Clube de Ciclismo de Moçambique Cycling Jerseys

Hello cyclists. I am ordering some cycling jerseys for the Clube de Ciclismo de Moçambique. If any of you are interested please contact me at mario traversi at hotmail dot com. I am taking orders until this weekend, as I must finalise with the supplier by next monday. The kit consists of:

1) Long sleeve full zip jersey
2) Short sleeve full zip jersey
3) Bib shorts with imported padding

Cost of the kit is R1300 + Vat at 14%. I will need full payment upfront as we can't cancel the order once it's in. Delivery time is 4-6 weeks, but am hoping to get the kit by September.

The kit is being produced by Panda Sportswear in Johannesburg.

A note - the last time these were ordered was in 2007, so don't dilly dally if you think you'd like a set, as once the order goes in who knows when we'll re-order.

Siteki – Mhlumeni Bicycle Race Report

14th of August 2010. Middle of winter. For many, this will be their first race of the season. For some, this is their first ride in a while.
Am I sounding melodramatic? Well, the race was anything but. The majority of the Mozambique expat cyclists joined the Swazi boys and girls for the race, and a lone Mozambican, Ricardo Trinidade was also there. The Moz crowd set out early in the morning and met on the Goba climb. Border formalities were quick, there being almost no other people at that hour. Mario and Ricky opted to leave the car at the border and cycle the 14km to the start line as a warm-up. However they weren’t expecting the wind or the rolling and rather steep hills on the Swazi side. In compensation the tarmac was an absolute pleasure.
After the formalities of signing in and getting race numbers on our bikes we assembled at the start line at the entrance to the Magandzavane Lodge, which would also serve as the finish line.
At 8:15 we were off and right from the bat there was a fast and furious pace at the front with a group of about 10 riders staying close to the pace car, and immediately created a gap with the main field behind. I managed to work my way to the front, my warm legs able to push through the heart-rate barrier.
The group of 10 started whittling down on the steep inclines and a breakaway of two managed to ride away. Soon I was in a paceline with 5 other riders chasing down the leaders, but as the km’s went on we went down from 6 o 5 and finally just 4 of us at the Goba border, where we turned around on the return leg.
The leaders were still in our sights but our group wasn’t interested in pushing too hard and we were finally joined by another group, including Ricky, who managed to bridge across to us. Now with more legs we tried to organize an assault on the lead group but only a few were really pulling turns at the front, and even when they did the pace seemed to get slower and slower. Still, we did have the wind against us, but as we neared Siteki were surprised to see the leaders speeding away in the opposite direction. They’d already reached Siteki, and we still had a way to go. The pace quickened a bit as we reached Siteki, and went around the town and rejoined the main road. The wind was now on our backs and new legs at the front really increased the pace. We were flying along in an ordered paceline. We crossed the other Maputo riders on their way into Siteki, but our concentration was now on the finish-line.
Now a word about the race distance. Some spoke of 65Km and others of 60km. In my Google measurements it looked closer to 60km, but I wasn’t sure how much the loop in Siteki would end up being.. In any event as we neared the 55km mark I though I might have a few more km’s to play with, time enough for an assault, perhaps enough to split the field and dispute the line with just one or two other cyclists. However, on a fast descent I looked up and there was the orange tent and the finishing line looming?! All of a sudden a flurry of activity as everyone kicked up a gear and cyclists started flying from all over the place. To add to the confusion a car ahead was driving along at our own speed and blocked our road, so we had to fly around it, with slower cyclists and photographers in the left safety lane and oncoming cyclists in the right lane. It was a recipe for disaster but thankfully we all made it to the finish line in one piece. One of the younger Swazis (Calvin) made it through in front of me with a powerful sprint finish, while I managed 4th, with Ricky hot on my tail in 5th. Other top 10 Maputo finishers were Chico Nobrega in 8th and Simon Wright in 9th, while Mr soon to be Bionic Ian came in a credible 17th overall and 4th in his (Methuselah) age group.

