EMMANUEL OLUSEGUN
As UP’s premier cycling club, TuksCycling offers students the opportunity to be part of the university’s cycling community. Perdeby recently contacted club chairman Sean Attridge to discuss the club’s current activities, student membership, and plans for the future.
For the readers who do not know much about TuksCycling, tell us more about the club.
TuksCycling is the official cycling club of the University of Pretoria. We have two main branches to our club, the club and group riding side as well as the racing side. Both are instrumental in the success of the club as a whole. The main function of the club is to bring people together to ride their bikes and have fun doing it.
Is the club open to students and lecturers?
The club is currently made up primarily of students, but it is open to […]students, lecturers and alumni.
What would you say have been the club’s greatest achievements in the past five to ten years?
The club has had riders go on to compete on the world stage, and race in events like the Tour de France while being extremely competitive at that level. TuksCycling has always been a force to be reckoned with at the annual USSA tour. Some of our greatest achievements include winning the overall title in 2013 in the men’s section, and the women’s title as recently at 2016. Personally I see our greatest achievement being the over ten-fold increase in our membership numbers this year.
What would you say to convince a student interested in cycling to join TuksCycling?
Cycling is an amazing sport, it comes in so many different disciplines. No matter your ability, there is a place for you in the cycling world. It is also a rapidly growing sport and is a great way to meet new people and just have fun. TuksCycling can be the place for you to find the joy of riding a bike.
How do aspiring members contact the club to become members?
Any aspiring members can contact me. My contact details can be found on the TuksCycling webpage.
Is the club present on any social media platform?
We operate primarily from the TuksSport social media account, but you can also follow us on Instagram, just look for Gauteng student cycling.
What events remain on the club’s 2017 calendar?
Our focus has shifted to mountain biking for this part of the year. We are very excited to be taking part in the inaugural Student Cup. This is a new series driven by TuksCycling, which consists of three races in the cross country format of racing. The first event took place last Sunday (13 August). We will also be sending a men’s and women’s team to the Varsity MTB stage race which takes place in Franschhoek at the end of September. You will also see us flying the Tuks flag at the many races across the country this year.
For students, lectures and Alumni looking for a biking club to call their own, TuksCycling provides the perfect platform for a unique individual and team biking experiences, both on and off the road.
Image: TuksSport Facebook
