MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) – The Kremetart one-day stage race on June 5 is set to become the biggest cycling event ever in Limpopo.

More than 800 cyclists have already entered into the 172km stage race and currently about 100 cyclists are entering a week. On the morning of June 5 some 1 200 cyclist should start the main event, and with the two subsidiary events, this will take the numbers of cyclists in town to 1 800 for the weekend.

The race has become one of the major cycling events on the South African cycling calendar and has attracted cyclists from all nine provinces and as far away as Mauritius.

Despite climbing over the Soutpansberg in the first stage, the 172km course is fast and has attracted the interest of tandems riders. Tandems do well on fast, flat circuits, but poorly in the hills. Currently, 40 tandem teams have entered and this looks like being one of the biggest tandem fields outside the Argus.

Although officially discouraged by the South African Cycling Federation from riding more than 130km in a day, 120 women have already entered the stage race, encouraged by the fact that this is the only race in the country in which women can earn the same prizes as the men.

Some of the country's top women will be racing the Kremetart. This includes Ronel van Wyk who was second to Anriette Schoeman in the Energade Tour of Durban two weeks ago and Alti Pienaar (last year's Kremetart winner). Lana Dryer, Ronel Booysen and Annik Laubsher are also coming fresh from the top ten positions in the 583 women's field of the Tour of Durban. Karen van der Bijl, last year's Kremetart runner-up, is also on form, having won the Liberty Ride For sight at the end of February and also being a top-ten finisher in Durban. Becky Hope will be up there, trying for the veteran women. Two-time Kremetart winner and ex-Zimbabwean, Bronwynn Swanepoel, will be riding again this year, but on a tandem.

The race is hosted by the P&L Hardware Cycling Club of Louis Trichardt and is being sponsored by the international giant Barloworld, cement manufacturer PPC and Dulux paints. Without the tremendous support of the Makhado Municipality, who are 100% behind the event and are supplying many of the essential services for the event, this race could not take place. The municipality will be providing free camping in the caravan park to about 800 people for the weekend, and temporary showers and toilets will be erected to cope.

The whole community around the Soutpansberg has become involved to assist with the event. The local Round Table once again came to the fore, and the communities of Waterpoort and Vivo will provide the meals on the route. The Schoemansdal School will provide the facilities at the end of Stage 3. Many people totally unconnected with cycling offered their help.

Of the P&L Hardware Cycling Club's riders, Sarel Lubbe is expected to be the best and should earn a place in the top twenty men. A rapidly improving Frans Gerber will be right there beside him.

The club will be having the first of their development riders take part this year. Managed by team leader Donald Mudau, Livhuwani Mutele is expected to be the best of the club's development riders and may well finish in less than five hours. Thilivhali Mushathoni is the club's best development rider, but unfortunately broke his hand in a cycling accident seven weeks ago. Nefale Awifaneli, Edzisani Farisani, Mashudu Madzivhondila, Collet Mulaudzi, and Itani Madzivhandila can all be expected to finish in under six hours.