Nedbank National Time Trial and Road Race Championships set for this weekend

The 2024 Nedbank National Individual Time Trial Championships (ITT) and the Nedbank National Road Race Championships will take place on Friday 26 January and Sunday 28 January in Windhoek.

Over 180 cyclists are expected to participate in these events.

This year both the ITT and road races will be hosted on the new road to Rehoboth, since this location is ideal for rider safety and a convenient start/finish area. The President of the Namibian Cycling Federation, Axel Theissen reports that these are some of the most crucial road races on the Namibian calendar, as they form part of the Olympic and All Africa Games qualifying events.

“All security measures have been planned (as far as possible), City police are involved. Our Commissaries will also ensure that the races are held in terms of the UCI rules and regulations,” he said.

The entry fee for both events is N$180.00 (17 years and older) and N$60.00 (16 years and younger).

The ITT race will feature elite women and men, both men and women under 23, under 16 boys and girls, under 14 boys, junior men and women, sub-veterans, veterans and masters and grandmasters.

Elite and U/23 men will cycle 36 km, while elite and U/23 women will cycle 27 km. The junior men, junior men, sub vet men and ladies, vet men and ladies, master men and ladies, grandmaster men and ladies, U/16 boys and girls, and U/14 boys will cycle 18 km, while the U/12 boys, U/14 girls, U/10 boys, U/12 girls, and U/10 girls will cycle 9km.

The Nedbank National Road Race Championships will start on the A1 Road under the bridge to the B1 road on the way to Rehoboth. This race will be used as a selection race for Namibia’s Paris 2024 Olympic representative. The race will kick off at 06h30 on Sunday morning, and the registration fees are similar to those of the ITT.

The elite and U/23 men will cycle 122km, while the junior men, sub-veteran men, veteran men, grandmaster men, sub-veteran women, veteran women, the elite, and U/23 women will cycle 62km.

The U/14 boys, U/16 girls, master ladies, and grandmaster ladies will cycle 32km.

Nedbank Namibia Communication and Public Relations Manager, Selma Kaulinge said: “It feels good to be back again for the first national cycling race of the year. These are impeccable races organised by the Namibian Cycling Federation, and we are excited to see our cyclists make Namibian history once again. Nedbank Namibia’s contributions to cycling in Namibia remains unparalleled, as we have consistently invested in the cycling fraternity since the inception of the oldest cycling event, the Nedbank Cycle Challenge in 1986,” Kaulinge said.

Last year’s men's ITT winner, Drikus Coetzee, said he was looking forward to this year’s event, and he aims to defend his title.

“The ITT is my go-to race as it allows me to race freely. I am looking forward to winning the race again, as it is my strongest cycling race. Last year, the competition was high, and I expect nothing less this year,” he said.

Both elite men and women are expected to battle it out for the national titles during the races. The male and female categories, besides the elite group, include U/23s, sub-veteran, veteran, master, and grand master categories, as well as the junior group categories from U/10 level and up. The distances for the road race range from 14 km for the U/10s to 150 km for the most experienced riders.

Prize giving will be on Sunday 28 January 2024, at the Nedbank Namibia Campus, Sky Garden, 7th Floor, 14H00.