FORMER Springbok and Sharks rugby stars Stefan Terblanche and Jeremy Thomson have added their names to the growing entries for the aQuellé Tour Durban, which takes place on the public holiday Monday 28 April, and are planning to ride in support of the race’s official charity.
Both Terblanche and Thomson are avid cyclists, with Terblanche back for this year’s ABSA Cape Epic and Thomson a veteran of several previous editions of the tough multi-stage Cape MTB race.
The duo have lodged their entries for the big race that starts and finishes at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, and will be riding in the distinctive colours of the Domino Foundation charity that represents the Amaoti community.
For Thomson, who is a passionate mountain biker, the return to the road is something that he is approaching with caution.
“I did the full 105km aQuellé Tour Durban road race a few years back, and that was hard work,” said Thomson. “I am relieved to be joining the crowd for the 45km race. I am not sure if I will be dusting off the road bike again or if I will ride my mountain bike like so many other people do.”
Thomson turned his hand to cycling a few years after his rugby playing days ended, and quickly gravitated to the snowballing MTB community.
“Most of the ex-players are still pretty competitive, so to stay near the top you had to do the hard yards in training,” he said. “Cycling was the way to go because it is not that hard on the body, and there isn’t severe pressure on your joints.”
Thomson said that the approach to ride as an ambassador for the Domino Foundation came from fellow Sharks backliner Stefan Terblanche, who now heads up the SA Rugby Legends Association.
“The minute I got that email from Stefan (Terblanche) asking if I would be willing to ride in the colours of the Domino Foundation I accepted,” said Thomson.
Thomson and Terblanche hinted that they would get involved in a race-within-a-race with two other Durban personalities but wouldn’t be drawn into revealing anything else at this stage.
