Local cycling legend Gwyn gears up for international success

Could 2017 be the year of Gwyn Pine?

The local cycling legend has put many hard kilometres, training determinedly towards the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) Gran Fondo World Championships in Albi, France this August.

His season to date shows Gwyn is in the prime of his cycling career.

“I’m at about the same level and slightly better than the same time last year. I feel healthy and more motivated.”

Gwyn’s year began early with the Natal Championships in January.

He won the time trial event and achieved second place in the road race, and felt momentum was on his side ahead of the National Championships the next month.

However, Gwyn had to quickly overcome some new obstacles.

He went into the competition as defending champion, and worked himself up to within 20 metres of his minute-man and closest contender.

“On the climb, my bicycle chain dropped and I couldn’t help it back on. I had to stop and make repairs; it was my first mechanical issue.”

Although poised to retain his title, the chain drop relegated Gwyn to second place overall, trailing the leader by just 40 seconds.

This was the first in five years he did not claim the national title.

“I was disappointed. Winning is important, but at least I learned from it and recorded the second-fastest time on the circuit.”

In March, Gwyn put his disappointment aside and won the Midmar Compendium in Pietermaritzburg, continuing to build up successes both locally and in other provinces.

His main focus is now the World Championships.

Gwyn claimed second place in Australia in 2016, adding to his impressive international resume of a fourth place and podium finish over the past few years.

“I’m going well and am motivated. I do three time trials a week to get comfortable with the bicycle.”

South African cyclists in general have a tough time of qualifying for the World Championships, as there is no official qualifying event on local shores.

Instead, there are only two avenues for hopefuls to take.

The first is to win the National Championships, and the other is to have finished in the top three at the previous year’s World Championships.

Fortunately, Gwyn has one of these in the bag.

“With my silver from last year, I was of only 20 wild card entries from South Africa.”

With just six weeks remaining, Gwyn is aware the defending world champion enjoys home-field advantage this year, and understood the vast gap between national and international competition.

However, he will embark on training this weekend to close that gap.

Gwyn is set to join his Bluff Meat Supply cycling teammates at an extensive session in Durban, an opportunity to weigh up his skills against equally determined riders.

“The camp should help me go from good to great. The Durban camp is full of guys hungry to excel at Worlds. It’s easier to chase than to be chased,” he concluded.