Road cycling returns to the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal after a long break when the inaugural Nozulu Durban to Port Shepstone race takes place this Sunday (18th).

The 124km route offers rolling road closure for the cyclists which means there will be some disruption to the early morning traffic along the R102 between Durban and Port Shepstone. The race finishes on the Port Shepstone beachfront.

Most roads will be closed more than an hour before the first rider is expected and will then be re-opened after the last rider and sweep vehicles have passed.

The field for the 124km race is headlined by young Team Qhubeka pro Travis Stedman, the 94.7 Ride Joburg winner in 2021.

After his win in arguably South Africa’s most competitive road race, the 20-year-old Durban rider has been building experience with some international stage races, including a few top 10 and top 20 finishes in stages on the Tour of Britain, Tour de l’Avenir and Tour of Sicily and other one-day classics.

The route for next weekend’s Nozulu Durban to Port Shepstone event follows the R102 and after an early 05:00 start, riders will face an undulating route which is littered with short, punchy climbs.For South Coast residents, the route will be closed at least an hour before the first riders are expected to reach points along the route and so there is likely to be some disruption to traffic along the R102.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram