Silver medallist Hoffman, who rides for the Durban-based Tasol GT Pro Cycling Team, achieved a massive goal when he gave the performance of his life in the 15km Scratch race in Melbourne, Australia last week at the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, finishing a very close second to the newly crowned world champion Ben Swift (GBR).
Compatriot Bernard Esterhuizen also represented South Africa and delivered a solid performance in the Sprint qualifying event, setting a national record of 10.234seconds to finish 32nd out of 53 starters, however only the fastest 24 riders qualify for the event proper.
The 19-year-old also participated in the 1km Time Trial where he recorded his second fastest time ever of 1 min 02.915 seconds, just outside his recently set national record, to finish in 14th position; a credible performance given that it is only his 2nd World Championship event. Esterhuizen blistered around the track and recorded the fastest splits for the first two laps, but then faded towards the end.
Originally from Durban, Esterhuizen has spent the better part of 2011 and this year at the UCI World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland where he is being groomed for the 2016 Olympic Games.
Proud Cycling SA Team Manager William Newman (Cycling SA Vice President) was ecstatic with the performances of the weekend: “Nolan has proven that he is world-class and all of Australia are raving about his performance. We have shown what we are capable of with limited resources. We now need to build on this and ensure that we get results consistently in the future. Nolan is obviously ecstatic about his performance – he has done us all proud!”
Hoffman will not be going to the Olympics however because the Scratch race in which he won the silver medal is not an Olympic event. Nolan has focused his training on the Scratch event and not the Omnium, which is the Olympic event.
“According to current standings, Nolan has not qualified for the Omnium, which is a specialist event,” continued Newman. “Bernard is the only rider to have qualified for the Sprint.”
Esterhuizen has qualified for the 2012 London Olympics in the Sprint track cycling discipline via the necessary UCI World Cups and World Championship races, but CyclingSA are still waiting for SASCOC to ratify his selection on the Olympic team.
“Until we have team confirmation from SASCOC, Bernard will continue his preparations as if he will be on the London Olympics start list,” said Newman.
Next on the cards for Hoffman will be the local 2012 SA Track Cycling Championships, which takes place in Pietermaritzburg from 26th to 30th April. Esterhuizen has returned to Aigle to continue his training regime for the London Olympics.
Click here to view the race video where Nolan Hoffman claims second place: 15km Scratch UCI Track Cycling World Champs: http://www.sbs.com.au/
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