Malcolm Lange loves cycling. After a
professional career spanning nearly two decades, several continents, hundreds
of victories and the odd setback, Lange is now ploughing his energy into the
future stars through his road team, Bonitas Pro Cycling. Yet even now, after
all the miles and trials, he still needs his bike. It defines him.
“The adjustment to life after cycling has been hard,” admits the amiable Lange from his Johannesburg home. “These days, I'm lucky if I can get out on my bike four times in one week. Life has changed although I would certainly love to be twenty-three years old again and racing internationally. Cycling is a lot different now compared to when we were trying to make it over in Europe. There is a lot more opportunity.”
Opportunity is a term that can be interpreted in different ways, but in Lange's case needs to put into proper context. South Africa has a rich cycling heritage. If one thinks back to the glory days of the 1980s domestic scene there were sponsors aplenty, the leading exponents being household names. Almost three decades later we have live daily coverage of the Grand Tours and Classics and a few local riders plying their trade in the upper echelons of the World Tour. In short, cycling is once again booming. Yet wedged between these high points were the lean years, which straddled these two generations and left a vacuum of sorts.
“Road cycling in South Africa was effectively dead in the mid-1990s,” explains Lange, who formed a core group of stoic Generation X'ers hell-bent on reviving the once vaunted local pro-scene. “There were many years where there next to no sponsors and most of us local guys survived on prize money alone. There were no salaries like there are now. We lived by the seat of our pants, often driving to race in Bloemfontein on a Saturday and down to Port Elizabeth on the Sunday. And not just to win either; we were determined to take the first three places and scoop all the prizes on offer. For us it was about survival. It was a frustrating yet special time. We were hungry and it made us very streetwise.”
If there is a common denominator amongst pro-biker riders it is their eternal self-belief. Even in the dire times, elite cycling can be likened to a continuous conveyor belt of comeback-kids. From the stars to the journeymen to the also-rans, they all seem to have something deep inside which drives them to survive from year to year, sometimes against all odds. Yet the window period of earning one's daily bread as a sportsman is certainly finite and this drive can manifest itself in other ways once the dream is over. It is just a case of recognizing it.
If one looks back over recent years, it is perhaps no coincidence that there are a number of former riders who, for whatever reasons, failed to make that final step to pinnacle of sport yet have found their true metier in forming their own teams. The most obvious example would be Jonathan Vaughters of Garmin-Sharp, yet there are a few other self-starters who have made similar forays into the field of sports management, effectively building their businesses from the ground up. Today Bonitas Pro Cycling and Douglas Ryder's Team MTN-Qhubeka are the marquee teams of South African cycling. Both Lange and Ryder are intent on cultivating and nurturing young talent to build world-class athletes, their professionalism and attention to detail ensuring bright futures and successes for many riders under their guidance. If one considers that both of these guys spent the greater part of their lives in the saddle, what motivates them to step up to the plate and provide such a platform for the new generation to excel? Where do they acquire the nous and skills necessary to attract corporate sponsors? What is their vision in their respective ventures?
For Lange at least, the answer is simple: “I think that we were just determined to make things better. Cycling is a hard sport physically, but there is so much else going on around you and behind the scenes. You've just got to pay attention.
“There were a few of us who were always looking at the bigger picture in a sense. It wasn't just about riding and taking a pay cheque; we observed what went on plus the fact that the times that we got burned and lost out as a result taught us valuable lessons. We learned from our mistakes and have tried to apply that knowledge into our own organizations.”
After a horrific crash in the 1999 Rapport Toer that nearly ended his career, Lange returned to the sport with a marketing diploma and a new corporate sponsor, which certainly contributed to the revival of road cycling in South Africa. Whilst combining cycling with his studies was challenging, the result was the successful marriage of a conventional tertiary qualification with his unique practical experience.
“It is all about building bridges. For instance, I had a particular sponsor for almost two decades and only last year had to end that relationship due to a conflict of interest with one of our team's backers. The key is to be amicable; you have to treat each and every sponsor with respect. Sure there are always rumours and the like, but at the end of the day it is about building and maintaining long-standing relationships.”
Relationships are an important aspect in all sports, something which Lange certainly appreciates. He has retained the same core group of people since the inception of Lange Sports, a few of which extend back to his early cycling years.
“We were team mates but also friends. That is what has made the teams that I've been involved with so special; we were all friends. While we try to extend that sense of ubuntu into our current teams, it is a difficult thing to cultivate. I'm always on the lookout for young riders who possess those sort attributes and hunger.”
Domestic pro cycling in some countries is often dismissed in various quarters as unimportant, effectively a backwater of sorts. South Africa is no different with many a critic having voiced their opinions over the years. But without local teams, there is no pool upon which to draw young talent. Whilst Lange appreciates the importance of a strong domestic circuit, he also recognizes the need for his riders to cut their teeth abroad. This requires money however and Lange has come up with an innovative solution.
“We have an ongoing partnership with the La Pomme Marseille, a UCI Continental team based in France. This is a far more cost-effective approach, allowing us to base some of our riders in Europe for extended periods at a fraction of the budget we would otherwise require. It makes sense for both parties.
“But we need to fix things at home first. A lot of the top local guys have made the permanent move to Europe with MTN-Qhubeka. It's time to rebuild the talent base at home. That is where we come in. We are a team of young riders.”
With all this water under the bridge, how does Lange compare his current lifestyle to his cycling days? Is it as all-consuming as pedalling for pay?
“Life is busy now, but it is good. There is no typical day because there is so much to do! The key is that I've got passionate people around me. Each person has their specific role and we work well together. There are days when I wish I was still riding – like when the team is under-performing – but those days are getting fewer and farther between. It is a juggling act I guess, but as they say: if you have the passion, things do eventually fall into place.”
