Alberton’s cyclists shine with double gold at Gauteng Cycling Championships

The Provincial Cycling Championships 2025 played out at the notorious Ertjies Berg circuit in Linda Q drift, named after legendary cyclist Ertjies Bezuidenhoudt.

The two-day event saw local para-cycling hero Gavin Kilpatrick and his fearless pilot, Roberto Gnudi from Panda Sport, dominate the competition.

Kilpatrick and Gnudi blitzed through the 27.2km road time trial course in 43:47 seconds, taking the overall best time and the gold medal in their category on January 18.

Second place went to another home-grown Albertonian, Brett Strydom, and his pilot, Francois Le Grange.

Day two proved to be a demanding test for the big tandems when they faced the daunting Ertjies Berg ascent no less than three times during their 81km road race.

In a historic first for SA provincial championship history, all para-cyclists competing at the event were batched with the masters and junior ladies categories, creating a large and competitive starting group of over 60 riders.

Kilpatrick and Gnudi launched a high-speed downhill attack from the middle of the pack, establishing a one-minute time gap before the first ascension of the demanding climb.

A small group managed to ride off the front of the chasing bunch and made contact with the breakaway tandem halfway up the climb.

The group worked well together, forcing the tandem to put serious effort into bridging the gap.

“It was a tough race, but we knew we had the legs to do it. Robert and I have been training hard, and it paid off,” said Kilpatrick.

Once they had closed the 30-second advantage, Kilpatrick and Gnudi launched a second counter-attack on the leading bunch, which included another para-cyclist, Lionel Scholtz.

The tactic was to open a small buffer to allow them to climb the monster at a slightly reduced pace, staying in contention for the remainder of the lap and the final stretch.

The chasing pack, including Scholtz, closed the advantage and opened another gap on the tandem over the climb.

Kilpatrick and Gnudi had to work hard to bridge the deficit, but their experience and teamwork paid off.

On the final lap, the tandem launched a rocket to create a buffer for the climb, and although the ladies reeled them in and gained a small advantage, Kilpatrick and Gnudi dug deep and close the gap.

The stage was set for an exciting sprint finish, and Team GR’s combined 50 years of racing experience between them was put to the test.

They fired up the afterburners when they sprinted to victory, winning the 81km event in style and claiming their second gold for the weekend.

As Kilpatrick and Gnudi look to the national championships and the Dis-Chem Ride for Sight events, they continue to build a team of blind and visually impaired cyclists, encouraging others to join this movement.