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Simba Jemwa, Chronicle Correspondent
TOP Bulawayo cycling club, Unimills-Hokoyo have endorsed the possibility of a rider doing 1 000km in the time claimed by the South Africa-based rider Meli Ndlovu.
Meli cycled from Midrand, South Africa to Bulawayo in 48 hours sparking debate about whether it is feasible to cycle such a distance in those hours.
So loud was the noise especially on social media that Ndlovu challenged any one to race him to Maphisa or Gwanda.
“All those that are doubting can make a date. We can cycle to Gwanda or Maphisa for me to just show people what this bike can do,” said Ndlovu reacting to people doubting he could cycle such as distance in 48 hours.
Now pro-cycling club Unimills-Hokoyo have decided to wade into the debate and have chosen to take up his challenge and race Ndlovu.
Unimills-Hokoyo team principal, Davies Muhambi said his team was ready to race Ndlovu over any distance he chooses out of respect for him as a rider and not to prove him wrong or right.
He said it was possible to cycle the distance Meli says he did in the time he says he did it.
“Ours is a professional cycling club and when we read about his achievement, we were extremely impressed. Such rides are more of a mental than a physical challenge, though extremely physically challenging.
We have taken note of his challenge and we decided to take up the challenge as fellow cyclists in the spirit of sportsmanship and for the good of the sport,” said Muhambi.
He said it is indeed humanly possible to cycle the distance he says he did in the time he says he did it. “Whether or not he actually did it is not for us to debate. We would however, certainly want to get on our bikes and race him to either Maphisa, Gwanda or to anywhere on this planet for that matter. After all, we are all riders and the passion for cycling is what brings us together as one people.”
Meli yesterday said he was still in the country and was looking forward to discuss with Unimills-Hokoyo cycling club on the possibility of a race.
Team Unimills-Hokoyo’s assessment of Meli’s claims have been given credence while debate continues about the South Africa-based cyclist feat.
A cursory research suggests that this feat has been accomplished before, save for the time it took to complete the ride.
In July this year, Austrian ultra-cyclist Christoph Strasser obliterated the previous record, covering 1 026,2 km at a mind-blowing average speed of 42,75 km/h.
He set a new 24-hour world record on the road, travelling a staggering 1 026,215 kilometres (637,66 miles) which equates to an equally staggering average speed of 42,75 km/h (26,56 mph) over the day long ride. — @RealSimbaJemwa
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