South Africa

[hola'seven]

It is quite sad that our beloved Team Barloworld are leaving the sport at the end of the year. Would have been great to have had a South African replacement sponsor for them and carrying on the good work and exposure, however that seems unlikely. Perhaps John Robertson can conjure up a team from somewhere again (because when he ran Barloworld, it still had very much a SAFA feel to it.)
Suppose we'll just have to wait for teams such as Medscheme, MTN, Neotel or Konika-Minolta to develop into larger outfits. Although that too seems unreasonable for the moment.
Then we'll have to follow the Aussie way and (planting seeds) placing riders in various teams across Europe, and hoping it grows from there. I.e. someone like Hunter putting in a good word* for younger riders, and at least getting a stigaire at a top team.

Where will our guys be off to in the future?

Robbie Hunter - Garmin (perhaps)
John-Lee Augustyn - ?
Darryl Impey - ?


*An interesting thing is that if one looks at the Barloworld team for the 2003 season (the year they commenced), and the riders they had on their ranks then, the 3 French guys actually went on to respectable careers (in top teams), however the South Africans did not quite. I wouldn't say it's as a result of those specific French riders (none are really such prolific winners) being better than the South Africans on the squad at the time, but rather that they were afforded the opportunity to ride elsewhere. Perhaps a little bit of nepotism or being bias, I don't know. Hence Riders like Hunter putting in a word#.

The team in 2003:

Eric Berthou - Went on to ride for R.A.G.T Semences, Credit Agricole and Caisse d'Epargne. Now with Carmiooro - A Style
Freddy Bichot - Française des Jeux and now with Agritubel
Sylvain Calzati - AG2R and now with Agritubel
Hilton Clarke - Navigators and now with Fuji
Ryan Cox - Stayed with Barloworld. Now deceased
Jacobus Nicolas de Witt - Retired young and went on to work. Now deceased
Jacques Fullard - Went to smaller South African teams. Now retired
David George - Stayed with Barloworld for a while. Now with MTN
Tiaan Kannemeyer - Stayed with Barloworld for a while. Now with Neotel
Jacques le Roux - Retired
Jacobus Odendaal - Went to smaller South African teams. Now deceased
Sean Sullivan - Stayed with Barloworld for a while. Now retired

#Often one sees that when a rider moves to another team, he can sometimes take a fellow countryman or ex team-mate with

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Darryl Impey - ?

rabobank maybe

 

[Colonel]

Froome and JL are going to Sky Team. Also Fullard is still racig for BlackRock here in SA but in the Sub-Vet cat. 30-34yrs.

Konica does not seem to be as big and powerfull as it was a year or 2 ago and Medscheme will be growing alot bigger in 2010/11 once Malcolm stops racing and takes over more as manager and can spend more time on the team logistics.

MTN are racing more overseas and are at the Tour of Ireland.

 

[TRDean]

It is quite sad that our beloved Team Barloworld are leaving the sport at the end of the year. Would have been great to have had a South African replacement sponsor for them and carrying on the good work and exposure, however that seems unlikely. Perhaps John Robertson can conjure up a team from somewhere again (because when he ran Barloworld, it still had very much a SAFA feel to it.)
Suppose we'll just have to wait for teams such as Medscheme, MTN, Neotel or Konika-Minolta to develop into larger outfits. Although that too seems unreasonable for the moment.
Then we'll have to follow the Aussie way and (planting seeds) placing riders in various teams across Europe, and hoping it grows from there. I.e. someone like Hunter putting in a good word* for younger riders, and at least getting a stigaire at a top team.

Where will our guys be off to in the future?

Robbie Hunter - Garmin (perhaps)
John-Lee Augustyn - ?
Darryl Impey - ?


*An interesting thing is that if one looks at the Barloworld team for the 2003 season (the year they commenced), and the riders they had on their ranks then, the 3 French guys actually went on to respectable careers (in top teams), however the South Africans did not quite. I wouldn't say it's as a result of those specific French riders (none are really such prolific winners) being better than the South Africans on the squad at the time, but rather that they were afforded the opportunity to ride elsewhere. Perhaps a little bit of nepotism or being bias, I don't know. Hence Riders like Hunter putting in a word#.