Official race results can be seen here.

Overall a very nice atmosphere, and really smooth tarmac made up for the sharp hills and wind. A word to the organisers though - photo-finish next time? Also a 1km to finish line marker would be useful. It really was a pity about the episode with the car on the finish line because otherwise traffic control was excellent the whole way, as were the water points. Last item.. a route map available on-line would be another useful addition for next year's race.

Jock Cycle Classique 2010 - Race Report

The Jock Cycle Classique is one of South Africa's oldest and toughest races. At 140km, and taking some serious mountain climbs, it is longer than the Argus, and has almost as much climbing as the Argus and the 94.7 combined! Due to lack of sponsorship though, the race looked like it would be cancelled. At the 11th hour Anabolic stepped in as the title sponsor and the show could go on. Unlike the last few years where the event was run as a single distance, the race reverted to it's original 3 stage approach. You can read a previous race report here from the 2006 Maputo contingent.

At the 2010 edition three riders from the Maputo Cycling Club took part, Mario Sauder, Matt Singleton and Mario Traversi. Both Mario's were in the same starting group while Matt was in an earlier one.
Stage 1 started in Barberton from 6:30 onwards on a cold and misty morning, with riders bundled up with layers, arm and leg warmers. There was a neutral zone for the first few km's through town, but you wouldn't have noticed it as riders raced ahead to reach the head of the peloton. Both Mario's joined up and managed to reach the head group but as soon as Hilltop Climb started, Mario Pasta, as he is affectionately known, was stumped by his lightweight wheels coupled with an 11-23 cassette... not the sort of gearing for this rather steep ascent... Needless to say he was soon dropped as more prepared cyclists sped ahead. Through sheer determination and with a painfully slow cadence (39rpm in places!) he managed to make it up the hill and then joined up with a veteran cyclist and together pushed hard on the flatter section to the finish line.
First stage results:
Matt 1:17
Mario Eisbein 1:19
Mario Pasta 1:21

At the end of the stage we were treated to a full cooked breakfast which went some way to warming us up, as we took a breather waiting for stage two

Stage 2 - At 10:30 cyclists assembled into their starting groups, the weather much warmer so arm and leg-warmers had disappeared. Again both Mario's were together and the "neutral zone" saw some pretty daring cycling as everyone raced to the front of the peloton. There was one accident, though not serious as one of the other cyclists had trouble negotiating the rumble strips. Our Maputo contingent, used to worse roads, didn't have any problems there. The first third of the race was very fast along the rolling N4 and speeds of 50km/hr were recorded, but that all changed as the lead group hit Boulders. The climb here is excruciatingly long and steep and again Mario "Pasta" had to watch in despair as all the cyclists in his group sped away and he was stuck on his 23.. The long arduous climb seemed to get longer and longer, as each turn.. showed more uphill! However the top was reached and then a fast descent towards Kapmuiden, on a series of switchbacks worthy of our own Caracol but much much longer.. Stage results were:

Matt 1:34
Mario Eisbein 1:35
Mario Pasta 1:39

After the stage we were given lunch, what the Lowvelders affactionately call pasta, but what Mario Pasta called congealed mayonaise mush. Still, it was food and fuelled the leg muscles, so all tucked in.

Stage 3 started "around" 2, but there was a lot of waiting and shuffling going on as the organisers tried to get the show on the road. This resulted in a long waiting time in the sun while the first groups made their way, and meant that cyclists at the back were feeling the heat and lack of water before they even got on their way. This stage lived up to it's fame of the toughest stage.. for it's long series of sharp short climbs with little or no downhills or flats in between. It was a constant climb for the 50km to Barberton, and the water points were a welcome oasis in the now 35 degree heat! Both Mario's again kept pace together and took turns pulling and pushing right till the end when "Pasta" broke, in the final km's of the race. Still it was a good experience riding together , as it felt more like a good ride than a race.
Stage results were:
Matt 1:48
Mario Eisbein 1:50
Mario Pasta 1:51

All in all an excellent experience, well organised (except for stage 3 wait and pushing in at the start groups) and well worth repeating. It is the toughest race so far that I've taken part in, although the Twin Peaks race in Mozambique at a similar distance is also quite difficult. Lessons learnt.. Rather heavier wheels with a wider cassette than light wheels with a 23! Till the next race report!

