Saturday, April 21, 2012

CopaCiclismo 2012 - Jerseys

COPACICLISMO!  Here are the jerseys for this year's competition, kindly sponsored by PANDA Sports (www.pandasport.co.za).  They have produced the Club jerseys for a number of years and also the National team kit, and are now a partner of the Copa. Thanks Roberto!


YELLOW JERSEY
The Yellow Jersey - this is the prize for the rider with the largest number of points after the last Copa Ciclismo race (23rd of September).
The Copa is made up of 16 races but only the best 10 results are counted for the cup - so for those of you who missed the first 4 races you're still in time to take part and possibly win this jersey!


2011- Miguel Duarte
2010- Mario Traversi
2009- Imran Akuji
2008- Imran Akuji
2007- Alvaro Alves da Cunha
2006- Alvaro Alves da Cunha

Current leader of the COPA2012 is Miguel Duarte. Will he be able to maintain his lead up until the end of the year? Or will there be surprises in the next races, with the upcomming new generation of cyclists?



GREEN JERSEY
The Green jersey is given to the best SPRINTER. Some races will have intermediate and finishing sprint points that will go to this classification. The 2010 and 2011 editions were won by Mario Traversi (thats me!). Will he (I) manage the triple? Is someone else interested in winning this category? If so, then all you need to do is be at the start line of the next 11 races of the Cup. I'll be waiting.



POLKA DOT JERSEY
The red and white jersey, in the style of the Tour de France, is given to the best climber that is able to hoover up the points for the climbs. In 2010 it was won by Mario Traversi but in 2011 we had a surprise with Mathieu Destrooper who managed to win enough points in the last climbing race to "steal" the jersey from the two leaders in this category. This year we have various climbing Classics, and a new race, Mount Ponduine, which finishes in a climb. It will be these races which will probably decide the winner of this jersey. Want to take part? Just lose some weight, train on the Caracol... and most importantly.. PARTICIPATE in the next races!



WHITE JERSEY
The White jersey goes to the best young rider of 2012 who is 22 years old or less. Last year this category was won by Gustavo da Silva, the rider who at the beginning of the year spoke more with his mount than with his legs, but by the end of it shut up and started making it onto the podium and finally winning a race. He then went on to take part in the African Games as part of the Mozambique team, and now I have it on good authority that he's gaining weight to take part in the World Downhill Championships, where weight is even more important than your mouth. Jokes aside.. this year e have a crop of new cyclists that are starting to show themelves in the Cup, such as Bruno Sousa, and another who is training hard on the Caracols but has yet to make it to the start line, Alberto Junior. Other riders would like to take part, but don't have racing bikes (Isaac Cossa). We hope to have more competition in this category, because it is here that we will find the champions of the future. Hopefully the Club, Federation and other interested parties can make cycling a reality for the younger riders that may not have the financial means to take part in our races



RED JERSEY
What, a red jersey?! For what?! This category is for the most agressive rider in the peloton, as voted by the cyclists themselves. But it's not for the rider who beats up the other guys and girls, or bites! No, it's for the rider who attacks the most, without necessarily winning. It's for the rider who displays courage and determination against insurmountable odds, who displays the principles of cycling and is not afraid to stay out there against the wind while other riders are happy to ride in the slipstream, conserving their energy.
At the end of each race cyclists and race organisers will vote on the rider that showed the most passion for cycling during the race, and the most number of nominations at the end of the year will decide this category.



BLACK JERSEY
For those of you with an interest in cycling history, you may have heard of the Black Jersey of the Giro D'Italia, that was given to the last rider in the classification. The last rider to win this jersey was none other than Giovanni Pinarello in 1951. Strangely what started almost as a joke, almost even a black mark for a cyclist, found it's own level of competition as cyclists who weren't going to the Podium fought tooth and nail for this jersey.. A Giro jersey is a Giro jersey, no matter what the colour!
Cycling is made up of many differeny cyclists and not all have time to train, or be competitive, or are young anymore. But they do like to participate. This jersey is for those riders, who want to be part of the Copa Ciclismo. The cyclist who has participated (and finished) in the most number of races and with the lowest number of points or last places will receive this jersey. It is a Large.. If we have a draw, then there will be a special 1km sprint to decide the winner, although in this case the first one across the line will win. Good luck, and above all participate in the Cup! Winning is only part of the game. You also "win" health, experience, and some good times passed with friends.