The team in 2003:

Eric Berthou - Went on to ride for R.A.G.T Semences, Credit Agricole and Caisse d'Epargne. Now with Carmiooro - A Style
Freddy Bichot - Française des Jeux and now with Agritubel
Sylvain Calzati - AG2R and now with Agritubel
Hilton Clarke - Navigators and now with Fuji
Ryan Cox - Stayed with Barloworld. Now deceased
Jacobus Nicolas de Witt - Retired young and went on to work. Now deceased
Jacques Fullard - Went to smaller South African teams. Now retired
David George - Stayed with Barloworld for a while. Now with MTN
Tiaan Kannemeyer - Stayed with Barloworld for a while. Now with Neotel
Jacques le Roux - Retired
Jacobus Odendaal - Went to smaller South African teams. Now deceased
Sean Sullivan - Stayed with Barloworld for a while. Now retired

#Often one sees that when a rider moves to another team, he can sometimes take a fellow countryman or ex team-mate with

Looking at your info above...quite sad to see so many "Deceased" listed. What are the reasons?

 

[elapid]

Looking at your info above...quite sad to see so many "Deceased" listed. What are the reasons?

I remember Ryan Cox - very sad. He had surgery on a vascular problem in his femoral artery (I think) which was causing leg pain. Roughly three weeks after surgery, the artery ruptured and he bled to death. A very sad day for South African, Barloworld and world cycling.

 

[Cartesian Centaur]

Looking at your info above...quite sad to see so many "Deceased" listed. What are the reasons?

Just done a bit of googling and it looks like the other two riders were both killed in a plane crash. Very sad.

 

[hola'seven]

As for Ryan: Passed away in August 2007, following complications suffered from a vascular lesion operation (in his leg) he underwent.
And as for Jacobus and Jaco: They died in a plane crash in January 2005.
Yes quite tragic

 

[TRDean]

Yes, it is very sad for all three of these young men!!

Didn't South Africa have a junior a year or two ago who was some phenom in the time trial? I had heard better than Phinney? Any truth to this?

 

[The_Z_man]

Don't think of it as bad that Barloworld is closing up shop after this year, think of how great it was for them to have been around this year at all. Remember that two years ago, after a failed blood test in the tour, they were going to fold, but they came back. This year, and last year were pure gravy!

I'm just hoping that Soler ends up in Argyle next year, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[hola'seven]

I'm not entirely sure about the phenominal time trialist?

Yup, I suppose that is looking at the glass half full as their original plan was only for 5 years, but obviously there is always a bit of hope that they would continue. But I suppose we can really be greatful as South African Cycling only gained and got stronger in the process.

As for Soler, isn't he going to Caisse d'Epargne?

 

[TRDean]

Don't think of it as bad that Barloworld is closing up shop after this year, think of how great it was for them to have been around this year at all. Remember that two years ago, after a failed blood test in the tour, they were going to fold, but they came back. This year, and last year were pure gravy!

I'm just hoping that Soler ends up in Argyle next year, but I'm not holding my breath.

Yep, Soler signed with Caisse d'Epargne.

 

[ridley]

As for Soler, isn't he going to Caisse d'Epargne?

I believe that signature is drying as we speak

 

[Colonel]

Looking at your info above...quite sad to see so many "Deceased" listed. What are the reasons?

The 2 other than Ryan died as said in a plane crash. They were riding for Team Microsoft (now MTN) to a race when the small plane went missing and was found crashed.

 

[anubisza]

As has been said, it's sad that so many of the guys died young.

It's a shame Barloworld is finished, but I guesss it acheived it's goal of racing in the Tour, and getting a couple of stage wins on the way.
I think the Saffie's on the squad are of good enough calibre to find European teams, just who knows when we're going to see another top-level SA Team (MTN are doing ok, but they're not exactly in the big leagues.)

 

[hola'seven]

Congrats to Darren Lill on a very good showing in the Tour of Utah!

Keep on keepin' on

 

[ridley]

Talking about South Africa - What ever happened to older 'retired' names like Alan van Heerden and Bruce Reinecke ?