Cyclist from Standerton wins SA Cycling Championship

Nadia Stuckler reached new heights in the cycling world when she claimed the South African Road Cycling Championship title on February 7.

Stuckler grew up in the Western Cape and moved to Standerton in 2014 when her husband, Wolfgang, took on a new job opportunity.

She began her cycling journey only three years ago, and it has already become second nature to her.

“Sometimes I wonder what I did with my time before I began cycling,” Stuckler said.

She devotes most of her time to training. However, despite her dedication to cycling, she also cares for her eight-year-old son. Fortunately, he takes after her and thoroughly enjoys riding his bicycle alongside her.

“Though he does not enjoy the incredibly long tracks I endure for training, he enjoys cycling on a smaller scale,” Stuckler added.

Her husband is supportive of her passion and shares in her successes. Initially, Stuckler started her journey with mountain biking and did not originally plan to participate in road biking.

“Road biking is more competitive and fast-paced than mountain biking; the cultures are completely different between the two groups,” she explained.

She believes it is important to participate in various types of cycling to ensure broader proficiency in the sport. Before her victory at the SA Championships, Stuckler took part in several races to prepare.

She secured second place in her first gravel bike race. Stuckler still finds it hard to believe that she holds the SA Championship title.

“I think I’m only starting to realise it as time goes by,” she said.

She described the moment she crossed the finish line as being even better than winning the lottery. During the SA Championships weekend, she earned a bronze medal in the time trial, completing 15.23 km in 23:05.

She attributes her success to hours of intensive training and hard work.

She follows a strict weekly training programme, alternating between sessions at the cycling studio and outdoor rides through town.

Stuckler’s favourite strength-training tool is kettlebells, an old Russian method of training. She explained that her cycling journey has positively impacted her health.

“I never went for regular check-ups before I started cycling. It has motivated me to ensure my health is in good condition at all times,” she added.

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However, she acknowledged that one of the challenges of competitive cycling is handling disappointment when things do not go as planned.

“You work very hard to get somewhere. You live for the next race and practice it 40 times before race day, but something can go wrong at any second,” she said.

She credits much of her success to her trainer, Bennie Kemp, and considers herself fortunate to have a caring and dedicated coach.

According to Stuckler, she is naturally impatient and wants to excel at cycling from the very beginning.

She explained that Kemp humbled her and continued to support her through every competition. Stuckler’s next challenge is the Cape Town Cycle Tour (CTCT).