Local cyclist gets a year contract with Russian pros Team Katusha

Great opportunities await Willie Smit, a former resident of Lydenburg and outstanding cyclist, who has signed up with Russian pro outfit, Team Katusha Alpecin. Smit is the first South African to be contracted to the team, which competes in the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) Pro World Tour.

The 24-year-old cyclist was the 2017 African Continental champion and two-time Mpumalanga Tour winner.

According to Longtom Cycle and Sports manager and Smit’s friend, Conrad Langenegger, Smit lived in Lydenburg for ten years before moving to Mbombela.

He cycled for the SA Continental professional team for the past five years and was on a three-and-a-half season contract with the overseas Pro Continental team.

“In his time racing for Bonitas Cycling he won the 94.7 Cycle Challenge, one of SA’s biggest road races, in 2013. He wore the most aggressive jersey in the Dubai Tour in 2014, an international Pro Tour stage race in which some of the biggest professional teams were present.”

Smit was awarded this great opportunity after an aggressive World Championship race, being on the podium at this year’s SA Champs and after winning the African Champs and several races in Europe.

Team Katusha, a Russian professional team, offered Smit a one-year contract with them. Katusha participated in world tour races including the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a Espana, as well as many one-day races like Paris Roubix.

Smit said that his lifestyle broke quite a lot of relationships, due to the sacrifice and time cycling takes.

“To be honest, it is quite a selfish life. But it also taught me the greatest skills in life: working with people, sacrifice, respect, integrity, consistency. I’ve also found more time for God, probably because after a few years of cycling it makes you question everything you do. And every time I think of that, in some way it strengthens my relationship with God. That’s the number-one reason I will not use banned substances to win races,” said Smit.

His advice to young people who are trying to get into cycling is that consistency is the key. But anyone under 18 should only do it to enjoy themselves.

“Most importantly, get involved with the right people, people who know what they’re doing in terms of cycling.

There are youngsters out there I see training ten hours a week more than me, but they never improve. Something does not add up. You need the right mentorship before there can be any success on the bike,” he added.