Leemisa Thuseho
NEDBANK Lesotho in collaboration with the Lesotho Cycling Federation (CFL) yesterday launched three new cycling competitions for the year 2023.
The launch was held at Lancers Inn Hotel in Maseru and the competitions are dubbed Lesotho Nedbank Cycling Series 2023.
Speaking at the launch, CFL president Rammotang Makatile said under the collaboration they will have three events this year.
He said the events will begin with the Nedbank Mountain Bike (MTB) Cup set for 18 June at Masianokeng Lifestyle Centre in Maseru. It will be followed by the Nedbank Classic Road Race to be held on 2 July at Makoanyane Square at the heart of the Maseru CBD.
The last event will be the Nedbank National MTB Championships on 17 July at Maseru Mall.
Nedbank will sponsor all the events to the tune of M80 000. The money will be used for the organization of the events and for prizes.
Makatile said the events would go a long way towards improving the competitiveness of local riders.
The events will also be open to foreign riders to increase competition.
The competitions would also prepare riders prepare for international events that include the upcoming World Cycling Championships to be held from 3 to 13 August this year in Glasgow, Scotland.
Nedbank Managing Director, Nkau Matete said they were not new in sports funding as they were already involved in football (sponsoring the soccer A Division League Top 8 competition) as well as in golf through the Nedbank Mohakare Golf Classic annual tournament.
Mr Matete said their relationship with cycling comes a long way but for reasons that they could not avoid inclusive of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a break in the relationship. With this series of events they are renewing the relationship.
“We are not new in sports, as we are already involved in soccer and golf,” Matete said.
“With cycling we have been sponsoring their events for a long time but there was a break along the way, and we are happy that the relationship has been renewed.”
The Nedbank MD added they are doing this as “a way to be a responsible cooperate citizen and to invest in the growth of sports in Lesotho”.
“We are not doing this because we have money that we do not know what to do with. It is genuinely to give back to the community and act as responsible cooperate citizens by investing in sports,” Mr Matete said.
