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The Absa Cape Epic, the most televised mountain bike stage race in the world, has announced that it will tighten its rules regarding anti-doping by introducing a lifetime ban for future offenders in the wake of the first high-profile doping case in South African mountain biking.
In November, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) announced that top cyclist and Absa Cape Epic contender, David George, tested positive for the banned drug, EPO (Erythropoietin) and would face a charge of doping at an independent tribunal. George has officially been given a two-year ban, prohibiting him from cycling professionally for this time period. SAIDS indicated that only results dating back to 29 August this year can be erased, thus George’s 2012 Absa Cape Epic results will remain unaffected. With his riding partner Kevin Evans, George finished in second place overall in this year’s Absa Cape Epic, his best performance in the event to date. George has also won the Absa African Jersey at the Absa Cape Epic three times (2008, 2009, and 2012) and, together with Evans, was a strong contender to be the first all South African team to win the race next year.
Says Kevin Vermaak, founder of the race: “As of 1 January 2013, any athlete (professional or amateur) caught using performance enhancing substances, whether at another event or out of competition, will be banned for life from participating in the Absa Cape Epic. Not only will the person not be allowed to participate (as an amateur rider or UCI- licensed elite), but the individual will also be banned from being involved on any level including as a team manager. This is harsher than what is required currently by any federation, but is our considered opinion of what should be enforced even on a wider scale with regards to event participation of convicted dope cheats.”
Vermaak continues: “We’ve chosen not to apply this retrospectively because we believe that would be naive. As has been exposed in recent months, cycling has a dark past. Many riders from this previous era have rediscovered the joy of cycling as mountain bikers and participate in the Absa Cape Epic as their expression of riding clean. Previous offenders, who have served their suspension term, may ride future Absa Cape Epics. We want to be part of the new era of cleaner cycling, and therefore only future offenders will receive the lifetime bans.
“Since the Absa Cape Epic was awarded UCI HC status, we’ve invested more than R800 000 into our anti-doping programme at the race and to date have only recorded one positive in-competition test at the event by an amateur,” says Vermaak.
The Absa Cape Epic anti-doping programme is overseen by the UCI appointed Doping Control Officer who works with the South African Institute for Drugfree Sport (SAIDS) to test athletes. Vermaak adds: “With the financial help of our sponsors, we will increase our investment in this programme for 2013 by increasing the number of athletes tested. We’ll also increase the time-window classified as in-competition testing.”
The Absa Cape Epic has been the catalyst in making the sport of mountain biking more professional in South Africa over the past 10 years. “The prize monies have been increased to R1 million in 2013 which consolidates the event’s position as largest prize purse in the world of endurance mountain biking. We also provide much greater media value output for team sponsors as this year’s event received over 4 000 hours of global television coverage. We feel that our uncompromising stance on dope cheats is another step in making not only South African mountain biking more professional, but also improving this discipline on a global scale. Obviously our actions alone can’t keep the entire sport of mountain biking clean, but I want to be 100% certain that we, as one of the most competitive mountain bike stage races in the world, are doing everything possible to play our role in the quest to eradicate doping in mountain biking,” Vermaak concludes.
Organisers of the country's most famous river marathon, The Unlimited Dusi Canoe Marathon, are confident the revolutionary concept of a rearranged start procedure on the final day of the three day spectacle will come to fruition this summer edition and end the 62nd edition of the three day race from Pietermaritzburg to Durban will end in a fitting climax.
The core of the plan, which has set the South African paddling community abuzz since it was first mooted, is to allow the majority of participants to finish the final stage, and then start the title contenders later in the morning to allow the 2013 winner to reach Blue Lagoon to a hero’s welcome.
"We're very happy with how things have unfolded in recent months and feel things are very much on track for this new concept to be implemented in 2013's The Unlimited Dusi Canoe Marathon," said Brett Austen-Smith, General Manager of Natal Canoe Club, the host organisation of the KZN based event.
"The idea has grown from a mere concept to something that is very real and a structure that the paddlers should start viewing as very likely to happen next year," he added.
As one of the major events on KZN's sporting calendar one would expect the top performers of this iconic race to be greeted by streams of excited supporters lining the banks of Durban's Blue Lagoon, the annual venue of Saturday's third and final day.
Instead though, due to the remarkably short time these world class athletes take to reach the finish, most of the local community hasn't even stirred and their fellow competitors are only setting off from the start line at Inanda Dam and hence have had to become accustomed to the relatively dull atmosphere as they complete their impressive feats.
"The reasoning behind the change is to try bring the finish of the Dusi into the public eye far more and if this does happen, as it looks very likely to at the moment, then everyone will benefit immensely," said Austen-Smith.
"The only major issue left us to overcome is to try come to an arrangement which will see Umgeni Water give us an additional three hours of a water release so that water levels for the top guys, who will start at 11h00, are very similar to the one's the guys who started at 05h30 in B batch had."
"If we're able to sort this all out and this new concept takes place then not only will the paddlers benefit but so too the race, our sponsors and the entire sport of canoeing too as there will be a far greater interest in not only the Dusi itself but paddling as a whole because of this," he added.
Having regularly finished in the top five of the three day paddling spectacle from Pietermaritzburg to Durban Team Best 4 Kayak Centre's captain, Hank McGregor, knows all too well the somewhat bitter sweet emotion associated with crossing the line in front of a handful of supporters.
McGregor has been one of the particularly vocal elite paddling voices supporting the event organisers' push to revolutionise the format of the race's final day.
"I think it will be absolutely fantastic for everyone concerned if the rearranged start procedure does happen at next year's The Unlimited Dusi," said McGregor.
"It will be a huge benefit not only for us guys at the top who will be able to cross the line with hundreds, maybe even thousands of supporters lining the banks, but the rest of the field I'm sure would also really like to be able to watch the elapsed time guys battle it out to the finish line, especially if it’s been as tight as it has in some recent years."
"The paddlers, the local communities and the whole media will all be able to be a part of the hype which can only be a good thing!" he added.
A final decision on the matter will be made closer to the race's start date, 14 February 2013.
The Unlimited Dusi starts in Pietermaritzburg on 14 February 2013 and ends in Durban on 16 February 2013. More information can be found at www.dusi.co.za
Batting great Martin Crowe has burned his New Zealand Cricket (NZC) blazer in protest at Ross Taylor's sacking as the team captain, reports said Thursday.
Crowe, widely hailed as New Zealand's best ever batsman, has been fiercely critical of last week's decision to drop Taylor in favour of Brendon McCullum in an effort to reinvigorate the misfiring Black Caps.
The New Zealand Herald reported that Crowe torched his prized blazer last Friday, when news of Taylor's demotion was made public.
It said he tweeted "Burnt NZ cricket blazer Dec 7, 2012. RIP", adding that both the tweet and the account it was sent from had since been deleted.
The newspaper quoted an unnamed source as saying Crowe destroyed the blazer "so he would never be tempted to wear it again".
It reported the gesture was "the ultimate sign of disgust" from Crowe, a long-time Taylor supporter.
Crowe declined to comment, the Herald reported.
