SA Cycling Team Announced for Tokyo Olympic Games
Cycling South Africa has announced the cycling squad for the Tokyo Olympic Games, scheduled from 23 July, 2021.
The 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo will see five road riders, two mountain bikers, three track specialists and a BMXer, selected by CSA and SASCOC, represent South Africa, with medal prospects not too bad at all.
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is responsible for creating the qualifying system, which is then approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This system determines the number of starting positions associated with each Nations’ UCI ranking. Throughout the Olympic qualifying period, every country is focused on their UCI Olympic Ranking to determine their athlete quota for the Games.
CyclingSA applies its selection criteria to determine who will be selected for the Olympic Games and submits the long list of riders to SASCOC with evidence of ranking and qualification for verification and approval.
As a result of the UCI Olympic ranking system, South Africa qualified slots for the below events:
Road Racing
- Men Road Race – 3 athletes
- Men Individual Time Trial – 1 athlete (selected from Road Race team)
- Women Road Race – 2 athletes
- Women Individual Time Trial – 1 athlete (selected from Road Race team)
Track Cycling
- Men Sprint – 1 athlete
- Men Omnium – 1 athlete
- Women Sprint – 1 athlete
Mountain-biking
BMX Racing
- Men – 1 athlete
To read more about the CyclingSA selection criteria for discipline, view the selection documents for Road Racing, Mountain-biking, Track Cycling and BMX Racing.
On the road, the men will be represented by former national champion Daryl Impey, current national TT champ and 2020 road champ Ryan Gibbons and Qhubeka Assos stalwart Nic Dlamini. The women representatives are Ashleigh Moolman Pasio and Carla Oberholzer.
“SASCOC and CyclingSA are aware that Daryl Impey has recently had surgery following a crash at the Ruta del Sol in Spain a few days ago. The SASCOC medical team are in contact with Daryl’s medical team and will advise if he will not be fit to participate in Tokyo. The reserve rider has been notified, and should Daryl not be fit to participate, the reserve rider will be announced.” said Ciska Austin, President of CyclingSA.
Alan Hatherly is probably the biggest Olympic medal prospect, if he can hold his 2021 World Cup form. Top-tens at this level put him right in the mix. Candice Lill is no stranger to the Olympics, a former World Championships medallist and 2012 London Olympic Games participant.
The track squad of Charlene du Preez, David Maree and Jean Spies has been campaigning in Europe, with success, while Alex Limberg is the reigning SA BMX champion and will be looking forward to heading to Tokyo after narrowly missing qualification for Rio in 2016.
“All the riders on the long-list for Team SA have continued to deliver results despite the setbacks and disruption for the Tokyo Olympic Games. We are extremely proud of the riders who have been selected to represent South Africa and wish the team all the success in reaching their Olympic dreams.”
| TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES – CYCLING EVENT SCHEDULE (SAST) | ||
| ROAD CYCLING | ||
| Sat, 24 July | 04h00 – 11h15 | Men’s Road Race |
| Sun, 25 July | 06h00 – 10h30 | Women’s Road Race |
| Wed, 28 July | 04h30 – 10h30 | Men’s and Women’s Individual Time Trial |
| MOUNTAIN-BIKING | ||
| Mon, 26 July | 08h00 – 11h00 | Men’s Cross Country |
| Tues, 27 July | 08h00 – 11h00 | Women’s Cross Country |
| BMX RACING | ||
| Thurs, 29 July | 03h00 – 05h00 | Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals |
| Fri, 30 July | 03h00 – 05h00 | Men’s and Women’s Semi- and Finals |
| TRACK CYCLING | ||
| Mon, 2 August | 08h30 – 11h30 | Women’s Team Sprint Qualifying |
| Women’s Team Pursuit Qualifying | ||
| Women’s Team Sprint First round | ||
| Men’s Team Pursuit Qualifying | ||
| Women’s Team Sprint Finals | ||
| Tues, 3 August | 08h30 – 11h10 | Women’s Team Pursuit First round |
| Men’s Team Sprint Qualifying | ||
| Men’s Team Pursuit First round | ||
| Men’s Team Sprint First round | ||
| Women’s Team Pursuit Finals | ||
| Men’s Team Sprint Finals | ||
| Wed, 4 August | 08h30 – 11h30 | Men’s Sprint Qualifying |
| Women’s Keirin First round | ||
| Men’s Sprint 1/32 Finals | ||
| Women’s Keirin Repechages | ||
| Men’s Sprint 1/32 Finals Repechages | ||
| Men’s Team Pursuit Finals | ||
| Men’s Sprint 1/16 Finals | ||
| Men’s Sprint 1/16 Finals Repechages | ||
| Thurs, 5 August | 08h30 – 11h50 | Men’s Omnium Scratch Race 1/4 |
| Men’s Sprint 1/8 Finals | ||
| Women’s Keirin Quarterfinals | ||
| Men’s Sprint 1/8 Finals Repechages | ||
| Men’s Omnium Tempo Race 2/4 | ||
| Men’s Sprint Quarterfinals | ||
| Women’s Keirin Semifinals | ||
| Men’s Omnium Elimination Race 3/4 | ||
| Women’s Keirin Final 7-12 | ||
| Women’s Keirin Final 1-6 | ||
| Men’s Omnium Points Race 4/4 | ||
| Men’s Sprint Race for 5th-8th Places | ||
| Fri, 6 August | 08h30 – 12h15 | Women’s Sprint Qualifying |
| Men’s Sprint Semifinals | ||
| Women’s Sprint 1/32 Finals | ||
| Women’s Sprint 1/32 Finals Repechages | ||
| Women’s Madison Final | ||
| Men’s Sprint Finals | ||
| Women’s Sprint 1/16 Finals | ||
| Women’s Sprint 1/16 Finals Repechages | ||
| Sat, 7 August | 08h30 – 11h25 | Women’s Sprint 1/8 Finals |
| Men’s Keirin First Round | ||
| Women’s Sprint 1/8 Finals Repechages | ||
| Men’s Keirin Repechages | ||
| Women’s Sprint Quarterfinals | ||
| Sun, 8 August | 03h00 – 06h15 | Women’s Omnium Scratch Race 1/4 |
| Women’s Sprint Semifinals | ||
| Men’s Keirin Quarterfinals | ||
| Women’s Omnium Tempo Race 2/4 | ||
| Women’s Sprint Race for 5th-8th Places | ||
| Men’s Keirin Semifinals | ||
| Women’s Sprint Finals | ||
| Women’s Omnium Elimination Race 3/4 | ||
| Men’s Keirin Final 7-12 | ||
| Men’s Keirin Final 1-6 | ||
| Women’s Omnium Points Race 4/4 | ||
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