All eyes are on the Tour de Great Dyke final lap with over one hundred cyclists participating from Shurugwi to Zvishavane.
Amongst the cyclists is a 79 year old Wilson Mashoko, who has 55 years experience of cycling and he is confident that he will make it to Zvishavane. 19 year teenage cyclist Terrence Hungwe from Zvishavane and Lizwilenkosi Sibanda 20, will also take part in the final lap.
Speaking to Great Dyke News 24, Lizwilenkosi Sibanda said, “I am ready and l just wanna do the best for my team, this is my second year of cycling. l recently won the time try and road race for under 23 national team. I am ready.”
79 year old Wilson Mashoko is confident that he will make it through the final lap of the Tour de Great Dyke from Shurugwi to Zvishavane.
He started from Selous and made it through two laps, the first to Kwekwe and the second to Shurugwi though he faced a number of challenges on his way from Selous to Kwekwe.
The event started on Thursday in Selous with the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe Vice President Thomas Gono being the guest of honor.
YA FM Chairman, Munyaradzi Hwengwere says this year’s edition of the Tour de Great Dyke has been the biggest ever since the premier cycling race was launched in 2016.
Hwengwere was speaking ahead of the final lap of the race from Shurugwi to Zvishavane today.
“This year has had the largest participation and tomorrow we will have 40 additional cyclists from Mimosa. All the three main mining companies, Zimplats, Unki and Mimosa are fully participating in the Tour de Great Dyke.
“We have two categories, elite cyclists and social cyclists. The elite cyclists were moving at 80km/hr. They took 45 minutes from Kwekwe to Gweru,“ he said.
Mr Hwengwere said that Tour de Great Dyke is meant to showcase to the world the beauty in the Great Dyke and added that its nearby for charity not for profit making.
“Today we start from Shurugwi and it’s a very scenic space because part of the event is to showcase the beauty of the Great Dyke. End of day we will take the cyclists to Palawani Lakeworld Resort just to see the beautiful wonders we have in the Great Dyke,” the YAFM Chairman said.
He added that the main objective of the premier cycling event is to help underprivileged children supported by Gifted Children Foundation not for profit making.
“Let’s remember that at the end of the day it’s about supporting those that are gifted in this world but are underprivileged. Proceeds will go towards Gifted Children Foundation because we have miners who have the resources, who care and share with the underprivileged in society.
“It shows that behind mining there is a human being who is fit, who is well and cares. For whatever they do they support by sharing with those who are underprivileged,” he added.
This year the premier cycling race from Selous to Zvishavane is running under the theme ‘Riding for resilience’.
