Tour de France Magazine 2019 | Page 57

TSHEPISO SEHLOHO Captain “I was honoured with the title of being the captain of the team. As I had only taken on cycling as a sport less than two years prior, I had expected a tough time leading a group of such talented cyclists with years and years of experience behind them. Instead, I received support and whole-hearted cooperation. It was one of the best and most rewarding things I have ever done. It was also great working hand in hand with the Coronation crew of Wendy, Paul [Ride2Live] and Chelsea. The hospitality we received from them was amazing. Granted, 202km is no child’s play, but with all the support we received from the Coronation team, we would take on the daunting task any time. Thank you very much Coronation, you are indeed making dreams come true. In the process, the trust is indeed earned.” MZUVUKILE FAYO “One thing that makes this race stand out is the amount of teamwork required. Everyone always has something to contribute, whether or not they know it at the beginning – be it the fitness to pull longer, or jokes and/or words of encouragement to keep us going when the legs give up. This year I was privileged to be part of the Coronation Ride2Live team. I got to experience a level of treatment that was beyond that of a VIP. The effort that was put in was evident from the day we arrived. I got to experience how it is to be properly fuelled during a race. Every time we got to the stops, we all smiled and left energised. That was priceless.” Tshepiso Sehloho, Mzuvukile Fayo and Peter Phala on one of the many climbs. PETER PHALA “No matter what transpired during the race, we stood together as a team and our goal of completing the race together was reached. We could’ve completed with a better finishing time but like soldiers in a war, we couldn’t leave any casualties behind.” YIBANATHI NCEDANA “What stood out for me was the trust, loyalty, respect, oneness, friendship and the atmosphere in the team. Being the youngest, I came with the expectation that I will be picked on, but the team showed great respect to one another. Many thanks to the team, it indeed earned my trust.” THABO MAHLAKARO “Everything was fabulous, we were treated like kings.” QUENTIN JEWATZCHEWITZ “This was the most organised and well-planned cycle race ever, to the finest detail. A team event that builds character, promotes friendships and motivates individuals. The race goes through a nice route, with beautiful scenery and tough climbs that challenges every cyclist, which ultimately is good for team building. Coronation and Ride2Live went above and beyond what was expected. Everything was done for us as a team. I have never experienced anything like this before. This is an event that I will recommend to all cyclists.” NEVILLE CHESTER Senior Portfolio Manager at Coronation Fund Managers “Coronation was so impressed with the performance and dedication of the development team in 2017 that supporting their participation in CDC 2018 was an easy decision. Our belief in them was not disappointed as they demonstrated teamwork, commitment and a positive attitude through a very gruelling race. It’s a privilege for us to be associated with this group of talented cyclists who definitely have a bright future. Their individual stories of overcoming adversity have been a true inspiration to us, and are testament to the fact that anything is possible with a clear goal and the perseverance to see it through.” “To Coronation, thank you for making this possible, breaking down the barriers to road cycling and ultimately helping develop cycling in South Africa” If you’d like to contribute to development cycling email us at [email protected] 2 0 1 9 TO U R D E FR ANCE | 57