Dylan le Roux, 20, is ready to take on a leadership role for Cycle Power at the five-stage Lowveld Tour, which starts in Limpopo on Thursday.
Le Roux, from Pretoria, will be targeting a good overall position for the team, but he isn’t setting his sights too high.
“My overall goal is to go for the white jersey (best young rider). I think that is more realistic at this point,” Le Roux told In the Bunch today.
“Then of course it is always nice to get as high on the general classification as possible.”
Dylan le Roux, 20, (pictured) is ready to take on a leadership role for Cycle Power at the five-stage Lowveld Tour. Photo: Cycle Power
He was willing to take on the role as leader, Le Roux said, as his team’s environment had not placed a lot of pressure on him.
“We’re not one of the bigger teams so it is quite nice for me to learn the ropes now at this tour,” he said.
“It won’t be as high-pressure as it would be in teams like BCX for example.
“It is the ideal time now to learn how to deal with that type of pressure, while the stakes aren’t too high.”
However, being part of “one of the smaller teams” could pose a challenge in terms of the actual racing, Le Roux admitted.
“It has its down sides,” he said. “It will be difficult racing against guys such as BCX who have quite a lot of experience in these types of situations and on how to be tactically smart in stage races.
“That could probably be the biggest challenge we will face throughout the race.”
The race, which will comprise five stages in four days with a total distance of 403km and a total ascent of 4 680m, will “not be easy”, Le Roux said.
“It will be a very rolling route and most of the real time gains will take place on the second day (126km with 2 202m elevation).
“That is where most of the splits will happen. However, I think in general the route can suit us quite well. We have quite a few riders who can play a part.
“We also have James Barnes joining us as a guest rider, who could also add something.”
He was cautiously optimistic ahead of the tour. “I have been eager some nights to get into it, but then I’ve experienced signs of nervousness at the same time.
“I’ve never been in this sort of position at a race like this, but I’m feeling good. I think I’m in quite a good place at the moment.
“Though on race day you never really know how it will play out. So I will try not to over-think it. You also never know how the other riders have come along.”
Cycle Power’s four-man team will include Le Roux, Barnes, Keanan Roodt and John Vlok.
