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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
SIXTY-TWO cyclists, six of them female, have come together to race for one purpose in the grueling 300km annual Tour de Great Dyke.
There is no winner to be crowned at the end of this three-day event which kicked-off at the ZimPlats Complex in Selous yesterday and expected to end tomorrow at the Wedza Complex in Zvishavane.
Eighty-one-year-old Wilson Boka, who has loads of experience, is the oldest racer while Nkulumo Dube, one of the best cyclists in the country, is helping out supervising his colleagues on the road.
The riders were expected to put off in Kwekwe last night before they proceed to Shurugwi today where they will spend the night before wrapping the journey tomorrow.
The tour is organised by YAFM in association with different mining companies like Zimplats, Mimosa and Unki with Exide Batteries Zimbabwe and Nedbank being some of the major sponsors.
In a statement, event director, Gabriel Choga, the tour is designed to promote wellness.
“The tour is divided into three laps, namely the Zimplats lap from Selous to Kwekwe, the Unki lap from Kwekwe to Shurugwi and the Mimosa lap from Shurugwi to Zvishavane.
The Nedbank Tour de Great Dyke is a platform for miners in the Great Dyke to promote wellness and appreciate the fact that they are custodians of a precious resource which they can use to support those that are in need,” he said.
“Through Gifted Children Foundation the tour seeks to empower talented and yet vulnerable children in the Great Dyke. To date over 100 children at various stages of learning from primary to tertiary education have been supported.
“As the cyclists traverse the Great Dyke, the need for environmental sustainability will also be promoted. The Great Dyke is home to Platinum Group Metals producers Mimosa, Zimplats and Unki.
“Nedbank which has established presence in multiple continents in the world, has come on board this year as title sponsor to give prominence to mining wellness, environmental sustainability and charity.”
Zimplats head of communications Hama Saburi hailed the cyclists.
Online Reporter