NICHOLAS de Bruin (9) of Umtentweni is a young cycling talent on the rise. He is currently racing in the U10 age group, referred to as the nipper category.
There’s no doubt that his inspiration is the late Burry Stander and Nicholas always races in white cycling shoes, just like his hero Burry did.
His main focus has been mountain biking but he has also been doing some road racing.
On January 11, he won round one of the KZN provincial cross-country series held at Hammarsdale.
Earlier in the year, Nicholas was watching Supercycling when it was announced that the SA Road Championships were being held in Durban.
He reminded his father Darren that his older brother Dominic had a road bike and he said he would like to enter the SA Champs and ride his brother’s bike.
He first raced on the road at the KZN Road Champs and on January 18 he won the KZN time trial and the KZN road race and was able to race with the older children.
On February 4, he competed in the SA time trial and came third. On February 7 he competed in the SA road race and won, receiving the winner’s jersey which was presented to him by Darryl Impey, who had worn the yellow jersey during the 2013 Tour de France.
On February 15 he won the second round of the KZN cross-country provincial series held at Giba Gorge bike park.
On March 1 he won round three of the KZN cross-country provincial series held at Cascades, Pietermaritzburg, the venue for the upcoming UCI World Cup.
Last Saturday, he won round one of the South African Cup cross-country series, also at Cascades.
Nicholas has the nickname of ‘Pocket Rocket’ because when he started riding he would hold onto his father’s back pocket and be towed up some of the hills.
He has however, quickly developed into a bit of a rocket and can now be seen pushing dad up some of the very steep hills!
