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GOING PLACES: On a borrowed bike, Siya Ntsele shows what grit and talent can achieve

The young mountain bike rider’s stellar Go2Sea performance earned him more than applause: a bike of his own and support to pursue his racing ambitions.

GOING PLACES: On a borrowed bike, Siya Ntsele shows what grit and talent can achieve

A young mountain bike rider's impressive Go2Sea performance has earned him more than just applause. Siyabonga Ntsele, a 23-year-old from Soweto, received a new bike and support to pursue his racing ambitions. During the inaugural Old Mutual Go2Sea race, Ntsele won multiple stages and finished seventh overall. The race involved a 110km ride from Winterton to Nottingham Road in KwaZulu-Natal, ascending 1,500m over gravel and single-track paths through mountains and farmlands.

Ntsele's journey began when he was 15, and he discovered mountain biking as a way to stay close to his late father's memory while focusing on school and cycling. Despite training on a broken bike and using medicine balls to improve balance, Ntsele's natural talent and dedication have propelled him to success. With the help of sponsors and supporters, Ntsele aims to become more consistent and compete on international circuits in the future.

Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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