Dowerglen resident brings home cycle challenge victory
“To pull off a win like that at a big race like that is really special. I am really over the moon to have won the race.”
Dowerglen resident and Jeppe High School for Boys old boy Brandon Downes (27) took first place when he competed in the Telkom 947 Cycle Challenge.
Downes’ win comes after a tough cycling year during which he had several bad falls and was infected with a parasitic blood infection.
This year was the sixth time he competed in the event and the first time in recent years that the course was run in reverse.
Brandon competed in the challenge in 02;15:26 on November 18 as a member of the BCX cycling team.
The challenge is one of three big cycling events in South Africa.
“To pull off a win like that at a big race like that is really special. I am really over the moon to have won the race,” said Downes.
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“It is as much of a team win as it is an individual win. I am looking to build on this and take this good form into next year.”
In addition to winning the challenge, BCX also won team classification for having three racers in the first five cyclists to finish the race.
Downes said winning the race is something special and a nice end to the year.
Despite the victory, 2018 had a number of hardships for Downes.
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Last October Downes broke his left elbow while preparing for the 2018 season.
In January Downes was again involved in an accident while training. A vehicle turned in front of him and he collided with it. As a result of the collision, Downes’ bicycle snapped in half.
While competing in Tour de Limpopo in April, which he finished in second place, Downes had a bad fall and lost a large amount of his skin.
In May, while competing in Tour du Cameroun, which he finished fourth in the second stage, Downes fell extremely ill and was infected with a parasitic blood infection.
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Only once he returned to South Africa a few months afterwards did he discover this.
Downes said after competing in Cameroon he left for Europe where he participated in several European racing events in Spain and Austria.
“Towards the end of my stay I was sick with the flu but tried to push through it and keep on cycling,” said Downes.
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Eventually, Downes had to return to South Africa because of his health. He said after several blood tests the blood infection was discovered.
After taking some time off to recover Downes decided to compete in the Air Relax Lowveld Tour in August.
During the event, the lead vehicle drove into the back of Downes’ bicycle and he again went down.
“I was taking my jacket off and then all of a sudden I was on the floor,” said Downes.
“I went over my handlebars and fell. I exposed some of the wires from my previous elbow operation.”
Following the series of events, Downes decided to take a three-week break from cycling to reset and get back to a good head space.
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“Once I came back, I put all of my energy into the last five one-day classics,” said Downes.
Downes said during 2018 most of his BCX teammates had won at least one race so he was hoping to do the same before the end of the season.
“The morning of the challenge I was quite nervous but I decide to give the race my all and see what happened, “said Downes.
He said at the start of the race a group of about 10 cyclists broke away and led the race.
During the race, Brandon kept on pushing and caught up with a breakaway group 25km into the race.
As the race progressed Downes progressed to the front of the cyclists.
When he entered the Kyalami track there was a gap of 50 seconds between him and the next large group of cyclists.
“I was very aware that the group was behind me and that the gap was closing so I just kept on cycling.”
“I knew the other cyclists were coming closer but I decided to give the race my all and make them work for the first position.”
While on Summit Road Downes said the gap between him and the other cyclist had decreased significantly.
“About six or seven kilometres to the finish line the BSX team car pulled alongside me and kept on giving me time updates and encouraging me.”
“I kept on looking over my shoulder to see how far ahead of the others I was.”
Downes said when he came through the last traffic circle of the course and the crowd saw him, they went wild.
“After I crossed the line and stopped my bike, I realised that I had won. My legs were shaking so much,” said Downes.
“My teammate, Steven van Heerden, who finished second, had to hold me up.”
Downes said after he had finished the race, defending champion Daryl Impey congratulated him on his achievement.
