Bryanston High School learner Massimiliano Ambrosi recently nabbed a podium finish placing an overall third out of 1 763 participants in the Discovery Ride Joburg 947 Mountain Bike Race.
The competitive and passionate youngster is only just getting started, said his father Luca Ambrosi. “Since an early age [he] had an absolute passion for anything with two wheels, from tinkering with dad on motorbikes to riding his first PW50 at age four. Following in his father’s footsteps, he soon discovered that he enjoyed cycling just as much,” Luca said.
Massimiliano and his two younger brothers started out competing in Sunday races at the Like2Bike kids cycling event series. He decided that he needed a bigger challenge and entered into cross-country Olympic (XCO) racing.
According to Luca, the XCO racing format is an Olympic format that has seen the likes of Alan Hatherly stand on the top step of the world stage. “Massi was in for a big transition, a far more technical and demanding form of racing lay ahead of him. He worked his way up from sixth in his first race to ending off in second position overall in the series in 2018.”
This year, Massimiliano not only won the Gauteng XCO Cup race but he started chasing down 1st place during the South African National Championship when an unfortunate crash took him out of the race. “Despite being carted off to the hospital, Massi was back on his bike the next day and more determined than ever,” Luca added.
With most of the season over, the youngster decided to enter both the 947 mountain bike race as well as the road race. “Having only turned 14 in August, he proudly placed in 3rd position overall in the men’s category of the 25km MTB race. The following Sunday, Massimiliano took part in the road race and finished in an amazing time of 2:34:07, placing him 350th out of 15 919 riders and mixing it up with some very experienced elite racers.”
In addition to his cycling achievements, Massimiliano has also been awarded full colours for athletics, swimming and cross-country. ”
He has embraced his Grade 8 year at Bryanston High School and has formed great bonds with all his sporting coaches and teachers alike. He is driven by his pure determination and passion for all sports,” his father concluded.
Related articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/224716/10-out-of-10-for-sandton-cyclists/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/232916/young-redhill-cyclist-ranked-one-of-top-young-cyclists-in-the-country/