Copa Ciclismo - Desafio da Pedreira

The latest Copa Ciclismo event is done and dusted, and what a cracker it was. Most of the die-hard Mozambican cyclists were present, with Paulo Sales doing duty as race support and Kinha Fonseca assisting him, a back injury after falling off his MTB ruling him out of the running, and Race Comissaire Messias Langa keeping time. The race started promptly at 8:05 with a slight headwind, good weather if cool conditions. Departure was from the Total Petrol Station just after the Maputo Portagem, towards Boane and the left towards Namaacha, up the Pedreira hill, down the other side and then turning around back towards Mozal, with the final straight finishing at Shoprite in Matola for a total of 90km.
The peloton remained fairly compact in the first half hour, notwithstanding a few accelerations by Carlos Sales, trying to get them up to speed. Spots were shared up front by Mario Traversi (yours truly), Sergio Grishone and Betinho Cuambe. Rui Ferreira and Imran Akuji also did some stints at the front. By the Boane climb a few of the faces were looking strained, and just after, at Pedreira hill, the peloton finally broke as Grishone, Mario, Carlos, Ricky and Betinho powered up the hill and down the other side. After the halfway point saw some tentative attacks on the uphill, as riders tried to up the tempo, but most managed to hold on, with only Grishone the victim on that climb. Boane hill saw more attacks by Carlos, then Mario then Betinho, while Ricky was staying comfortable in the slip-stream. However no one rider seemed to have the strength to make an attack stick, as the headwind sapped the energy of each attacker. By the Matola check-point however the increased tempo saw Betinho struggling to keep up and eventually fall back, leaving a lead group of just Carlos, Ricky and Mario rounding the bend towards Mozal. Tempo varied depending on who was in front, but generally the group stayed compact until the last rise before a rapid descent and climb where Mario made his move and sped away into the blowing wind, while Ricky and Carlos argued over who should follow. After the uphill and a right turn towards EN4 saw Mario opening up the gap to around 200m, the wind now a cross-wind. Still the persuers couldn't make up their mind and Mario pushed on, managing a clean exit onto EN4 and the final 6km straight towards Shoprite with a nice tailwind. He managed to open up the gap on his persuers by over a minute and a half, and crossed the line in first place.

Final results:
1st Mario Traversi 2:49:12 (New record)
2nd Carlos Sales 2:50:47
3rd Riccardo Trinidade 2:50:53

Race diary - August

This is a new feature, outlining upcomming races for the month.

On the 8th of August we have a Copa Ciclismo event - Desafio da Pedreira - a 90km ride starting in Matola out past Boane and then finishing at Shoprite. Starts 8am at the Total petrol station right after the Matola Portagem. More info at www.copaciclismo.com

On the 14th of August we have the Interfreight's Siteki Mhlumeni Bicycle Race in Swaziland, a 60km event. There are shorter routes as well. More info at www.adventuresport.co.sz. For those who have no idea where Mhlumeni is, it's the frontier town next to Goba in Mozambique. Starting times commence from 8am onwards, depending on which distance you're doing.

Namaacha Climb and Mt Ponduine

Saturday the 1st of August was to be the last road cycle ride for Mario Sauder, our resident triathlete and sports person. To give him a good send-off we decided on a Namaacha climb, a loop of Namaacha town and attempt to cycle up to Mt.Ponduine which, at 800m, is the highest point in the Maputo Province. The participants were Jan de Jong, Carlos Sales, Mario Sauder, Matt Singleton, and yours truly, Mario Traversi.