The 50-year-old blasted NZC over the ousted skipper's treatment over the weekend in a column on cricketing website Cricinfo, saying it had "destroyed the soul of Ross Taylor".
"They have amputated his spirit and there is no prosthetic for that," Crowe wrote.
NZC publicly apologised to Taylor on Wednesday over the way his demotion was handled but stood by the decision to replace him with McCullum after a string of disappointing results.
Taylor opted to sit out New Zealand's upcoming tour of South Africa after being dumped as captain.
Lance Armstrong resisted turning over records sought by U.S Postal Service investigators, and then tried to keep the inquiry under seal and out of the public eye, according to recently released court documents.
In 2011, Postal Service officials investigating Armstrong and his teams for doping wanted records from his team management groups, financial statements, training journals and correspondence with former training consultant Michele Ferrari. He eventually complied with the subpoena but as recently as October was still asking the courts to keep the inquiry private.
"They've been given everything they wanted and that they asked for ... months ago," Armstrong attorney Tim Herman said Tuesday.
The Postal Service was Armstrong's main sponsor when he won the Tour de France from 1999-2004. The team was sponsored by the Discovery Channel for Armstrong's seventh victory in 2005. Armstrong was stripped of those titles this year.
Last week, federal Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson in Washington ordered the subpoena and Armstrong's efforts to keep it private released to the public. The judge rejected Armstrong's arguments that releasing the subpoena would violate the secrecy of the grand jury process or a pending whistleblower lawsuit filed against Armstrong by former teammate Floyd Landis.
Armstrong was still the target of a federal criminal grand jury investigation into allegations of doping on the Postal Service teams when the subpoena was issued. That investigation was closed in February with no charges filed.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency investigated Armstrong for doping and in August ordered him stripped of his seven Tour de France titles. In October, the agency released a massive report detailing performance-enhancing drug use by Armstrong and his teammates. The report included sworn statements from 11 former teammates, including Landis.
Armstrong denies doping and insists he never cheated, but chose not to fight the USADA charges.
With a huge entry anticipated for the 40th anniversary edition of the aQuellé Midmar Mile, eager swimmers have less than a week to take advantage of the discounted early entry to secure their place on the start line for the milestone event on 9 and 10 February.
Swimmers have until 16 December to take advantage of the second stage of the early bird entry fees. After that, the cost will go up incrementally as the event draws nearer.
Entering at Midmar Dam over the weekend of the race will cost R250. Enter before 17 December and the cost will be R100 less, at R150.
Besides saving competitors some money, early entries are also good for the administration of the Midmar Mile, said race organiser Wayne Riddin on Friday. “It helps us plan a bit better,” he explained.
Registration will again take place at Sportsman's Warehouse at the Cascades Lifestyle Centre in the three days preceding the Midmar Mile. “People can do late entries there, but it is more expensive,” Riddin said.
He also indicated that entering online is the surest way of ensuring participation in the world’s largest open water swimming event. “We prefer the people to make use of the lower entry fee and get their entries in before the closing date. It’s also online and the more people that enter online the better for us because they capture their own data.”
Riddin said two Midmar Mile seeding events held at Heia Safari Ranch in Gauteng in November and earlier in December produced fields up by 10 and 15 percent respectively on 2012. Based on that, he reckoned: “We could be looking at a 20 percent increase, and that could be closer to the 20 000 entry mark that we would like to achieve for a Guinness Book of World Records attempt”.
The Midmar Mile already holds the record for the world’s largest open water swimming event, but the goal has for a long time been 20 000 swimmers, and the 40th anniversary of the race would be an ideal time to achieve that feat.
The next seeding event is the aQuellé KZN Open Water Swimming Championships on 16 December at Albert Falls. After that there are no more seeding swims in the province. However, the Elgin Country Club in Grabouw in the Western Cape will host the Brian Curtis Mile on Sunday, 6 January, which would be an ideal time for holiday makers to set a seeding time.
More seeding events will follow at Heia Safari Ranch and the Rynfield Dam in Gauteng, where fields of over 1 000 are expected at each. Bloemfontein will also host a qualifier on Saturday, 12 January.
Talking about the addition of the Brian Curtis Mile as a qualifying event, Riddin said: “We’re working with an event that has a tradition already. Our costs to get down there and help them and have it properly done as a seeding event are a bit high, so we’re thankful to Time Freight too, who have supported our seeding events in a big way.
“We’re trying to grow the numbers down in Cape Town. At this stage, from Cape Town, there are only about 70 entries, so hopefully we can encourage more people to swim on the 40th anniversary of the race.
“Gail Bristow, who has done the most number of swims by a woman in the Midmar Mile, is from that area.”
Event founder Mike “Buthy” Arbuthnot holds the record as the only swimmer to have officially swum in every Midmar Mile. Mike Pengelly had one unofficial swim because he was representing South Africa abroad in lifesaving on the weekend of the event one year, but has otherwise also swum every year.
Gail Bristow missed only the first year of the Midmar Mile because women were not allowed to swim it back in 1974! The first female entrants were allowed in 1975 which Bristow took part in and has not missed a Mile since.
Times and attitudes have changed a lot since 1975. So, too, has the size of the Midmar Mile. The total entry in 1975 was 315, more than doubling 1974’s 153 swimmers, thanks to 105 female entrants taking part. The goal for next year’s event is 20 000 swimmers, an increase of 63.5 times over 1975.
An independent commission set up to probe the International Cycling Union's (UCI) handling of the Lance Armstrong doping scandal on Tuesday called for witnesses to get in touch.
The panel, headed by former England and Wales appeals court judge Philip Otton, will look into the allegations contained in the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) decision to charge Armstrong over the affair.
The commission also includes Britain's multiple Paralympic champion Tanni Grey-Thompson, now a lawmaker in the country's upper chamber of parliament, and Australian lawyer Malcolm Holmes.
"Anyone with evidence which they believe to be relevant to the Terms of Reference should submit documents and/or a written summary of evidence they will be able to give to the Commission ..." the UCI Independent Commission said in a statement.
"The Commission has written to some potential witnesses identified by it and is in the process of contacting others, but invites witnesses to contact the Commission direct."
Witnesses have been given until the end of the year to submit evidence to the commission, with current and former UCI employees expected to provide documents to the panel by the end of January.
A hearing is scheduled to be held in London from April 9 to 26 next year, and the commission is expected to submit its report to the UCI by June 1.
Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from the sport for life in October after the USADA produced evidence of widespread doping by him and his former team-mates.
Three times Tour de France champion Greg LeMond said on Monday (December 3) he is willing to run for president of the International Cycling Union (UCI) after a series of doping scandals in the sport.
Change Cycling Now, a lobby group campaigning to clean up cycling, has called for Pat McQuaid to quit as head of the UCI, the sport's governing body, accusing him of failing to root out doping.
Asked if he was ready to run for UCI president in 2013, LeMond, who won the Tour in 1986, 89 and 90, said: "I would love to be part of the process to change and if that means an interim presidency I would be willing to do that, yes."
McQuaid has said he is seeking a third term.
