Who would have thought that an African team would start Le Tour de France?
Not me, that is for sure.
Nineteen-ninety-five. The year that South Africa lifted the William Web Ellis Trophy as Rugby World Cup Champions. Most local fans remember where they were at the time of the Springboks victory against the All Blacks. At a braai, in a crowded pub, at Ellis Park. Wherever.
The Tour de France was a near mythical event, reserved for late night TV viewing for pay station subscribers.
South African professional cyclists were not exactly dime a dozen, with names like Willie or McIntosh long having retired, Andrew McClean competing as a freelance rider in Europe and newer faces dividing their time between national team duty, riding for cycle shops and/or guesting for tiny squads in backwaters like Portugal.
Douglas Ryder was in America at that time, riding for a small US professional outfit, carving out a living for himself and living the dream of racing overseas. Together with team mate, Scotsman Brian Smith, these two guys were undergoing an apprenticeship in the ways of pro racing and, unbeknown to both, team management and sponsor acquisition. Ryder would even go on to win the Boland Bank International Cycle Tour against the mighty ONCE at the end of that year, beating among others one Johan Bruyneel.
Things didn't changemuch for us South African riders after that said Ryder one time, and he was right. It was only towards the end of the 20th century that South Africa had two riders turn professional with major teams: Robbie Hunter with Lampre and David George with US Postal Service (remember them?). Barloworld came and went (SA sponsor with loads of Italians and registered in Great Britain) yet through all of this, Ryder plugged away with his IBM-Lotus then Microsoft then MTN-Energade squads, the end result being what is now known as Team MTN-Qhubeka. Riding, owning and managing gave way to owning and managing before the former Capetonian could effectively delegate sporting director tasks and become team principal.
History is full of rags-to-riches tales of aspiring actors sleeping in cars before landing their big Hollywood movie part or professional athletes competing in obscurity before achieving that breakthrough victory putting them on the map. Perhaps the common denominator is a clear purpose and ambition, knowing what one wants and never giving up in pursuit of that objective. That said, there are perhaps few career trajectories like that of Cape Town's own Doug Ryder and when the competing teams are presented to the world in Utrecht this Thursday, raise a glass for one of the greatest sporting achievements ever accomplished.
Team MTN-Qhubeka at the Tour de France?
You flipping bet!
