Kaulinge commended the junior cyclists for taking on the herculean task of cycling in the Nedbank Desert Dash.
“Seeing the increasing number of junior cyclist entries is one of the reasons Nedbank Namibia will continue investing in the cycling fraternity. Never would one have thought that teams mostly made up of teenagers can work together and take on one of the longest races in the world.
“Cycling the Dash is not an easy task but constantly seeing how much effort our junior cyclists put in throughout the year to make sure they complete this race, shows us just how determined our youth is,” Kaulinge said.
“We are honoured to be one of the biggest contributors of the sport in the country, and we will continue to invest and develop it with the endgame of having our country recognised as one of the best producers of cycling talent,” Kaulinge concluded.
The Nedbank Desert Dash takes place on 9 and 10 December 2022 with over 900 cyclists racing from Windhoek to Swakopmund in different categories.
The Nedbank Desert Dash is co-sponsored by Indongo Toyota, SuperSpar (Maerua and The Grove) and Hollard.