LeMond is part of Change Cycling Now, which has been set up by former riders, journalists and a sponsor who look to radically change the way the sport is ruled in the wake of the Lance Armstrong scandal.
The American has been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after the United States Anti-Doping Agency(USADA) accused him of being at the centre of an organised doping conspiracy.
Change Cycling Now have invited riders to back a plan it says could remove doping suspicions undermining the sport after the Armstrong affair.
"The assistance we are seeking from the riders will be to put in place a system that will guarantee that the winner of the major tours has not blood doped," said doctor Michael Ashenden, a leading anti-doping campaigner.
"It's a short-term intensive approach that will restore public confidence in the riders and the race outcome," Ashenden, an expert on combating blood doping, told a news conference organised by "Change Cycling Now".
Ashenden gave no further details of his proposal but said he had briefed Gianni Bugno, president of the riders association, with a view to its swift implementation for next season.
Bradley Wiggins, who rides for Team Sky, became the first Briton to win the Tour de France in 2012.
Team Sky has a zero tolerance policy towards staff members with a doping history and Wiggins angrily dismissed doping-related questions en route to his Tour triumph in the summer.
Ashenden said he was not accusing Wiggins of any wrongdoing but underlining the credibility issue the sport faces.
"That would be a remarkable day, when a rider can stand up and say "I won and you know that I didn't dope", blood dope, I need to be specific there," he said.
"The unfortunate reality is that everything that a rider can say today, Lance Armstrong already said. The reality is, no matter what a rider says, there is going to be doubt," he added g 1 .
Change Cycling Now, comprising former riders, journalists and anti-doping campaigners, has been put together by Jaimie Fuller, an Australian who is chairman of the SKINS sportswear company, a cycling sponsor.
Fuller said he had approached more than 10 current cyclists about the campaign but they were afraid to speak out.
"The vast majority were intimidated about what could happen to them if they stuck their head above the parapet and were critical of the UCI," he said.
LeMond praised USADA's investigation which brought the issues to light but said the UCI had to take responsibility for it taking 13 years since Armstrong tested positive for the truth to come out.
"There was a huge amount of political pressure to put all of this under the rug and they (USADA) did an amazing job. The sad thing (is) it took that long to do. The fact was Armstrong was positive in 1999, they were under investigation in 2000. It's all been there. That's why the UCI needs to be held accountable."
LeMond, who had long been critical of Armstrong and admitted he had also been the victim of intimidation, said he would shake the disgraced cyclist's hand if he were to cooperate in the process.
"That (telling the truth) would be the best thing that he (Armstrong) could ever do," LeMond added. "I would shake his hand because I think he didn't act alone, he's not the only person. The problem existed long before Lance so the issues we're talking about were there before Armstrong won the Tour. He had the best team to exploit it."
Johan van Staden and Mike Lawrenson, who finished second in the special vehicle category of the 2012 Absa South African Off Road Car Championship, are the latest South Africans to announce their participation in the 2013 Dakar Rally in South America in January.
They will tackle the world’s longest and toughest off road race in a McRae MC-4RS in the top T1 class for 4x4 cars. Built in the Netherlands and entered by the experienced ProDakar team, it has a space frame chassis, 3-litre BMW turbo diesel engine and six-speed sequential gearbox.
“Mike and I are very excited about competing in our first Dakar,” said Van Staden, the 41-year-old owner of a Centurion-based electrical construction business and a former class P champion. “Dakar is the ultimate challenge for an off road racer. Like Mt Everest for a mountain climber or Tour de France for a cyclist. I’ve been watching the Dakar on television for many years and dreaming about competing. Now my dream is to become a reality.”
For Lawrenson, a 53-year-old furniture and home décor manufacturer from Edenvale who was the class P national champion co-driver in 2011, going to the Dakar is a chance of a lifetime. “Johan and I have enjoyed a successful first year together in the national championship (they enjoyed a win and a couple of second places and were in contention for the title right up to the final round) and it has been a good build-up to the Dakar. I’m really looking forward to the challenge.”
Van Staden paid tribute to his Dakar sponsors. “We would not be able to do this without the generous support of a number of sponsors, including Kusokhanya Electrical Construction, Lebohang Project Management, Versalec Cables, Atlas Copco, Sizanani Plastics, ICare optometrists, IPM, JHB101 Group and Solason.”
Apart from competing in all eight rounds of the South African championship, regarded as the toughest national championship in the world, Van Staden and Lawrenson’s Dakar preparation has included a week honing their sand driving and navigation skills in the dunes of Walvis Bay in Namibia. They also spent a week in the Netherlands setting up the car before it was loaded on to a ship in the French port of Le Havre last Friday for the long voyage to Lima in Peru.
Top off road racer Chris Visser, who is one of a number of local competitors who aim to compete in the 2014 Dakar Rally, lent them his 2010 championship-winning Toyota Hilux to test in Namibia.
“This is the kind of camaraderie and support that is typical of off road racing and we’re very grateful to Chris for his generosity for allowing us to play with his racing bakkie in the sand dunes. It was invaluable experience and we were fortunate to have instruction from a sand dune driving expert in the form of well-known Namibian desert guide Don Niewoudt,” said Van Staden.
The 35th running of the Dakar Rally has attracted a total entry of 471 vehicles consisting of 195 motorcycles, 160 cars, 76 trucks and 40 quads. Some 53 nationalities are represented among the competitors, whose progress over the 14 days and 14 stages (4 200 kilometres) of competition – there is a rest day in San Miguel de Tucuman in Argentina on January 13 - will be reported on by an army of journalists and photographers and will be televised daily to more than 190 countries and an estimated five million-plus viewers around the world, including South Africa.
The rally will start in the Peruvian capital of Lima on the Pacific coast of South America and will finish in Santiago, Chile on January 19 with a podium ceremony on January 20.
So...
I have enetred a bicycle race that I am not sure is in my talent range.
I have a few months to become a real cyclist. Follow the link below to find out more about the Cape Rouleur. It's a stage ride over many days including many kilometres, both horizontally and vertically.
Any help fro you would be appreciated.
In conjunction with the
National Cycling Academy, local bike shops, the Maties Cycling Club, and, as
venue partner, Laerskool Stellenbosch, your kids are invited to attend:
A cycling clinic, focusing on safety, awareness, balance, fun, fixing
punctures : ) etc.
5 Sessions from Monday to Friday: 10 - 15 December, and then again 17 - 21st.
(Each day offers two sessions, your kids may attend either: 0900 - 1100 and
16:00 - JUST CHOOSE ONE OF THOSE, NOT BOTH, UNLESS YOU WANT TO PAY FOR BOTH.
THEY'RE REPEATS.
- BMX's AND MTBikes
preferred - we'll organise a bike if child doesn't have one
- Helmets preferred
- Local cycle shops
will be in attendance
- Two hours per session
- so not too tiring for kids - first hour is 'lectures' in small groups,
and 2nd hour is just fun stuff like cycle soccer, polo, races,
bunnyhopping, etc.
- All primary school
kids welcome
- Hosted at
Stellenbosch Primary School.
