There is life after Wynand de Villiers.
De Villiers’ company, De Villiers Cycling, was liquidated three months ago after his Afrikaans music concerts ended in a fiasco.
It was his Theuns Jordaan tribute concert in particular that upset some Afrikaans singers, including Bok van Blerk and Kurt Darren.
Then his Steve Hofmeyr concert, which was supposed to take place in Cape Town, was also cancelled.
Cycle races cancelled
The De Villiers dominoes then fell, with the Montecasino, Tour du Cap, and Emperors Palace cycle races being cancelled.
Thousands, if not millions, of rands worth of entry fees were lost by cyclists.
Hopes that they would be refunded were rekindled after the liquidators provided an email address where claims could be sent.
So far, those who lost their money have not even received confirmation of their claim, and it appears they will have to write off up to R2 000 per cyclist.
Successful RideJoburg
In the meantime, road cycling has been revived with a successful RideJoburg, while Eduard Prinsloo has hosted several successful races at Rooiwal.
Lenie Smit of Lenick Promotions has also seen a gap and is hosting a Touching Hearts race at Rooiwal on November 22, where cyclists have the opportunity to share their Christmas joy with the less fortunate.
Participants are requested to empty their closets and take unnecessary clothes, shoes, or anything that will make someone’s heart happy to the start at the Grootvlei Hervormde Kerk Rooiwal.
There are distances of 26km, 50km, and 95km, and registration can be done at the start.
More races
Lenick Promotions is also hosting the Ditsong Willem Prinsloo Museum race on January 31 next year.
Cyclists can choose between 57km and 90km.
On December 6, the last Rooiwal Challenge race will be presented, with the Radsport Cycle Classic, with distances again from 26km, 52km, and 95km.
The race serves as seeding for 2026’s RideJoburg.
Middelburg cyclists dare the long road on Saturdays, sometimes to Duvha and this time to Wonderfontein and back to Middelburg.
