The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
A GRUELING 550km cycling race can turn away many enthusias ts, but a 76-year-old cyclist defied the odds when he registered for the Tour de Great Dyke that was held last week and completed the taxing race.
The four-legged race kicked off in Darwendale at Great Dyke Investments last Wednesday and ended in Zvishavane on Saturday (last week).
Veteran cyclist, Wilson Dube saw an opportunity to revive his cycling career that he had put on hold after his family urged him to put a lid on the arduous sport.
Dube paid a visit to Zvishavane on an errand and that is when he saw posters about the race. Although his sons had asked him to take a break from the sport due to all age, he could not resist the temptation of competing in the race.
“After inquiring at Ya FM about the details of the race, I was convinced I can do it, although it was 550 km, I knew I would be able to handle it because it is not a once of race but over several days and I immediately registered. Of course, the lady registering me was quite surprised and questioned if I would be able to complete the race and I told her not to worry,” he said.
Dube said he was never tempted to give in during the race but felt motivated to carry on and finish it. He said while he could not keep up the pace with the youngsters, he was happy with his pace as he had taken to the race without much training as the race came at short notice.
The grandpa of cycling said he never felt any pressure along the way nor did thoughts of quitting cross his mind after a mishap that saw him nearly fall off his bike after the bicycle chain went off causing him to swerve as they passed Gweru.
“That incident raised concern from everyone but I was able to steady the bike and brought it to a halt safely. Others thought I won’t continue but those are incidents that happen in cycling it did not move me.
“I was focused on completing the race and nothing could stop me. I think the longest single race was 135km and it was not much of a hassle for me as I was able to recover overnight,” said Dube.
While he did not win the race, Dube was showered with a $500 cash prize, a grocery hamper and an Exide solar battery for his efforts as many were impressed by his endurance and tenacity that led him to complete the race.
The third edition of the annual Tour de Great Dyke, which had 28 participants cycle over 500km, saw the first leg starting in Darwendale, passing through Zimplats in Selous and ending in Chegutu on the first day last Wednesday (3 October) and the following day, the second leg ended in Kwekwe.
On Day three the trip took them to Shurugwi, passing through Gweru and on the final day, Saturday the cyclists started at Unki Mine in Shurugwi ending in Zvishavane Town where a prize giving ceremony was held.
Dube declared that he will be there at the starting point of the Tour de Great Dyke next year and has already started preparations for the race.
Dube started cycling in 1966 after falling in love with the sport while working as a gardener in Shabanie (Zvishavane).
He said the then asbestos mining town was a strong hive of sporting activity with most people involved in one sport code or another and as such he initially chose boxing where he trained with the likes of late Commonwealth champion, Langton
“Schoolboy” Tinago. “After a year in boxing I decided to try cycling after watching some racers on the track. It was a very good decision then and I have had a fruitful career in the sport.
“I remember it was on 16 June1966 when I started my career in cycling,” he said, adding the sport earned him employment at Shabanie Mine where he resigned in 2002 as a shaft supervisor having worked for 37 years.
Dube, whose father trekked and settled in Zimbabwe from Mozambique, said cycling has wilted over the years and is not as prominent as it used to be during his days, with track racing all but dead.
“Track racing was one of the most important events in the sport as we had time-trails, team events, sprints, 400m, 800m races, 20km that were 42 laps and 21 laps (10km). The atmosphere at stadiums was electric because people would be watching and cheering you on throughout, but with long distances they emerge at certain points and mainly at the finish points.
“Cycling was big particularly in mining town places such as Shurugwi, Zvishavane, Hwange, Zisco and they had stadiums with cycle tracks there was also a cycle track in Bulawayo (White City) but none in Harare,” he said.
Among other contemporaies that he raced with are Aaron Gumbo, who was at Zisco, Ceasar Chuma and Martin Chipembere both from Hwange, Samson Moyo of Rio Tino and Chikuhura Moyo of Gaths Mine.
Dube trained closely with the likes of Tony dos Santos and Patrick Ford of Bulawayo.
He introduced his four sons to the sport and benefitted through being awarded apprenticeships at Shabanie in various trades.