Sessions:
Monday: Road Safety +
short fun races on grass surface, by age, etc
Tuesday: Bicycle
maintenance and repair + slightly longer fun races
Wednesday: More formal
coaching - known as Long Term Cyclist Development - creating a love of
cycling, for life!
Thursday: Racing tactics,
such as slipstreaming, teamwork, pacing
Friday: Specialized
will bring a few bikes to demo - so bring your parents too! We are also
talking to some top riders to join us on that day.
Local office automation company Nashua has signed on as the new naming rights sponsor of the Nashua Grape Escape. Entries for the 2013 iteration of this fast-evolving MTB stage race are now open.
The event, now in its third year, offers a brand new route and a three-day or two-day option for local mountain bike enthusiasts, and has been evolved to include a Race Village where riders can camp and stay in the midst of the action and experience all the pre- and post-race excitement and atmosphere.
David Bellairs, Marketing and Sponsorship Director of the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust, organisers of the Nashua Grape Escape, says that the tremendous success of the past two years has allowed them to evolve the race into a must-do MTB stage race. “Since our inaugural race in 2011 we have grown the Grape Escape into an annual highlight for local and international riders. This year, we offer a brand-new route, camping facilities, increased prize money and a host of other improvements that should give riders an unforgettable MTB experience. This growth in stature of the event is perfectly complemented by our new naming rights sponsor Nashua, who we will work with over the next few years to put the Nashua Grape Escape firmly top-of-mind among MTB enthusiasts; we trust that this is the beginning of a very successful long-term partnership.”
Dave Hallas, Marketing Director of Nashua Limited, says he sees a bright future for their involvement in this exciting event. “As a company, we pride ourselves on our commitment to sports development in South Africa. We are excited to align ourselves with the Grape Escape and to help make this event one of the top mountain bike experiences in South Africa.”
The 2013 Nashua Grape Escape offers a brand-new route designed by experienced MTB trail enthusiast and guru Meurant Botha, and starts at the Riebeek Kasteel Primary in Riebeeck Kasteel on Thursday 28 February 2013. Riders will follow a 75km route on Day 1 and finish at the DJ de Villiers Stadium in Wellington, where the official Race Village will also be located for the duration of the event.
Day 2 starts and finishes at the DJ de Villiers Stadium and takes riders on a short, although very challenging, 60km route. On Day 3, riders will tackle a 70km trail to the finish line at Boschendal Wine Estate.
Entry information
Riders can enter by visiting www.grapeescape.co.za. Entries are limited to 600 solo riders (no team categories) and close on 31 January 2013 or when entries are full. The three-day race entry fee is R2350 per person, while the entry fee for the two-day race is R1600.
For event-related queries, please contact the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust Events Office on 021 681 4333 during office hours.
Is Winning Everything? is a personal reflection on the exceptional career of legendary South African cyclist, Malcolm Lange. The 200-page full-colour book contains over 180 photographs, most of which are previously unpublished. Lange won a total of 409 major races in a career that spanned two decades, making him one of the most successful South African sportsmen ever and certainly one of the most prolific cycle race winners anywhere in the world.
Written in the first person with the assistance of premier cycling journalist, Sean Badenhorst, Is Winning Everything? takes the reader through Lange’s career with in depth descriptions of his early influences, his ability to win, his controversial omission from the 1996 Olympic Games team, his decision to refuse to race with the use of performance enhancing drugs and his recent retirement to run his own successful professional bike racing teams.
Throughout the book Lange offers advice on the concept of winning the way he sees it and has invited a variety of successful South Africans to give their views on winning in the book too, including some of the country’s leading businessmen with whom Lange has made acquaintance through his beloved sport of cycling. Is Winning Everything? is a question that’s answered in the book, but it’s not a straight-forward ‘yes’ or ‘no’ because cycling by nature is a sport of immense depth and complexity. Celebrated international cycling commentator, Phil Liggett has written the foreword of a book that’s easy to navigate, visually impactful and which offers insight into the life both on and off the bike of one of South Africa’s most successful achievers.
Full title: IS WINNING EVERYTHING? Success as defined by cycling legend Malcolm Lange
Authors: Sean Badenhorst and Malcolm Lange
Publisher: Fresh Media Solutions
Price: R265 (R10 from each book sale goes to South African Institute for Drug-free Sport)
Available from: Cycle Lab stores nationwide and online at www.teambonitas.co.za
The 2012 Coronation Double Century will go ahead as planned, however slight amendments have been made to the route due to the collapse of a section of the R60 road. Organisers are appealing to cyclists to take note of the route update.
David Bellairs, Marketing and Sponsorship Director of CTCCT, explains “The Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust has been working closely with the Provincial Department of Transport, MEC Robin Carlisle and the contractors VELA VKE since the damage occurred, however repairs to the affected stretch - approximately 15km before Swellendam - will not be complete by race day on 24 November.”
The start and the finish venue will remain in Swellendam however there will be a compulsory portage point at the site of the collapsed road. The estimated distance across the portage point is 350m on a newly created gravel road. All support vehicles will be diverted to Swellendam via a gravel road approximately 18km before Swellendam (3km before the collapse).
Bellairs concludes “While we realise this is not an ideal situation, we believe it is the most practical solution that allows us to proceed with the event with the least amount of inconvenience to all concerned.”
All teams travelling to Swellendam are encouraged to avoid the road between Ashton and Swellendam as the closure of the R60 will result in lengthy detours.
Cycling champion David George on Tuesday admitted to having used the banned drug EPO (Erythropoietin) and said he was prepared to suffer the consequences.
"I will not be asking for a B sample to be tested as I know the result will ultimately be the same," George said in a statement.
"I fully understand the consequences of my admission and will bear the results of this."
George tested positive for EPO in an out-of-competition test conducted by the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) on August 29.
"Cycling, as you know, has been a confusing space and although it has given me incredible moments it has also given me experiences that no person or young athlete should have to go through," George said.
"I would like to apologise to my sponsors, who have given me every opportunity to chase a dream, and team mates, for whom I have the utmost respect. I will endeavour to make right where humanly possible."
One of South Africa's top cyclists, he is a former Olympian, a podium finisher in the Cape Epic, and a former Lance Armstrong team-mate on the United States Postal Service Cycling team 1999-2000.
EPO is a hormone which increases the red blood cell count, thereby increasing the athlete's oxygen-carrying capacity and enhancing performance.
"The drug is especially beneficial in endurance sports where athletes are competing over long distances in sports like cycling, running and triathlon," SAIDS CEO Khalid Galant said.
"We had warned the sports community a year ago that we would be vigorous in our testing of both blood and urine of our top athletes. We will continue to aggressively target EPO dopers."
George was suspended with immediate effect from competing in any event while the SAIDS process took its course, said Cycling SA.
"We respect the independence of the SAIDS process and will respect the outcome," Cycling SA president William Newman said.
"Cycling SA further reiterates its zero-tolerance to doping in sport, and confirms that there is no evidence of this being an endemic problem in the sport in South Africa."
Meanwhile, Nedbank reacted to the news of George's positive doping test, by suspending its sponsored professional cycling team, Team 360Life, for which he rode.
