Velokhaya Project Making History /grafik/4176.jpg [15.06 08:55] The Life Cycling Academy's Luthando Kaka (22) is set to make history by becoming the first black South African road cyclist to ride for a European continental road cycling team. Kaka, the current Western Province Under 23 road cycling champion and lead rider of the acsis professional men's cycling team, is to join the Danish-based Team Glud and Marstrand Horsens (GMH) at the end of June 2008. According to Glyn Broomberg, CEO of the Life Cycling Academy (LCA): ?Luthando has shown incredible form this year, particularly during the 2008 Giro del Capo when he took the lead, for almost 30 minutes, in the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour, which was won by Robert Hunter, a 2007 Tour de France stage winner. ?This performance, together with Luthando's strong showing at the Western Province Cycling Championships, gave us the confidence to recommend him for the Danish team.? According to Broomberg, the opportunity for Kaka to compete in Europe follows the establishment of a partnership between the LCA and Riis Cycling, the owner of the world's number one pro-cycling team, Team CSC/Saxo Bank, and an international partner of the LCA's Velokhaya (www.velokhaya.com) campaign. ?Our partnership with Riis Cycling, which first began in December 2006, allows for LCA riders who have achieved a certain level of cycling in South Africaon> to be given the opportunity to compete in Europe. Following discussions between Carsten Jeppeson, Manager of Riis Cycling, and myself, Luthando was identified as a rider with the potential to one day make it onto the pro-cycling circuit in Europe. Team Glud and Marstrand Horsens ? owned by Michael Skelde - is a dynamic Danish team which is used by Riis Cycling as a feeder team for Team CSC/Saxo Bank. (For example, Team CSC/Saxo Bank's Lasse Bochmann, Andre Steensen and Kaspar Klostergaard are former members of Team GMH). ?Being selected for a Continental team is a significant achievement for both Luthando and the LCA and we want to ensure that the move is a successful one, which is why Luthando will be given time to adjust to his new environment in Europe. We want him to 'find his legs' before competing on the pro-tour circuit,? said Broomberg. Commenting on his move, Luthando Kaka said: ?The opportunity to ride in Europe is a dream come true for me, my family, the community of Khayelitsha and the LCA.? Mthunzi Mdwaba, CEO of Torque IT and a board member of the LCA, said: ?Luthando's appointment to the European team represents an important step in the transformation of cycling in South Africaon>. ?I sincerely hope that his move to Europe will inspire other township youth to develop an interest in the sport of cycling ? and achieve their goals in life.?
