Niyonshuti and Janse van Rensburg target African Leader Jersey in Absa Cape Epic

[Matt]

Rwandan pro-rider Adrien Niyonshuti (25) will be participating in this year’s Absa Cape Epic with South African Jacques Janse van Rensburg (24) as team MTN Qhubeka. The event, which takes place from 25 March to 1 April, will see 1 200 cyclists from around the globe take on the 781km and 16 300m of climbing, starting with a prologue at Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville and finishing 8 days later at Lourensford Wine Estate.

 

Niyonshuti began cycling when he was 16 after he received a bicycle from his uncle. In 2006, he won the inaugural Wooden Bike Classic in September 2006. He hit the international stage at 21 years of age when he competed in the 2007 Absa Cape Epic, riding with coach and American former pro cyclist and Tour de France rider Jock Boyer. It was a story of hope, about to unfold. In a mid-race interview, shortly after crossing the line in Villiersdorp, Boyer said about a very youthful Niyonshuti, “This guy is amazing, he’s waiting for me – his first time in a mountain bike race and he’s so strong. He’ll go far.” Since then the Rwandan has ridden the race 4 more times, garnering the African leaders’ jersey in 2011, riding with mountain bike legend and 2004 Absa Cape Epic winner Mannie Heymans. Heymans was equally in awe, “It was a real privilege riding with this guy. He’s as strong in his legs as his head.”

 

Adrien Niyonshuti during stage 2 of the 2011 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Saronsberg Wine Estate in Tulbagh, South Africa on the 29 March 2011. Photo by Sven Martin/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

 

His campaign on the road is no less impressive, with two victories at his home race, Tour of Rwanda. On his first trip to Europe to compete in the Tour of Ireland, he found himself racing against Lance Armstrong. Team manager Douglas Ryder says, “Adrien’s an icon – about 70% of Rwanda know him. If he walks the streets everyone shouts out his name. If he ran for president he’d get 70% of the vote!” But fame doesn’t always lend itself to good results. “It’s not easy for Adrien in Rwanda. The trouble is everyone wants a piece of him so he can’t prepare as well as he’s used to. He wants to train here in South Africa, where he can focus.”

As former under 23 South African Road Champion (2008), Janse van Rensburg needs no introduction. He placed third at the recent MTN Barberton cross-country marathon, first at this year’s Central Gauteng Road Championships, the third African in last year’s Tour of South Africa and 6^th overall and first in the Tasol Solar Race to the Sun. In 2008 he finished in first place in the under 23 division of the Giro De Capo and 3^rd overall.

 

Niyonshuti says that he really enjoys stage racing. “For me, the Cape Epic is one of the most important races on the calendar and I believe each time I take part in it, I grow as a rider and gain strength. It would be a dream to finish in the top 5 in the Absa Cape Epic this year with my team mate Jacques Janse van Rensburg, and podium in the African Jersey.” Adds Janse van Rensburg: “Stage wins will be a dream goal for myself and Adrien and so will an overall win, but our main goal for the 2012 Epic will be to podium in the African Jersey and to race for a win in this category.”

 

According to Niyontshuti, Janse van Rensburg is a great rider: “He is on Team MTN Qhubeka with me and we did Cape Pioneer together last year to see how we’ll work as a team. We’re similar in strength and have been doing a lot of training together. I think he’s the perfect partner for the Absa Cape Epic for this year. Let’s just hope we have some luck too and not too many mechanicals, which I think everyone hopes for! We hope to ride consistently and if we’re feeling good on a day and can go for a stage win, we will. But that’s not our focus.”

 

GREYTON, SOUTH AFRICA - Jacques Janse Van Rensburg of Team DCM Chrome MonaVie leads the field during stage five of the Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike Stage Race held between Greyton and Oak Valley (Elgin /Grabouw) on the 26 March 2009 in the Western Cape, South Africa. Photo by Gary Perkin /SPORTZPICS

 

These two do a lot of mountain bike races together and try to train together at least four times per week. “We’re doing the Tour de Langkawi together, which is a 10 day stage race. I think that will be good preparation for both of us for Cape Epic,” says Janse Van Rensburg.