"The suspension of the team will continue until further notice," spokeswoman Tabby Tsengiwe said in a statement.
She said Nedbank did not tolerate the use of banned substances or performance-enhancing drugs and supported the SAIDS, Cycling SA and Union Cycliste International in promoting clean conduct in the sport.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) is to open an investigation into allegations that Olympic champion Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan bribed Russian Alexandre Kolobnev to win the 2010 Liege-Bastogne-Liege race, the governing body said on Monday (November 5).
Vinokourov won the one-day race by beating Kolobnev in a two-man finish. The investigation is starting because the UCI has received a case file from an Italian public prosecutor who is investigating alleged corruption in cycling. UCI President Pat McQuaid said that both riders have been summoned to the UCI headquarters in Aigle,Switzerland and that if they were found guilty, the license commission would re-evaluate the world tour licenses of the Astana and Katusha teams. On Saturday the Italian Corriere della Sera newspaper published details of the Padua investigation into Vinokourov's victory, including the email exchange between the two riders about payments and bank details. Both riders are also alleged to be clients of Dr. Ferrari, with details of Vinokourov's payments to the disgraced doctor revealed in the recent USADA evidence. Police in Padua are investigating the possibility of a team doping programme at Astana by Dr Ferrari after Leonardo Bertagnolli and Volodymyr Bileka gave sworn statements to police that they saw several Astana riders working with Dr. Ferrari at altitude. Vinokourov officially retired after winning gold in the Olympic road race in London but will stay in cycling as the head of the Astana team in 2013. The UCI recently awarded Astana a WorldTour licence for 2013 but the team's place in the highest echelon of cycling could be at risk if it is proved that Vinokourov paid-off Kolobnev to win Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Astana has signed Vincenzo Nibali as team leader for 2013.
The
spectacular new route of the tenth edition of the Absa Cape Epic, which takes
place from 17 to 24 March next year (2013), promises to be as exciting and
challenging as previous years. Both local and international riders will take on
the demanding eight day mountain bike adventure of 698km with 15 650m of
climbing from Citrusdal to Lourensford Wine Estate.
The route,
which changes significantly each year, will lead 1 200 participating cyclists,
world champions and dedicated amateurs, through vast distances of challenging
terrain. With its unexplored landscapes, the stage locations of Citrusdal,
Tulbagh, Wellington and Stellenbosch await the most prestigious mountain bike
stage race in the world, before riders again finish at the Lourensford Wine
Estate, as has been tradition since 2007.
One of the
most visited tourist attractions in the southern hemisphere, the Victoria &
Alfred (V&A) Waterfront, will again play host to the opening celebrations
and registration for this pioneering, tough and breathtaking mountain bike race
on 15 and 16 March 2013.
For the sixth
time in the Absa Cape Epic’s history, riders will compete in a prologue. A
common feature in grand road cycling tours, the prologue at Meerendal Wine
Estate will allow spectators to see teams race against the clock. This showcase
event will decide which teams will wear the coveted leaders’ jerseys at the
start of stage 1 on Monday, 18 March 2013, from Citrusdal.
Says Kevin
Vermaak, Director and Founder of the Absa Cape Epic: “The Absa Cape Epic has
again selected some of the finest terrain that the Western Cape has to offer.
Our route designers have managed the perfect balance between challenging
terrain, exciting single-track and scenic beauty in their quest for the
ultimate mountain biking experience.”
Following the resounding success of the 2012 Prologue, the Absa Cape
Epic returns to Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville with a brand new prologue
route in 2013. Set off with a bang, riders will leave the start chute riding
through - yes, through! - the historic Meerendal Manor House and almost
immediately thereafter face a challenging climb up "Stairway to
Heaven" to the top of Dorstberg, a mountain top boasting magnificent 360
degree views of world famous landmarks such as Table Mountain, Robben Island and
Cape Point.
Pressed for time, teams will have to forego sight-seeing as they dive
straight into a rugged, Renosterveld lined trail that descends into the quarry
and adjacent Hoogekraal farm, where sweeping singletrack forming part of the
Tygerberg Mountain Bike Club trail system lies in wait. Well bermed turns make
for a fun roller coaster descent as the route ultimately heads back through
steep vineyards and a steady climb past dairy fields onto the picturesque
Meerendal Wine Estate, finishing off with some more singletrack and ensuring
riders finish the first day with big smiles on their faces.
Stage 1 – Citrusdal to Citrusdal (103km, 2 500m climbing)
Stage 1 is a 103km loop on
virgin Absa Cape Epic territory, starting and finishing in Citrusdal, a small
farming town at the foot of the majestic Cederberg Mountain Range. The stage
starts with a bang, climbing from the word go – up Piekenierskloof on
relatively smooth roads. As the gradient flattens out, it will be the sandy
surface slowing riders down as they scale the first major obstacle of
the day.
From the top, riders are
awarded with breathtaking vistas onto the Olifants River Valley some 600m
below, and a fast, in places loose and rocky, 7km descent. Crossing the
Olifants River will be a wet affair, before the climb out the valley on the
other side – a steady 8km effort with 500m of elevation. The next few
kilometres will become a blur until riders hit the 4km section of rugged dual
track and a short, but thrilling single-track descent. This will be followed by
a gradual descent to water point 2, the farm roads being just uneven enough to
keep participants focused, but at pleasant cruising speed past the citrus
orchards. Riders need to fill up properly at this water point as the most
challenging section of the day awaits. Over the next 7km, riders will have the
illusion of having climbed out of the narrow hot valley, only to see another
steep trail forcing portage up ahead of them. To reach it, riders need to put
their downhill skills to the test on the narrow, rutted quad bike trail. This
short and technical section is bound to take the back half of the field over an
hour to complete.
The long descend to water
point 3 is followed by approximately 20km through the farmlands in the Olifants
River Valley. With no significant climbs worth mentioning,
though by no means flat, riders will enjoy a slight reprieve before reaching
the final obstacle of the day – a tough, sandy slog up the mountain side and
just reward of a fast, fun descent into the race village in Citrusdal.
Stage two will take riders deep into the
Koue Bokkeveld, known for its spectacular sandstone formations. The area often
gets snow in winter, but riders will only fantasise about that, with summer
temperatures regularly in the upper 30’s. Most of the work is done early in the
day with riders putting mileage into their piggy banks when scaling Middelberg
Pass, a relentless climb with 900m altitude gain over the first 18km, starting
off on tar before turning into smooth gravel road. The descent onto the plateau
is fast and exhilarating with no technical obstacles, but a few sharp bends to
slow riders down. The route will traverse beautiful buckfields on rolling dual
tracks and farm roads. Riders can make up some time until just before the half
way mark, where a 4km climb takes them to the highest point of the entire race
(approximately 1 150m above sea level). Shortly afterwards they will be
rewarded with a 5km singletrack section, winding its way through red sandstone
formations. Overall this stage feels fast and relatively flat, until riders hit
the rugged and challenging wagon trail that takes them into the Witzenberg
Valley. Cleared for the race by local farmers, who are keen mountain bikers
themselves and happy to share their home playground, this part of the race will
showcase some of the finest terrain the Western Cape has to offer.
