When the Bestmed Tshwane Classic organisation received a special letter from promising 10-year-old Pretoria cyclist, Malcolm Mostert, two weeks prior to the race, it set in motion a series of events which made the dedicated young man very happy on race day.

Malcolm who, according to his mum, “eats, sleeps and thinks cycling”, wrote a letter to the organisation enquiring whether they would allow him to sell his clay for R5 a packet at the race, which took place last weekend.

He had received a donation of clay and was selling it wherever he got the opportunity to raise funds to buy himself a mountain-bike.

Through doing odd jobs and selling his clay, he had already raised enough cash to buy himself a road bike (for R2500) and now his focus was on a mountain-bike.

Tshwane Classic organiser Mauritz Meyer didn’t allow him to come to the Voortrekker Monument to sell his clay. Instead he phoned up race sponsor Solomons Cycles, and Solomons’ Arshad Dockrat agreed to donate a bike to the organisation so that they could surprise Malcolm on race day.

Malcolm is passionate about cycling and says it’s the big motivator in his life, helping him to keep going in difficult circumstances.

Courtesy of Solomons Cycles generosity, Malcolm was called up to the stage during prize giving at the Voortrekker Monument last Sunday and handed his brand new Valenti mountain bike. To top things off, Stevens Mokgalapa, the Executive Mayor of Tshwane, did the handover.

Malcolm broke down in tears. His mum knew about the planned donation, but he was none the wiser.

It was a wonderful cherry on the cake to Solomons involvement in Pretoria’s signature mass participation ride, but the retailer’s development work doesn’t stop there.

Solomons is also assisting a group of young black riders from Soshanguve.

Dockrat has approached Hectic Promotions to allow the youngsters free entry into the Joburg Classic, Diamond Classic, Bestmed Cycle4CANSA and Bestmed Tshwane Classic for next year. The organisation agreed and now they are working towards getting themselves ready for these races next year.

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