It was towards the end of last year that I read a magazine article detailing the self-enforced pro cycling retirement of this country's leading lights. The guy in question cited 'time to move on' as his reason for packing it in, calling his time as a pro rider as 'real world education'. Time to focus real education he said, or something along those lines if memory serves me correctly, and kudos to him for making that decision. The sporting shelf life aint long for everybody.
On the flip side, though, I thought the article could potentially come across as a little condescending in some quarters,a little dismissive maybe. You see, there's nothing wrong with chasing ones's dreams, especially as a pro cyclist. After all, there is only one life and setting oneself lofty goals and chasing after it is wholly idealistic. Sometimes this goal gets realised, more often it doesn't. But that's OK - the main thing is that while a few succeed, many try and don't. To at least try is noble, and after all, how will one know otherwise (rhetorical question intended)?
Last month seems a long time ago. But working through my camera's memory card reminded me of two young bike riders, two young blokes chasing their dream. Sure, I've written about Shaun-Nick Bester and Willie Smiy previously but what about Myles van Musschenbroek and Nicol Carstens?
Who, you might ask?
Well young Van Musschenbroek caused a stir at the Tour of Goodhope in March. After taking leave from his day job (yes, he works full-time), the diminutive Pro Touch Sports rider wrestled his way into yellow on the Queen Stage. Du Toit's Kloof might have been fire-razed, but Myles' flame shone bright as he took the overall lead on that hot Wednesday. Sure, he lost the overall GC by a whisker to talented Kent Main on the final day but one has to wonder if the result would have been different had the tough Thursday stage not been called of due to adverse wind. But he excelled and that's all that matters.
Then there is young Carstens, also a player in that same stage race and resident in the nearby Slanghoek Valley. Having worked with him previously, Nicol strikes one has highly ambitious and extremely motivated. Riding for a local Western Province elite team, he was also right up there on Du Toit's Kloof. Consistency is hallmark of Nicol's makeup as a rider and he needs it. Why? Because he's off to the Wild West of Cycling (aka Belgium) in June. After a couple of good national selection races ("I even managed to sprint with Nolan (Hoffmann)"), Nicol and a few others are going to base themselves out of Oudenaarde for a couple of months and see what happens. They'll probably be riding to and from many a kermesse, a far cry from his time in Spain in 2016. But he'll be able to gauge himself against hundreds of other guys with same goal, and won't be short of race days. Different weather, different racing, different riders.
Real world education I ask you?
Bloody right.