The best is saved for last when riders finally get to cash in on that
piggy bank - a technical 5km singletrack, an old wagon trail opened up for the
2010 Absa Cape Epic, plummeting into the Tulbagh Valley. Stage two could almost
be considered a ‘roady’ stage, although true roadies will be in for a wake up
call when they hit the wagon trails. The stage offers a fantastic transition
onto a new playground, from the rugged and remote Cederberg, to the fertile
Tulbagh Valley with its quaint village and wine farms.
Imposing mountain ranges,
the Obiqua Mountains to the West, the Winterhoek Mountains to the North and the
Witzenberg range to the East, surround the town of Tulbagh. The mountain basin
enjoys equally attractive conditions for wine making and mountain biking, and
both have seen advancements in recent years, with not only new vineyards, but
also new trails springing up. What better combination than having the race
village at the Saronsberg Wine Estate? Stage 3 offers a ‘tour of the basin’,
with a figure of 8 traversing the vineyards and farmlands, skirting the
surrounding mountains. By now riders should be used to starting with a climb –
400m over 15km, with a short warm up, being rather gentle on the legs though.
This is followed by 3km of sweeping single-track, finishing off with a section
through poplar forest. This moderate start is characteristic for what follows,
a pleasant day, with lots of ups and downs interspersed with flowing
single-track sections. However, it all becomes one big blur after the previous
two days. What stands out is that the day is more gentle, the soil is softer,
the vegetation more lush and the hills shorter. If through that blur riders
happen to hear the finish line, smell the race village, but their speedometer
only reads 55km, they need to keep peddling. So close and yet so far from home,
they are about to embark on the second part of the figure of 8. This loop is
shorter, but includes the same amount of climbing as the first one, and just
when everyone thinks ‘this wasn’t too bad’, Dr Evil and the route design team
show their true face. After water point three comes the blow to the legs – a
1.5km climb on a steep farm road, followed by a short descent and 3 more short
but sharp climbs on rough surface, before it is finally (almost) all downhill
and back to the manicured fields of Saronsberg Wine Estate.
Stage 4 is
another transition day moving on to a new destination, characterised by three
major climbs and extremely varied terrain. It is a stage of contrasts with
smooth gravel, then very rugged, followed by the National Monument of Bains
Kloof Pass on tar, then beautifully manicured purpose built single-tracks.
The first 15km are ‘free
mileage’, spinning out the legs on flat gravel and also some tar road. The
route then turns onto forestry roads gaining some elevation skirting the side
of the mountain. Before riders know they will reach water point 1, but the next
stretch will be slow going. A 5km steady climb up on gravel road with an
average of 7% gradient awaits at Kluitjieskraal. On the other side, riders
descend into a desolate bowl. Soon the trail roughens until it becomes an 8km
bike swallowing descent. The gradient is not steep but the track is washed out,
rocky (and sandy) with many ruts and big holes lying in wait for the unwary
rider. After water point 2 a flat minor gravel road leads to the foot of Bain’s
Kloof Pass. The climb on tar is 16km and not having to focus on any rugged
surface, riders will be able take in the spectacular scenery of this National
Monument Site. On the other side the Cape Winelands open up, with views onto
Wellington, Paarl Rock and as far as Table Mountain, some 70km away as the crow
flies. Only the first bit of the descent is on tar, before riders plunge into
the beautifully kept Bain's mountain bike trails at Welvanpas, smooth flowing ups and
downs, perfectly carved into the mountain side. However, there is one more big
climb, most of it on forestry roads, and it is the best value for climbing a
mountain biker could ask for, earning themselves 4km downhill of handcrafted
single-track through fynbos vegetation. There is one more tiny bump, and then
the last couple of kilometers are all plain sailing into the new race village
in Wellington.
Stage 5 – Wellington to Wellington (75km, 1 800m climbing)
The
fifth stage is like a bonus day – short, sweet, and most importantly, great
fun! Riders will already have had a taste of the Bain's mountain bike trails at
Welvanpas on the previous day - a fantastic purpose built network of
singletrack, perched between the Wellington vineyards and the slopes of Bain’s
Kloof. The relatively short distance of 75km offers more single-track than any
previous Absa Cape Epic stage, featuring some amazing cross-country terrain,
lots of twisting ups and downs – all in all an extra enjoyable day to
re-energise body and mind. To avoid any congestion on the trails, the start
groups will be staggered out over 1.5 hrs.
Stage 6 –
Wellington to Stellenbosch (100km, 2 950m climbing)
With a maximum stage time of 10 hours, riders should prepare
themselves for a long stage, the last real hurdle of the 2013 Absa Cape Epic.
The first 20km are primarily in the forestry plantation on the slopes of Du
Toitskloof, as riders tackle a steady 10km climb followed by an equally long,
fast descent interrupted occasionally by some soft forest single-track as well
as a short spike. The second major climb is primarily through orchards that
soon give way to mountain fynbos as the trail turns more rugged, including
another single-track descent, but riders need to watch out for the handle bar
grabbing fynbos. By the time riders cross under the National Highway (N1) at
the 35km mark, they will have completed almost half the climbing of the
day. The next section is fast going, and riders clock up some easy mileage
as the route takes them alongside the Drakenstein Mountains on a mix of farm
and gravel roads in the direction of Franschhoek. The highlight being when
riders past "Freedom Hill", the hill that former President Nelson
Mandela looked out at from his prison house at Victor Verster Prison (now
Drakenstein Correctional Facility) where he spent the last three of his 27 year
imprisonment before being released on 11 February 1990. Once the route makes
the turn towards Helshoogte Pass it's slow going, as the trail hugs the steep
slopes of the iconic Simonsberg Mountain. As riders crest the pass, views onto
Stellenbosch, the second oldest town in South Africa, and its surrounding
winelands open up, but it is still quite a way to the race village, passing
through prestigious wine farms and the hidden Idas Valley. True ‘tunnel vision’
will set in as riders go underneath the R310. From here it is one last steep
climb, before a sweeping descent sweetened by some more forestry single-track
which takes riders into race village for a one night stand, before the final
stage looms.
The final stage of the 2013 Absa Cape Epic is short, with only one
major climb at the halfway mark. Riders will leave Stellenbosch along the
mountainside through Coetzenberg and Eden Forest, then work their way into the
Stellenbosch Winelands. The trail climbs up through the vineyards, opening up
spectacular views of False Bay, as far as Cape Point, and back to Table
Mountain and Durbanville, where the journey started 7 long days ago. Having
mastered the 9km climb up the side of the Helderberg Mountain into the
Lourensford Neck, the finish line is almost within sight as the view into the
striking Lourensford bowl opens up. This is the first time in Absa Cape Epic
history that riders approach Lourensford Wine Estate from a totally different
direction and not via Gamtouw Pass. The final 25km are predominantly downhill,
on forestry roads on the higher elevations, interspersed with some
single-track, and into the orchards and vineyards on the lower slopes. The final run onto the lush green polo field packed with grandstands,
marquees and supporters promises to be unforgettable.
