PHALABORWA – Local cycling enthusiasts, Welcome Khoza and Lucas Malatji, took part in the Joburg Ride 94.7 over the weekend, showcasing their endurance and passion for the sport.

Khoza completed the challenging race in 03:50:02, maintaining an average speed of 25.5km/h. He told the Herald he was excited about improving his performance.

“It’s all about breaking records” – Khoza

“This is the biggest cycling race in the country, and I’m happy to have taken part for the fifth time,” Khoza said.

“I managed to improve my previous time by 15 minutes. It wasn’t easy, but I kept pushing because I told myself that this time I wanted to go all out and get the best results. From now on, there’s no turning back; it’s all about breaking more records.

“Of course, it takes a lot of practice and training, which can be hard to find time for. My name and my friends’ names are now on the Wall of Fame for the Joburg Ride 94.7. I’m grateful to God for giving me the strength and another chance to do this.”

“It was a tough one”- Malatji

Malatji crossed the finish line in 04:30:00. Although he faced some challenges, he was proud to have completed the race.

“It was a tough one for me because I didn’t have much time to train,” Malatji explained. “The warm weather also made it difficult, but I’m glad I was able to finish. After the race, we met up with other cyclists from Limpopo and had a great time catching up.”