Gillitts family due to ride Amashova cycle race together
The Van der Lindes cycle together whenever the opportunity arises, and now that their youngest son, Lachlan, is old enough to participate in the Amashova, this will be their first family cycle race.
GILLITTS resident Riaan van der Linde and all his family members will be riding the Amashova for the first time, now that the youngest son, Lachlan, is old enough to compete in the shortest distance of 38km.
Riaan, his wife Mari, and sons Christiaan (17), Jordaan (13) and Lachlan (9) are excited to participate in the Tsogo Sun Amashova Durban Classic cycle race on October 23. The Van der Linde siblings attend the local high, senior primary and junior primary schools respectively.
Van der Linde said, “Christiaan and I will be cycling the 106km together, although Mr Rocket leaves me behind after 50km. This will be his second long cycle after the Tour Durban which he finished in 3 hours and 20 minutes. His goal is to beat that time in the Amashova.”
ALSO READ: Cowies Hill scouts donate Ecobricks to the litter-boom project
The two younger boys are cycling the 38km distance with their mother.
Father and son began riding together when Christiaan was just 12, the same age Van der Linde was when he cycled his first Cape Town Cycle Tour with his mother. The oldest Van der Linde son is already a dedicated cyclist, training daily from 04:00, with the ambition of being a professional sportsman in the future.
The parents say that they are nurturing their son’s passion ‘in any way they can’ and that they arranged for his hero, Louis Meintjies, the South African who won Stage Nine of the Tour de France 2022, to message Christiaan on his birthday.
Van der Linde feels that the sport and the Amashova cycling race are a great choice for a family experience.
“This race is something the whole family can ride – it’s tough but it’s a good ride, and I reckon it’s a bit more challenging than the Cape Town Cycle Tour. It’s just nice to be riding with the boys,” says Van der Linde.
ALSO READ: Highway Mail 14 October 2022
Originally from Durbanville in the Western Cape, the family prioritises time in the outdoors: they cycle or play soccer in the afternoons after school, and cycle again on the weekends with their club called East Coast Cycling.
“We joined the club as I felt I was holding Chris back and couldn’t teach him more. The club, with more than 400 members, is known as the friendliest club in Durban, and they arrange rides from the beachfront to Ballito, Scottburgh, Cowies Hill or Winston Park. They have senior riders with every group, and everyone starts together and ends the ride together. No one is left behind.”
Van der Linde says that if he and his oldest son train together, they will do a 25km loop from their home to Watercrest Mall or a longer distance to Cato Ridge, Inchanga or Camperdown.
Tips for a smooth Amashova race include staying hydrated, as riding in the valleys beyond Hillcrest can be hot and uncomfortable, hugging the shade wherever possible, and most importantly, only riding to 80% of your maximum capacity so you don’t wear yourself out.
Van der Linde feels the benefits of cycling are many.
“I think everybody should cycle. Cycling has been good father-son time for us, and you learn important life lessons – if you want something, you have to work for it; things are never just given to you, and you have to grit your teeth to get through the tough parts.”
Enquiries: East Coast Cycling Durban on FB.
For more from the Highway Mail follow us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also follow us on Instagram
