07 Dec 2020

 The 2020 Botswana Cycling Association (BCA) Individual Time Trials (ITT) and Team Time Trials (TTT) National Championships signed off December 6 in Rasesa with wins for Lloyd Molale, Bakang Ebudilwe, Lebopo Mompe, Kato Ramahobo and Matlhogonolo Botlhole.

Molale of Team Swift was crowned the 2020 BCA ITT champion after four years of sweat for the title. 

Molale won the 2020 42km Elite ITT title in 59 minutes 30 seconds ahead of his team mate, Gontse Lethokwe’s 1:00:26.

Molale won the title after the defending champion, Abeng Malete of Jwaneng Club failed to compete in this year’s nationals. “This year’s nationals were not as thrilling and competitive as my competitors did not manage to attend,” stated Molale, however he indicated that he was in much greater form especially that he just completed the three day Majwe-AM570km Cycle Challenge.

Molale also led his team, Team Swift to win the 2020 BCA National TTT with a 39minutes 21 seconds finish time on a 28km stretch. 

Competing with two teams, Team Swift stamped authority with their Team Swift 2 and also won second position with a swift 43 minutes and 21 seconds, leaving Tsela Riders team on third position at 47 minutes 35 seconds finish.

Mompe of Tsela Riders came in gun blazing for his first ever podium finish in the Junior ITT title. Mompe finished 28km stretch in 00:42:21 ahead of Oaitse Setshogo’s second position in 43 minutes and 46 seconds. 

“I wanted to be the junior champion more than ever and my hard work paid off,” stated Mompe who has two Youth National ITT titles on his 2020 National ITT Junior championship. 

Botlhole of Jonmol and also the 2020 BNSC Zebra fund beneficiary reigned supreme in 42km 2020 Under 23 National ITT and won with 1:01:24 ahead of Tsela Riders’ Jameel Noor’s 01:02:21.

Ramahobo of Tsela Riders took home the 14km Youth National ITT title in 00:23:5 while Ebudilwe led the ladies’ 2020 Elite ITT and finished the 42km stretch in 00:49:2 ahead of fellow team mate Anouk Van der Geest who finished 00:50:4. 

The 24-year-old Ebudilwe, who won the 2016 and 2017 championships, takes the title from Jwaneng Cycling Club’s 2019 National ITT champion Nonofo Maswabi who could not compete in this year’s nationals. Ebudilwe also led her ladies’ team as 2020 National TTT champions unchallenged. 

In an interview, BCA president Mmetla Masire said there was less participants, adding that might be due to riders’ lack of fitness as most of them had not been training consistently. 

He said the ITT and TTT races were challenging races as riders were expected to go flat out all the way and they need fully fit cyclists.

However, he expressed satisfaction with the under 23 and youth men category turnout. Masire said the turnout spoke well for the future of cycling in Botswana. He said the association had depth and only needed to increase participation in women’s categories. 

Masire implored affiliating clubs to target and train more women into their clubs, adding that as an association, they held training camps, which saw ladies’ numbers increasing. 

But, he said because of COVID-19 they could not host training camps this year, which would have otherwise attracted more women.  

Meanwhile, Masire said BCA had selected Ebudilwe as a possible Wild Card into the 2021 Olympics. 

“The young rider is currently undergoing special training with appropriate support,” he added.

Masire noted that her performance in the coming UCI accredited races would determine her space in the Olympics, adding that needed was for her to perform well to get the necessary UCI points for the Wild Card Olympics next year.  ENDS