While most students were focusing on lectures and assignments at the end of September, young cyclists from across South Africa were preparing for one of the country’s key youth cycling competitions in Oudtshoorn.
The SA Youth Road Cycling, Criterium and Time Trial Championships, presented by Eden Cycling, took place from 24 to 27 September and brought together riders in age categories from u11 to u17 for three days of competition.
The championships offered more than a weekend of racing. They provided an opportunity to see the level of competition within the sport and the development of young riders who could eventually move into senior and elite cycling. The competition began with the criterium races on Friday, 25 September, at the VG Church Hall in Bridgton. Riders then competed over short, fast races, with the U17 categories racing for 25 minutes plus one lap.
Saturday shifted the focus to individual performance, with the time trials taking place at Highgate Ostrich Show Farm. The U17 categories covered 20km, while younger riders raced distances between 9.2km and 15km. The championships finished on Sunday with the road races. The U17 riders faced the biggest challenge of the weekend, with both the boys’ and girls’ races covering 80km. Furthermore, U15 riders had to race over 60km, while U13 and U11 riders covered 30km and 20km respectively.
For university students who already participated in cycling, the event offered a chance to follow emerging riders and understand the competitive pathway within the sport. It also raised questions about how accessible cycling is to young South Africans and what support riders need to continue competing as they progress through different age groups. Unlike sports such as football and rugby, cycling often requires athletes to have access to expensive equipment, transport and organised training.
The championships also included a Para Blind Division, which competed over 30km in Sunday’s road race. Para-cycling riders received championship medals and jerseys regardless of the number of competitors in their category. The event was run according to Union Cycliste International (UCI) and Cycling South Africa rules. Riders had to be members of Cycling South Africa and belong to an affiliated club to qualify for a championship podium position.
As the championships rolled into Oudtshoorn, the riders were chasing medals and championship jerseys. But for some, the bigger goal may be discovering whether cycling can take them from youth competition to the next level of the sport.
