Talented veteran cyclist aims for two wins at aQuellé Tour Durban

DURBAN resident Joanna Van De Winkel will be aiming for a repeat double when she tackles two events at the aQuellé Tour Durban weekend on April 20 and 21 – but she is still not sure which two races she will take part in.

The introduction of a gravel race at this year’s event, for the first time, means the versatile rider has to make a decision regarding that or the mountain bike event for Saturday’s off-road action. There is, however, no doubt that the 2023 and 2024 road race winner will be aiming for three title wins in a row at Sunday’s tar event.

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“I still have to choose between the mountain bike and gravel,” said Van De Winkel. “I might still choose the gravel on Saturday and, obviously, will be in the road race on Sunday.”

The talented veteran of the South African road-racing scene is, however, sure she wants to step onto the top of the podium twice over the weekend. “I am certainly going to try to win two in the weekend again.

“I think the mountain bike is always a little bit more challenging for me – depending if Francis (Janse van Rensburg) or Hayley Smith or Tyler Jacobs enter because my technical skills aren’t as good as theirs. I’ve put in the training for the road racing, so I’m hoping that will hold me in good stead to, at least, be strong enough, and the MTB race is not a super technical course,” she said.

The Cycle Nation team rider said she is excited to do a race in her home territory again, and she is going to obviously try to win the road race on Sunday. “I don’t know, at this stage, if I will have any teammates with me for the road.”

For the 2012 Olympic team member, the beauty of the route and the atmosphere of the weekend make the event a must-do for her and her family.

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“It’s a beautiful race along the coast of KZN, so I really enjoy that route,” said Van De Winkel. “It’s also nice to get the roads to ourselves with full road closure for a change.

“But it is also a nice family weekend for us. My kids will race, as well, on the Saturday, and then, I’ll race on Saturday and Sunday – it is really a whole family event with all of us racing: my husband, my kids and myself.”

The event takes place on the weekend of April 20–21, with race registration on April 19 and 20 at Cornubia Mall.

The aQuellé Tour Durban MTB, powered by Cycle Lab (1 gravel and 3 x mountain bike races) and aQuellé Tour Durban Trail (3 x trail runs) have all their races on Saturday, April 20, near Cornubia Mall. The three road races on Sunday, April 21, will be held predominantly on the M4 between Moses Mabhida Stadium and Mdloti.

Entries are available at www.roag.org. For more information, visit https://tourdurban.co.za/, and to enter, go to https://roag.org/events/event-info/4097/aquelle-tour-durban

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