Sundaymail Editor
Tinashe Kusema
Deputy Sports Editor
THE Tour de Great Dyke might be a far cry from some of the world’s top races like the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia or the Vuelta a España, but that has not stopped the local cycling community from going crazy about the event’s meteoric rise during its short history.
Launched in 2016 to promote the environment and raise awareness on investment opportunities in the Great Dyke geological complex, the 300km race has grown in leaps and bounds.
And now, the 2022 edition of the race comes with one notable change – the arrival of Nedbank Zimbabwe as one of the title sponsors.
“The coming in of Nedbank is a huge milestone for the race,” said event director Gabriel Choga.
“They are not only big in Zimbabwe; they are big in South Africa and also support cycling there.
“As a big institution and international bank, there are a lot of things they look at before they partner with anyone on any event.
“I am happy to say they looked at those things and saw the importance of this event.
“We met their expectations and passed the test,” he said.
Although Choga was there at the inception of the event in 2016, he has never really taken part in the race itself.
While cycling is his passion, he views himself as more of a “Jose Mourinho” type of person in that he has not let his lack of first-hand experience stop him from contributing from the sidelines.
“My history and contributions to this event have taken many forms over the years, starting at the race’s inception back in 2016, where I was just supporting with marketing issues,” he said.
“A couple of years later, shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic, I moved away for a bit as I had been employed by one of the leading software development companies in the country, where I was a project manager.
“The experience I gained helped me a lot in my current role as I was able to fuse my marketing, the business development and managerial sides into one product.
“Here I am now today as the event director for this race.”
The 2022 edition of the Nedbank Tour de Great Dyke is slated for October 27 to 29, with over 100 cyclists expected to take part.
The 300km race, whose theme is ‘Riding for Sustainability’, will see both professional and amateur cyclists ride from the Zimplats Complex in Selous and pass through Chegutu, Kadoma, Kwekwe and Shurugwi, then end in Zvishavane on the third day.
“We have a few days to go before the race, and the preparations have been smooth,” added Choga.
“We have received tremendous support from the corporate world and from mining companies in the Great Dyke area, who are bringing in their cyclists.
“We have cyclist from the likes Unki, Zimplats, Mimosa, Murowa Diamonds and Sabi Gold, who have all confirmed that they will send their riders for the race.
“We also expect some South African riders, through our title sponsor.
“Towns and cities on our route have been very helpful and cooperative. This is also true of the police and municipal authorities, who have given us the required clearances for the race,” he said.
Online Reporter