The Alfa Bodyworks-Titan Racing team has assembled an impressive line-up of road and mountain bike talent for the 2021 season. Photo: Supplied
The Alfa Bodyworks-Titan Racing team has assembled an impressive line-up of road and mountain bike talent for the 2021 season.
Experienced pros Shaun-Nick Bester and HB Kruger will once again team up this year and have set an early goal to “be competitive” in the African jersey category at the Cape Epic in October.
Speaking to In the Bunch today, Bester highlighted both his personal goals and those of his teammates for the season ahead.
“The SA road and mountain bike championships will be a big focus for me personally this year.
“As well as being competitive in the Cape Epic for the African jersey,” Bester confirmed.
This year’s Cape Epic has been postponed from its usual March time slot until October 17 to 24.
Regarding the rest of the team, Bester listed a number of top one-day and stage races his teammates have circled in the calendar.
“For the rest of the team, the Cape Town Cycle Tour, Amashova, 947 Ride Joburg and the Rapport Tour will be the main focus of the season,” Bester confirmed.
His season got off to a fast start with a runner-up finish at the recent Pursuit Challenge at Buffelsdrift Trail Park in Pretoria.
In addition to Kruger, who is a former Amashova winner, the squad comprises Jaco Venter, Brandon Christians, Bernard Esterhuizen and Rainhardt Marais.
Venter, who will turn 34 years old on February 13, is a former SA national road champion (2016) and is the defending Tour of Good Hope winner.
Having competed in all three Grand Tours, Venter recently made the switch to mountain biking.
Esterhuizen, 28, is a track specialist who represented South Africa at the 2012 London Olympics in the men’s sprint.
Brandon Christians, 29, and Rainhardt Marais, 22, round out the team.
When in SA, the team is also able to call on the services of Belgian mountain biker Frans Claes, a double national champion and former overall winner of the UCI Marathon World Series.