Says Vermaak: “We’d like to honour the effort that so many of the world’s top riders
make to ride the race, travelling from around the world to be here, with our
increased prize purse of R1 million. Celebrating the
iconic 10th edition of the race is testimony to how this event
continues to grow from strength to strength. I’d
like to thank our sponsors for their on-going support in working with us to
grow this event.
“We aim to offer all our
participants from around the world a spectacular route which showcases the best
the Western Cape has to offer. Every year we introduce new routes, with
suitable technical and challenging riding, that take the riders to new towns
and at the same time offer them magnificent scenery, with some of Africa’s wild
animals to boot. Without the incredible support of Cape Nature Conservation and
the farmers, this would not be possible as they give us access to their
reserves and farms. The Absa Cape Epic is progressively becoming an iconic
endurance event on the world calendar, and finishing this event is and will
always be an enormous achievement. It is an immense physical and mental
challenge, with riders spending many hours preparing and training for the title
of ‘Absa Cape Epic Finisher’,” says Vermaak.
In July this year, former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie used his official website to announce that he will not be signing a new contract at Arsenal, partly because of disagreement with the club hierarchy over the strategic direction of the club.
The move then brought to a swift conclusion protracted transfer as Van Persil sealed a 29 million pound move to Manchester United, where he has thus far flourished. But the move has also shown the power of digital and social media to give teams and players almost direct access to their fans.
The ability to exploit this advantage fully by providing unique content has not been fully appreciated by South African teams and sports stars. This is according to Andre Hugo, Director within Deloitte Digital, who took part in a panel discussion at the recent South African Sports Industry Summit.
“The key to successfully drive audience growth on digital and social media platforms is to provide unique content” says Hugo. “People want to get inside a sportsmans mind” he says. So exclusive footage for preparation for a big match or fight, or insights into a national tour are all examples of unique insights players can offer their fans and followers.
Sports offer a rich source of information through statistics and if these are packaged in a user-friendly manner, they can help drive engaging and relevant content.
“In future, the commercial successes will be driven by the communities that grow around sports teams, players and sports codes in general,” says Hugo. He notes that content will accelerate the growth and momentum of communities. But in order to do this the content needs to be localised and tied to specific events.
Hugo says it is important that digital marketing must not only focus on the smart phone segment, but also cater for the basic handset market. He points out that South Africa has 65 million active handsets, about 38% of which are basic. Also, in South Africa a significant portion of followers of a sport like soccer may actually lie in this segment of the market.
So while a fancy app to give score updates and league table and stats may be widely used, the old fashioned SMS score update option must not yet be jettisoned.
Hugo points out that the growth of digital platforms by sports broadcasters has led to this demand being extended directly to sports teams and stars. “Companies are finding innovative ways to monetise digital channels,” says Hugo. This can be done by embedding branding in pictures and applying dynamic hyperlinks to pictures to purchase merchandise from online stores.
Hugo says companies who are leading the field in this area globally include ESPN and Yahoo sports on content and number of viewers as well as Skysports in the UK and Supersport locally for engagement.
Supersport for example has streamed 1800 different games across its platforms so far this year, and apart from its HD platform, these are now accessed through their website and on platforms like Twitter, where viewers can comment on the action.
The panel, which also included digital publishing pioneer and head of Woolworths on line Nikki Cockcroft as well as former journalist and head of Communications at Supersport Clinton van der Berg, noted that sports stars who are using digital platforms effectively range from Manchester United star Wayne Rooney and England cricketer Kevin Pietersen , although whether his divisive popularity is helpful is a different matter, and in South Africa, swimmer Cameron van der Burgh and the barrier breaking athlete Oscar Pristorius were held up as stand out examples.
Already a leader in South African sport, The Sharks have entered the
world of mobile technology by becoming the first South African sporting
franchise to launch their own interactive mobile app game with the arrival of
Sharkie!
Sharkie is a super-charged rugby game which is both interactive and fun,
and aimed at Junior Sharks or any adult that loves mobile games. With the game
you can take control of Sharkie as he runs, dives and bashes his way to the
tryline in 80 levels of non-stop action.
You can also pit your skills against other gamers and track them on the
worldwide leaderboard as you try and unlock all 36 achievements along the
way. This side-scrolling platform game will give youngsters a great
chance to learn about the game while having fun, as they dodge Shark cages and
tackle bags to get to Boerie rolls to up their power. As in any game of rugby,
the object is to score tries and here you can help Sharkie achieve his goal in
a fun way.
“We’ve always prided ourselves on being an innovative rugby franchise,”
says Sharks marketing manager Mike Ablett. “The arrival of Sharkie is just
another way we like to connect with our core base of rugby supporters while
looking for new ones at the same time. Sharkie is not merely a game, but rather
a way of connecting with our youth base of supporters so that they may have a
unique connection to the team we all love.”
The game was developed by Sunrise Productions, who researched what
children in the target age-group wanted from a game, while integrating the
values of The Sharks brand and lessons from rugby into the final product at the
same time.
“When designing a game for
Sharkie, the most important thing for us was to make it fun. The Sharks have a
lot of fun with their brand and mascot, so we definitely wanted to carry that
through into his first interactive outing. He's quite a cheeky, confident
character but he's also a bit ridiculous, so we wanted to bring that into the
game as well,” Dave Heckler from Sunrise Productions explains.
The new Sharkie game will be available on iOS with Android following
soon, as well as on Sharkie's new website, sharkie.co.za. The global
leaderboard will allow you to compare your scores to other players on
GameCentre (for iOS) and on his website.
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard was the United States hero as he shut out Finland
to lead his team to a 5-0 victory at the world championship in Helsinki on Sunday.
In Stockholm, Norway turned on the style to rack up the biggest score of the tournament by beating Germany 12-4.
The U.S. defence had a good day, restricting the Finns to just 18 shots, which Howard dealt with comfortably.
They were equally effective at the other end of the ice, firing five times past Finland's Kari Lehtonen in front of his home fans.
The win vaulted the U.S. into second place in group H, three points behind Canada and one ahead of the Finns.
In the day's other game in the group, Slovakia edged out Switzerland 1-0 to tighten their grip on fourth place.
Patrick Thoresen notched a hat-trick as Norway rattled a dozen goals past Germany in group S in Stockholm.
Thoresen netted his third during a six-goal second period blitz which finished with the Norwegians 9-1 up and the Germans in disarray.
Earlier in the day, Russia preserved their perfect record with a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic.
Yevgeni Malkin scored his seventh goal of the tournament when he converted a powerplay to put Russia two up at the start of the second period.
The Russians top group S ahead of Sweden, the Czech Republic and Norway. The top four teams in each group have one game left to play.
The world's greatest athletes descend on London in July for the 2012 Olympics. Here are 10 to watch when the Games get underway:
Usain Bolt (athletics)
The face of the Beijing Olympics where the Jamaican sprinter's jaw-dropping speed earned him three golds in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay and three world records.He has been pretty much unbeatable when it matters since, winning the five golds from the last two world championships -- his only blemish coming in Daegu where he was disqualified after false-starting in the 100m.
