Absa announces team for Cape Epic

Absa general manager of sponsorships and events, Lynn Naude, explained that every year the bank chose a select group of mountain biking experts and celebrity novices to represent them in the challenge. Team Absa consists of ten riders split into groups of two. The team for 2014 includes Cape Epic veteran Ernst Viljoen, media personality Liezel van der Westhuizen, South African rugby legends Joel Stransky and Stefan Terblanche, actress Hlubi Moya (who will be partnered with Absa investment banker and chairperson of the Diepsloot Mountain Biking Academy, Andre Ross), former pro motocross rider Clayton Duckworth, and sports writer Kevin McCallum.

The academy, situated at Northern Farm just outside Diepsloot, was a fitting venue for the announcement of Team Absa.

In a team consisting mainly of South African stars, the brightest star of all is surely William Mokgopo (21), who is an alumni of the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy.

Mokgopo has been cycling for eight years and his ultimate goal is to represent South Africa at the Olympics.

Mokgopo’s mentor and founder of the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy, Simon Nash said, “Eight years ago when we started the academy the buzz words that were flying around the cycling industry were ‘transformation’ and ‘development’. We started the academy in Diepsloot as a response to that and hoped that one day one of our riders would become a star in the industry. William is that light that we’ve been hoping for.”

Mokgopo’s riding partner will be Supersport presenter Owen Hannie.

Team Absa will be riding the 2014 Cape Epic for the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy as their chosen charity.

Mokgopo said, “I’ve always ridden for myself but knowing that now I’ll be riding for my academy, for my friends and family, and for all those who see me as an inspiration means so much more to me.”