Hailing from KwaDebeka, near Pinetown, female cyclist, Aphiwe Goge is a nominee for the upcoming KZN Sports Awards on Saturday, 12 October.
Her skills are not limited to the XCO circuit either. She competes in various MTB disciplines, including MTB marathon, Downhill and Enduro. Aphiwe is the youngest member of Velosolutions Izimbali, a women’s cycling team produced from riders of the GO! Durban Cycle Academy and specifically dedicated to the development of young black female cyclists as a #pumpforpeace initiative by Velosolutions. The cycling team was formed to bridge the gap in sports, creating a platform where the potential of young African women can be unlocked.
Aphiwe lit up the cycling field with her speed and technical ability this year and has made her mark as a versatile rider, able to excel in multiple disciplines. This has earned her a nomination as a finalist for the Newcomer of the Year category. Aphiwe’s award nomination is based on her extraordinary performances on the bike between August 2018 and July 2019, including her first race win at the second round of the KZN XCO Lap Challenge Series and a fourth place finish, in her first national competition at the SA XCO Cup #5, in Pietermaritzburg (sub-junior female).
Although Aphiwe is not eligible to race in the Red Bull Pump Track World Championships due to her age, she travelled with the team to Roma, Lesotho in March this year and competed in the unofficial U16 race, placing second behind a 15-year-old local rider. Aphiwe said, “I learned to cycle at five-years-old, when my dad first introduced me to a bike. He motivated me to join the GO!Durban Cycle Academy in August 2017, as he could see the passion I have for cycling. He knew that the bike park is safe and I would learn more.
“I love cycling because it fulfills me and it is the one thing that completes me. When I’m on a bike I feel fearless, happy and powerful, like I can take over the world.” Not only talented, but also inspirational to others, Aphiwe encourages other girls in her community to cycle “I think more girls must come and join GO!Durban Cycle Academy because we don’t only learn about cycling, but we also learn different values and they even help us with school work,” she concluded.
Team manager of Velosolutions Izimbali and also programme director of Go!Durban, Shaun Peschl said, “We are incredibly proud of Aphiwe and her achievements which have led to this award nomination. It is incredible for us to have one of our riders recognised at the top provincial level. We believe that she will continue to be a positive brand ambassador for the programme and we also look forward to more nominations for our young riders in the future.”