We met at 7am at the Total petrol station on the edge of town, organised our bikes and set off on the descent to Mandevo, 15kms down the hill, and then turned around for the long tough climb. Matt was first up the hill with Mario Eisbein a minute behind and Mario Pasta a few metres behind him. Jan and Carlos arrived at a more leisurely pace. The descent and climb had taken us an hour.

Jan & Carlos arriving in Namaacha


Refuelling in Namaacha

Once we'd refuelled we set off on a loop of Namaacha town which started off with a steep descent on less than optimal asphalt and then a series of steep climbs, which splintered the group once more. The air was clean and with hardly any traffic or people, we thoroughly enjoyed the cycling. We met up at the turn-off to Monte Ponduine and cycled up to the entrance. The area belongs to TDM and has been fenced off, with a nice red sign indicating mines! Fortunately we'd be sticking to the road though. With us was Carlos Sales, and with the excuse of scouting routes for the All-Africa games in 2011, got the guard's permission to climb to the top.

Some fatigue after the Namaacha loop

Only 3 cylcists attempted the venture, and with gradients of up to 17%, there was good reason to wonder at their sanity. Matt, and the two Mario's set off and immediately the problem of the climb was apparent.. Even getting on the bikes on such a steep incline is difficult, especially with cleats. But off we went at painfully slow cadences. I felt my front wheel lift off the ground a few times in the steeper sections. However we eventually made it up to the top, and were treated to a wonderful view of the low-lying hills around Namaacha and Swaziland and South Africa, where Mt Ponduine borders.

Summiting Mt Ponduine. Maximum gradient 17%

With our photos taken by an Alcatel employee, we were off on the descent, and no easier than the climb. The centerline of the road had been cut five cm wide and at least half a metre deep for a new fibre optic cable, and the mounds of sand on the sides made negotiating the descent tricky. By the time we'd managed the descent our rims were smoking from the heat. Still, we felt good at having made it up, whether cycling or walking...

Descent. Notice cut in the road

Descent. By now the rims were smoking

After another obligatory photo session we were back onto the loop road and towards our cars at the petrol station. For the record Mario Sauder made it to the top first, with Matt a close second and myself a distant third. Overall we'd managed around 1200m of climbing for the day.. not bad for a morning's worth of cycling. I am sure we'll include Mt.Ponduine and the Namaacha loop in many future rides.

Entrance to Mt.Ponduine road

Prawn run - Pictures

Here are a few pictures from the event. The Maputo Cycling Club met the visiting cyclists at Ressano Garcia and accompanied them down to Matola in a two stage ride, from Ressano to Moamba Plaza and from there to Matola Shooting Range. The riders set off in three groups, with the youngsters up first, then intermediate cyclists and finally the supposed racing snakes. Once the first two groups were off the racers got on their way and immediately a split occurred in the field with the residents heading the field. A strong paceline composed of both Marios, Carlos and Messi (an American tourist wearing the Argentine's jersey) formed and were joined half-way by Rui Ferreira and Betinho from Clube de Ciclismo, with a strong finishing sprint at the toll-plaza of around 50km/hr!

The groups reformed at Moamba with the tourists sharing brought refreshments and snacks. After the rest the groups set out again, but this time the visitors weren't letting the residents out of their sights and for half the distance managed to keep up with the blistering pace of around 35km/hr. Perhaps the toll of too many beers the previous night hastened their fall off the back of the paceline, with Messi the only tourist to hold on almost to the finish. Patrick meanwhile made a strong showing in the second half of the run, all theway to Matola.
At the end of the ride the tourists organised a nice braai and drinks, and a lot of fun was had at the poolside. We look forward to next year's run. In the mean time here are some pics from this edition

Nature calls..

Getting ready

Nature calls.. again!

Moamba Pit-stop

Jack and the beanstalk