South African cyclists will only become international winners if they are properly prepared. This is the firm belief of the owner of Team Nashua, Owen Botha.

He has, therefore, made a deal with Australia’s MB Cycles’ professional women’s team to race together with his Team Nashua internationally.  Riders from the two teams will compete in races in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, the Netherlands and Belgium.

It is interesting to note that Marcel Bengtson, who owns the MB Cycle Team, is a former South African who is now based in Brisbane.

During a tour of New Zealand (24-28 February) the two teams will combine to race together for the first time. Last year MB Cycles’ Amber Haliday won the UCI 2.2-tour.

According to Botha it happens too frequently that South African women riders are being sent overseas to compete without really knowing what to expect.

“From now on it will be different. I am almost certain that Cherise Taylor will be a member of the team that will be racing in New Zealand. With Haliday’s guidance, Cherise will know exactly which of the riders she has to watch and what the tour is all about.”

Basically the same will happen during the tour of China’s Chongming Island, which was won by Chloe Hosking (MB Cycles) last year.

Botha might well be described as a visionary as far as South African cycling is concerned.

In October this year the Commonwealth Games will take place in New Delhi, India.  Botha realizes that the circumstances in India could get tough for a first-time visitor to the country.  Many people have told horror stories about food poisoning after eating or drinking something that they were not accustomed to.

“I don’t want this to happen to any of my riders if they were to be selected to represent South Africa at the Commonwealth Games. This is one of the reasons why we are sending a team to compete in the Tour of India. It will give our riders an opportunity to get acquainted with the conditions in India.  If some of them should be selected for the Commonwealth Games, they will be familiar with the circumstances and it won’t be a case of ‘fools rush in where angels fear to tread’.

“Another positive aspect about the Tour of India is that a section of the course will overlap with the course which is going to be used for the Games.”

Botha is also thinking ahead as far as the World Championship is concerned. It takes place from the 29th of September to the 3rd of October in Geelong, Australia.

“If any of the Team Nashua riders should be selected for the South African team, the plan is to make sure that they arrive in Australia two weeks before the event so that they can be acclimatized properly. It will also give them ample opportunity to train on the course.”

Botha’s long-term vision for his riders is to assist them to obtain an entry to the Tour de Femme (women’s version of the Tour de France).

The Australian riders will be racing in most of South Africa’s big one-day classics. They will be arriving on 26 January.

The Australians, Liz Young and Davina Summers could be the two intellectuals in the South African pro-squad. Young holds a doctorate in political science and she held the position of Director of Environmental Policy for Queensland for a period of time.  Summers holds a Masters degree in Business Administration as well as a Bachelor of Science degree. Jessie MacLean is the other Aussie who will be competing in most of the races in South Africa. Jessie is a forma World Pursuit Junior Champion on the track.

Halliday, Australia’s 2010 time trial champion , might also be doing a few races in South Africa.

The South African riders in the team will be: Taylor, Charlotte van der Merwe, Milandi Cronje and Jeaun-Mari Breytenbach.