To be selected to represent your country at the Olympic Games is the highest athletic achievement an athlete can achieve. Years of training, sacrifice, and dedication are required for athletes hoping to join the select group of athletes who will forever be known as ‘Olympians’.
While the COVID-19 pandemic raised many challenges in terms of Tokyo 2020 preparation, the determination and focus of the athletes have remained unwavering in the quest to qualify for Olympic selection.
SASCOC and CyclingSA are proud to announce the SA National Team to represent South Africa at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games.
TEAM SOUTH AFRICA: TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES
Cycling Code Manager: Elton Davids
ROAD CYCLING
Managers / Coaches: Carl Pasio and Ian Goetham
Mechanic: Gary Blem
Soigneur: Brigitte Mileson
TRACK CYCLING
- Charlene du Preez
- David Maree
- Jean Spies
Manager / Coach: Brigitte Mileson
Assistant Manager: Elton Davids
Mechanic: Moosa Claasen
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.
CyclingSA recognises that there have been shortfalls in the past regarding the development of riders. Great emphasis has been placed on addressing these issues, and this is central to the 2020-2024 Strategic Plan to develop the sport further.
Several initiatives have been put in place to identify, develop and support up and coming talent. This includes working with CyclingSA’s regional affiliates, provinces and disciplines to increase competition in local racing platforms to create a long list of development riders who are to be nurtured and supported. In addition, funding generated from the various capacity building projects and commercial agreements will be ring-fenced to subsidise larger and more diverse teams selected to participate in International events.
CyclingSA is confident that the structures being put in place will allow for greater diversity of cycling as a whole and is committed to ensuring cycling is better represented for the next Olympic Games in Paris 2024.
“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.”
“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.” said Ciska Austin, President of CyclingSA.
| 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 | ||
