Boksburg’s cycling champ talks about the upcoming season, new sponsorship

Boksburg resident, Demacon Women’s Cycling Team captain and Cape Town Cycle Tour champion Lynette Burger chatted with the Advertiser.

This was amid the recent announcement of a major boost for women’s cycling in SA, which will see her team racing on Head bicycles this season.

Demacon Women’s Cycling Team is a quartet. In addition to the captain’s impressive résumé, Heidi Dalton is the national road champion, Carla Oberholzer was brilliant last year when the team won 10 of its 13 races and Kim le Court rides for Mauritius in the Commonwealth Games.

How did the Head Bikes sponsorship come about?

This is our fourth year as a team and we’ve been winning, so I guess that caught the eye of Annes Britz, the sole distributor of Head Bikes in South Africa.

How long will they be sponsoring your team?

Well, for now, it’s just for this year and then we’ll see how it goes. I’m sure if we continue winning, the sponsorship will hopefully go on for longer.

When are the national championships in Oudtshoorn?

February 10 – it’s a 120km race.

How long is a cycling season?

The whole year in South Africa, so it’s quite hectic. It’s only slightly more quiet in winter. So, unlike Europe where they have a winter break, we race all year round.

How long have you been captain of Team Demacon?

Since the team was formed four years ago.

What do the responsibilities include?

To motivate the riders, especially the young riders, and to always have a structure. You need structure for riders to reach their full potential.

Where are your teammates from?

Heidi Dalton is originally from Richards Bay, Carla Oberholzer from Bloemfontein and Kim le Court is from Mauritius.

What are the best parts of being a cyclist?

I actually met my husband through cycling, so that’s pretty good. Also, the lifestyle – it’s just a good lifestyle; you meet a lot of different people. Staying fit and the social aspect of it is also enjoyable.

The sport has taken a big knock in recent years because of doping. Lance Armstrong said it’s impossible to win major races without doping. What’s your stance on this?

Firstly, there’s zero doping in our team. In South Africa we’re really trying; it’s the international level that kills us.

I’m even scared to use Disprin without reading the packaging carefully. The best option is to go to the drug-free website. There’s no excuse. If you need to dope to win, then the sport is not for you; go find something else – like chess. And it (doping) catches up with you as you grow older, with things like kidney failure.

How do you think cycling can restore its reputation from doping?

With more regular testing. In South Africa, it’s mostly about urine tests but I think they should incorporate blood testing. It will cost a lot more but a lot more can be found through blood tests than urine tests.

How long have you been doing this sport?

Since 2002 as a fun rider. I signed for my first team in 2004. I’ve retired twice, first in 2014 and last year – and came back twice.

How did it all start?

My parents had a business in Randfontein and my friends there did spinning and introduced me to cycling.

What’s the most gruelling race you’ve participated in and why?

The world championships in Pietermaritzburg in 2012. I’ve trained very hard in my life. It was 45 degrees during that race. It was the best race of my life and the hardest because I won it.

What’s the most memorable moment for you in your career?

Winning SAs in 2009, in Oudtshoorn. So, I’m hoping Oudtshoorn has become a good omen for me with more good news. But, if you’re headstrong you can achieve anything.

What would you say are your top four biggest achievements in your career?

Winning worlds, winning SAs, winning the Cape Town Cycle Tour and all my track medals.

Take us through your training regimen.

I get up at 4am every day and train for about two hours. I train every day except Monday as that’s my rest day. My training has been more about quality than quantity since becoming a mom; it’s more specific. It ranges between 14 and 18 hours per week. I also train on weekends if there are no races. The training is then over a longer period, from three to four hours, where a lot more is covered compared to on weekdays.

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Krugersdorp and have been living in Boksburg for the past 12 years.

Married? How many children?

Yes, with two children: Dale, who turns four in May, and Ryan Pieterse, who just turned a year old.

– @SabeloBoksburg