Telkom will increase its investment in South African cycling in 2016 with the launch of Team Telkom, a professional road and mountain bike racing team owned and managed by former cycling great, Malcolm Lange.
The team comprises seven riders, including Nolan Hoffman, South Africa’s most prolific road-and track-race winner since Lange’s retirement in 2010. Hoffman is joined by Johann Rabie, HB Kruger and David Maree, three experienced racers, with Rabie and Kruger scheduled to contest both road and mountain bike events, based on their ability to excel in both. Completing the line-up are youngsters Reynard Butler, Morné van Niekerk and Aidan van Niekerk.
As a growing sport with over 600 events on the cycling and mountain bike racing calendar, professional cycle racing remains an attractive property for corporates looking to reach business and consumer audiences.
“Cycling is a growing sport that appeals to a broad cross-section of South Africans, across all age groups, and gender and race. Telkom is proud to be associated with one of the best cycling teams in the country. Just as cyclists challenge themselves to improve their speeds and performance, Telkom is continuously looking at ways of providing consumers with better and faster technologies,” said Enzo Scarcella, Telkom’s chief marketing officer and deputy MD.
“With Team Telkom, we believe we’ve found the ideal sweet spot, where we will have a competitive presence at the front of both South African road and mountain bike races throughout the year. There will be a Team Telkom presence at the highest profile races, every month from January through to November. This will give Telkom and our support sponsors year-round exposure, which is not possible with a pure event-focused sponsorship,” said Malcolm Lange.
Former South African cycling great, Malcolm Lange (centre) welcomes some of the riders to his new professional cycling team, Team Telkom. From left are Reynard Butler, David Maree, Morne van Niekerk and Noland Hoffman. Photo supplied.
Support sponsors, Compendium Insurance Brokers and Bidvest Bank, have also committed to the team.
“We hope that through this sponsorship, we can assist the talented members of Team Telkom to reach their full potential, both nationally and internationally, while continuing to grow the sport in South Africa,” added Scarcella.
“Our road race schedule includes all three big one-day races, the Cape Town Cycle Tour, the Momentum 94.7 and the Tsogo Sun Amashova. We’ve also penned in the National Championships and all the road stage races on Team Telkom’s race calendar. It’s an ambitious project, but with our experience as Lange Sports, combined with some of the country’s finest riders, we’re confident of success,” added Lange.
“Lange Sports has always held as one of its objectives the continued support and growth of South African cycling talent. Our teams have helped to develop some exciting young racers over the past few years, particularly on the road, and they have gone on to join bigger international teams. With the support of Telkom, Bidvest Bank, Compendium Insurance Brokers and our other sponsors, we intend for this to continue through 2016 and beyond,” said Lange.
