Andries Nigrini might have achieved something over the weekend during the South African Road Cycling Championships in Pretoria what very few other Tuks male cyclists had managed to do, and that is to medal.

Nigrini who rides for the Luso Team set the third fastest time in the men’s under-23 time trial proving that his performance earlier this year during the Mpumalanga Tour was no fluke. He won the under-23 time trial. It is difficult to establish when last any Tuks male cyclist won a medal at the national road championships. It is certainly not a regular occurrence. 

The time trial is generally considered to be one of the toughest challenges in road cycling. Not only because it is an individual race. What you put in is what you will get out. There is entirely no margin for error. The mere slip of a foot out of pedal could cost you the race because it is all about gaining that hundredth of a second. 

Knowing all this meant Nigrini left nothing to chance. Last week the Tuks rider went out on the route to try and simulate what might happen on race day. 

“I needed to do so. During the Gauteng Championships, we raced on the same route. I was third so I was under pressure to see where and when I could gain some time.”

Nigrini admits to being quite anxious on race day as he was the first one out to test the stopwatch. The significant disadvantage being that the Tuks rider had no other results he could compare his performance to while racing. It had to be flat out from the start hoping whatever time he set was going to be good enough.

“I was truly relieved when it was announced that I had won bronze. It is certainly one of the best moments of my cycling career to date and a great confidence booster. I now realise that anything is possible if you believe in your abilities.”

One of the significant challenges remaining this season is for Nigrini to defend his title in the Varsity Cup-Mountain Cup-series. Last year he won all three races ensuring an overall victory as well. Getting good results at the Tour de Limpopo is all important as will be his performance at the National Marathon Mountain Bike-race.

Michelle Benson’s performance in the women’s elite cycle race also deserves mention. Over the previous two years, the Tuks rider won three medals in the under-23 category. However, she had to forego on any personal ambitions this time around.  Her job was to ensure that her Cycle Nation teammate, Jo van de Winkel, finish in the top three which she did. Van Winkel was third. As expected Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio won. Benson finished 10th.