“The adjustment to life after cycling has been hard,” admits the amiable Lange from his Johannesburg home. “These days, I'm lucky if I can get out on my bike four times in one week. Life has changed although I would certainly love to be twenty-three years old again and racing internationally. Cycling is a lot different now compared to when we were trying to make it over in Europe. There is a lot more opportunity.”
Opportunity is a term that can be interpreted in different ways, but in Lange's case needs to put into proper context. South Africa has a rich cycling heritage. If one thinks back to the glory days of the 1980s domestic scene there were sponsors aplenty, the leading exponents being household names. Almost three decades later we have live daily coverage of the Grand Tours and Classics and a few local riders plying their trade in the upper echelons of the World Tour. In short, cycling is once again booming. Yet wedged between these high points were the lean years, which straddled these two generations and left a vacuum of sorts.
“Road cycling in South Africa was effectively dead in the mid-1990s,” explains Lange, who formed a core group of stoic Generation X'ers hell-bent on reviving the once vaunted local pro-scene. “There were many years where there next to no sponsors and most of us local guys survived on prize money alone. There were no salaries like there are now. We lived by the seat of our pants, often driving to race in Bloemfontein on a Saturday and down to Port Elizabeth on the Sunday. And not just to win either; we were determined to take the first three places and scoop all the prizes on offer. For us it was about survival. It was a frustrating yet special time. We were hungry and it made us very streetwise.”
If there is a common denominator amongst pro-biker riders it is their eternal self-belief. Even in the dire times, elite cycling can be likened to a continuous conveyor belt of comeback-kids. From the stars to the journeymen to the also-rans, they all seem to have something deep inside which drives them to survive from year to year, sometimes against all odds. Yet the window period of earning one's daily bread as a sportsman is certainly finite and this drive can manifest itself in other ways once the dream is over. It is just a case of recognizing it.
If one looks back over recent years, it is perhaps no coincidence that there are a number of former riders who, for whatever reasons, failed to make that final step to pinnacle of sport yet have found their true metier in forming their own teams. The most obvious example would be Jonathan Vaughters of Garmin-Sharp, yet there are a few other self-starters who have made similar forays into the field of sports management, effectively building their businesses from the ground up. Today Bonitas Pro Cycling and Douglas Ryder's Team MTN-Qhubeka are the marquee teams of South African cycling. Both Lange and Ryder are intent on cultivating and nurturing young talent to build world-class athletes, their professionalism and attention to detail ensuring bright futures and successes for many riders under their guidance. If one considers that both of these guys spent the greater part of their lives in the saddle, what motivates them to step up to the plate and provide such a platform for the new generation to excel? Where do they acquire the nous and skills necessary to attract corporate sponsors? What is their vision in their respective ventures?
For Lange at least, the answer is simple: “I think that we were just determined to make things better. Cycling is a hard sport physically, but there is so much else going on around you and behind the scenes. You've just got to pay attention.
“There were a few of us who were always looking at the bigger picture in a sense. It wasn't just about riding and taking a pay cheque; we observed what went on plus the fact that the times that we got burned and lost out as a result taught us valuable lessons. We learned from our mistakes and have tried to apply that knowledge into our own organizations.”
After a horrific crash in the 1999 Rapport Toer that nearly ended his career, Lange returned to the sport with a marketing diploma and a new corporate sponsor, which certainly contributed to the revival of road cycling in South Africa. Whilst combining cycling with his studies was challenging, the result was the successful marriage of a conventional tertiary qualification with his unique practical experience.
“It is all about building bridges. For instance, I had a particular sponsor for almost two decades and only last year had to end that relationship due to a conflict of interest with one of our team's backers. The key is to be amicable; you have to treat each and every sponsor with respect. Sure there are always rumours and the like, but at the end of the day it is about building and maintaining long-standing relationships.”
Relationships are an important aspect in all sports, something which Lange certainly appreciates. He has retained the same core group of people since the inception of Lange Sports, a few of which extend back to his early cycling years.
“We were team mates but also friends. That is what has made the teams that I've been involved with so special; we were all friends. While we try to extend that sense of ubuntu into our current teams, it is a difficult thing to cultivate. I'm always on the lookout for young riders who possess those sort attributes and hunger.”
Domestic pro cycling in some countries is often dismissed in various quarters as unimportant, effectively a backwater of sorts. South Africa is no different with many a critic having voiced their opinions over the years. But without local teams, there is no pool upon which to draw young talent. Whilst Lange appreciates the importance of a strong domestic circuit, he also recognizes the need for his riders to cut their teeth abroad. This requires money however and Lange has come up with an innovative solution.
“We have an ongoing partnership with the La Pomme Marseille, a UCI Continental team based in France. This is a far more cost-effective approach, allowing us to base some of our riders in Europe for extended periods at a fraction of the budget we would otherwise require. It makes sense for both parties.
“But we need to fix things at home first. A lot of the top local guys have made the permanent move to Europe with MTN-Qhubeka. It's time to rebuild the talent base at home. That is where we come in. We are a team of young riders.”
With all this water under the bridge, how does Lange compare his current lifestyle to his cycling days? Is it as all-consuming as pedalling for pay?
“Life is busy now, but it is good. There is no typical day because there is so much to do! The key is that I've got passionate people around me. Each person has their specific role and we work well together. There are days when I wish I was still riding – like when the team is under-performing – but those days are getting fewer and farther between. It is a juggling act I guess, but as they say: if you have the passion, things do eventually fall into place.”