 

Niyontshuti puts in 20 hours of riding per week, with four hours per week of strength, stretching and core exercises. “My diet includes lots of fruit, rice, potato, chicken, vegetables, pap and supplements.” Janse van Rensburg adds: “Obviously hours in the saddle is the most important and December and January were the most important months for building. We did 2500 to 3000km per month in December and January. With regards to our diet, we focus on recovering well after each ride to be fresh for the next day of hard training. And then obviously to make sure our bodies get used to consuming all the amounts of food you need.”

Niyonthuti admits to having injuries that can affect his performance. “In the Tour of Rwanda last year November, I fell really badly and dislocated my shoulder. I’ve been going for physio regularly and doing strength exercises, but it still hurts on long rides. Hopefully it will be good for the Absa Cape Epic and hopefully I can stay on my bike!”

 

His advise to other riders is to “train hard and rest well after long efforts. I’ve come to realize that recovery is just as important as exercising. You also need to have a programme that you follow to keep you motivated and you need to eat and supplement well. The most important ingredients in this event are mental toughness and belief in your partner.” Janse van Rensburg’s advice is to “just to stick with what you’re used to in terms of nutrition and drinks during the race, and focus on consuming enough food at regular intervals during each stage. You also need to focus on recovering enough after each stage.”

 

Janse van Rensburg is looking forward to all the climbing in the race. “That is myself and AD's (Adrien) strong point! The first stage is always the most difficult for me. There are a lot of nervous riders in the first 2 stages of the tour. When everyone settles in to the race after the second day, everything runs much more smoothly in the bunch. It’s a real good feeling to cross the finish line on the last day – it’s a feeling of having achieved something big and completing the race with your partner. I did my first Cape Epic when I was only 19, the youngest in the race... on the 5^th day I wanted to quit cycling, but I pushed on with some motivation from my coach and parents and managed to finish strong!”

 

Niyonshuti is hoping to ‘do even better than what I’ve done before. When I was younger and living in Rwanda, I didn’t know that you could make a career out of cycling. My message would be - if you’re passionate about something, believe in yourself and follow your heart. The path will be created if you believe in it and put in the hard work.” To him, every stage is tough. “You need to be mentally as well as physically strong every day. Every day is as tough as the day before. The emotions when you cross that finish line on the last day are overwhelming. You don’t know if you should laugh or cry. You’re exhausted yet your mind is busy. It is a bittersweet feeling. Last year was definitely my biggest highlight – me and my team mate Mannie Heymans finished in 9^th place overall and won the African Leaders Jersey!”

 

In his free time, Niyonshuti likes to watch movies and read, or catch up with his friends and spend time with them. “I’ve been selected to take part in the London Olympics for cross country, so for me I’d really like to finish that event and make Rwanda proud as they’ve never had an athlete selected for Olympics cross country. I’m so grateful to the sponsors and the support I have that allows me to continually come back and take part in the Absa Cape Epic, as having sponsors that believe in you and regular funding is hard to find.”

 

Janse van Rensburg likes to “relax in front of the TV or computer – “yes, I still like playing games now and then, but it keeps me relaxed so that's all that matters. And then to go to different types of malls all over Gauteng with my fiancé Genee. This year, I’d like to podium in the MTN National XCM series and to win a major international road race.”

 

Lourensford Wine Estate will once again host the finish of the race and the Grand Finale celebrations on 1 April 2012. The Grand Finale will kick off with live entertainment by well-known South African band Freshly Ground, a Farmer’s Market, delectable food and wine as well as glorious scenery. Vantage points will be accessible to the general public, so that all may have a piece of the mountain biking action. Entrance is free.

 

Visit www.cape-epic.com for more details and to see online where the riders are during the race.

 

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