Terry, Smit to take on the world
Local cyclists, Willie Smith (RoadCover) and Ryan Terry (Team Infinita) have been selected to represent South Africa at the 90th edition of the UCI Road World Championships to be held in Bergen, Norway this September.
Road Cycling Director of South Africa and coach of Team Infinita, Bosseau Boshoff will travel with the team as manager.
“I always knew that Ryan had the potential to be a world-class rider, and he has really worked with the rest of the team to make the final squad. It is a great opportunity for him as he will gain valuable experience for next year’s season,” said Boshoff.
Smit is currently riding in the Tour of Ethiopia while Ryan, a product of Uplands College, recently returned from a 21-day tour that consisted of nine races in Europe.
“When I look at my season’s results so far, I feel they are pretty constant. But being a first-year junior, I didn’t really expect to be selected for the road and time-trial championships. I am really excited to be racing with the world’s best,” said Ryan.
The 2017 Worlds will start on September 17, with the men and women’s team time trial, followed by the time-trial events and the road races.
The men’s road race is the final event on the schedule, taking place on Sunday, September 24 over 276,5 kilometres. The elite men’s road race is the longest since 1981 when Prague hosted the event.
The most eye-catching of the courses in Bergen is the men’s time trial, which sees the riders finish atop the 3,4-kilometre high Mount Floyen. The climb features gradients of 10 per cent with the 31-kilometre course the shortest in the event’s history.
The road races will take place on a 19,1 kilometre loop, borrowing roads from the time-trial course, with Salmon Hill sure to test the legs following repeat ascents. The men will complete 12 laps of the course and the elite women will ride eight.