Tickets to watch Bolt race in London will be like gold dust, but those with seats better not be late as some predict, if he is firing on all cylinders, he can lower his 100m world record mark below 9.5 seconds.
Yelena Isinbayeva (athletics)
The Russian manages to combine grace and power in the pole vault to devastating effect, soaring higher and higher since setting her first world record of 4.82 metres in Gateshead in 2003.
Since then she has steadily raised the bar to 5.06 metres, considerably higher than one of London's famous red double decker buses, claiming five world titles and the Olympic golds in Athens and Beijing.
Should the pole vault queen win in London, when she will have turned 30, she will become the first female track and field athlete to win gold at three consecutive Games.
David Rudisha (athletics)
The latest in a long line of Kenyan two-lap specialists, the 23-year-old world record holder will be aiming for his first Olympic gold when he lines up in the 800 metres in London.
Rudisha, a Maasai tribe warrior, set a world record of 1:41.09 in Berlin in 2010 and then a few weeks later lowered it again to 1:41.01. He is the current world champion and was voted world athlete of the year for 2011.
London Olympic chairman Sebastian Coe will have a keen eye on the lanky Rudisha's performance, having once held the world record over the distance himself. Rudisha said watching videos of Coe inspired him to run.
Nataliya Dobrynska (athletics)
All eyes will be on the mourning Ukrainian multi-eventer's every move as she takes on British darling Jessica Ennis in the heptathlon.
She emerged from nowhere to win the gold in 2008 and againupset the form book at the recent world indoor championships, beating Ennis and Russian world champion Tatyana Chernova to gold in a new pentathlon world record.
Dobrynska suffered heartbreak recently when her husband and coach Dmytro Polyakov died after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Allyson Felix (athletics)
The shining star of the U.S. women's track and field team, she is still without an individual gold at an Olympics, having to make do with silver in the 200m at Athens and Beijing.
The wholesome daughter of a Christian minister in southern California, Felix was denied a fourth successive world championship 200 gold in Daegu last year.
Expect to see a lot of her in London if she doubles up in the 400m and competes in both relays.
Kenenisa Bekele (athletics)
Almost lost in the hype surrounding Bolt in Beijing, the Ethiopian's golden double in the 5,000m and 10,000m was arguably an even greater achievement.
The world record holder at both 5,000 and 10,000, he can justifiably lay claim to being one of the greatest distance runners of all time and will be the man to beat in London if he can arrive fully fit after two years of injury problems.
After pulling up in the 10,000m at the 2011 world championships with a ruptured muscle, his aura of invincibility was under threat and he must decide whether his body can cope with the Olympic double again
Michael Phelps (swimming)
Quite simply, American Michael Phelps owned Beijing's water cube in 2008, his size 14 feet and huge arm span powering him to eight gold medals and sparking endless online chatroom debates about whether he or Usain Bolt deserved to be called the greatest sportsman on earth.
That feat gave him the record for the most gold medals at a single Olympics, beating the seven of Mark Spitz in Munich, and few would bet against him raising his overall haul of 16 Olympic medals in London which he says will be his last Games.
Even a relatively modest haul of two medals of any colour would tie him with the 18 Olympic medals of former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina.
Katie Taylor (boxing)
Women's boxing makes its Olympic debut in London and Ireland's Katie Taylor will get the chance to add to her already groaning trophy cabinet in the ExCel Centre.
A three-times world and five-times European champion already, she has also represented Ireland in soccer and is rightly regarded as one of the Emerald Isle's greatest sportswmomen.
A devout Christian, she has become something of a celebrity, meeting U.S. president Barack Obama at the White House, starring in a rap video with Tinie Tempah and was last year's Grand Marshal at Dublin's St Patrick's Day parade.
Federica Pellegrini (swimmer)
Born near the watery city of Venice she learnt to paddle before she could walk, so it is appropriate that the glamorous Pellegrini has made her name as the her country's most successful female swimmer.
Won the 200m freestyle in Beijing to become the first Italian woman to win an Olympics swimming gold and currently holds the world record in the 200 and 400 freestyle.
At the Rome world championships she became the first woman to go under four minutes in the 400m.
A magnet for camera lenses, she regularly appears on countless glossy magazine covers.
Mark Cavendish (cycling)
The Isle of Man cyclist could get the ball rolling on Britain's gold medal haul by winning the men's road race.
He has other things on his mind first, though, as he concentrates on the Tour de France in which he already owns 20 stage wins.
He became the first British cyclist to win the sprinter's green jersey outright on the Tour last year but gold will be the colour he craves once the Olympic torch is lit.
The American National Basketball Association (NBA) is to play an integral role in resurrecting the idea of a dedicated sports channel, which the SABC intends launching later this year.
After losing the rights for cricket, rugby and, most critically, the domestic soccer league to SuperSport, the SA Broadcasting Corporation is considering a fourth, sports-only channel.
It was earmarked to air in six months, said SABC head of sports Sizwe Nzimande.
“This is about catering for the sports channel so that when we do get it, we will have the right content to interest people,” he said on Tuesday, after the NBA announcement.
“We are hoping to go live on October 1.
“We showed the soccer, cricket and rugby world cups, and now have the best of the best in the NBA.”
The SABC has already broadcast three games – including the fixture between the Los Angeles Lakers and champions Dallas Mavericks two weeks ago, which reportedly attracted 2.1 million viewers.
The NBA matches will continue to be broadcast until the basketball season ends in June; the full season will be shown next year.
Nzimande was tight-lipped about the deal, but said the terrestrial channel had received a “very, very special rate” from its United States partners.
It was an amount that both felt was substantial enough to start the incubation process, Nzimande said.
“The real figure will start after the incubation, with the amount conducive for us and them.
“I want to thank the NBA and their rate that helped this deal to happen.
“Their interest was not money, it was to get the sport onscreen and give exposure to game.
“Also, the Sports Minister (Fikile Mbalula) declared basketball one of the key sports to be played in schools.”
NBA vice president for development in Africa Amadou Gallo Fall said the deal took two years to complete.
“We obviously don't disclose our financial terms, but it's a multi-year partnership that works for both parties,” he said.
“It took two years and we are glad that it's here and our fans have access to the game where the greatest athletes in the world are.”
The highly-successful league surpasses the English Premiership as the most watched sport in the world.
Fall said the NBA would play an integral role in attracting advertising income to the SABC.
“We are going to drive the initiative and get local companies to advertise with the SABC and support the sporting nation.
“With them, we feel our brand is as big as it gets.”
Nzimande saw potential growth in local basketball, encouraged by the huge television figures in the first match shown live.
The game and the local professional league took a nosedive in the mid-90s, which coincided with the broadcaster's dropping of the NBA in 1996.
“Children aspire to be soccer players like (Lionel) Messi, (Wayne) Rooney and Ronaldo because they are all that people see,” Nzimande said.
“If you go back to when it was Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal when we were growing up... The children will now get to see the likes of the Kevin Durandts and the Lebron James of this world.”
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