The organisers of the Giro del Trentino in Italy issued their first press release on the event, which gets underway later this week, with the main topic being the
arrival of the South African Team in Verona on Tuesday.

“The participation of a South African womens’ team in Italy was billed as a first for everyone here,” said an impressed SA team manager Allan Wolhuter.

“They are very impressed that a South African squad is going to be here and even more impressed that a member of the South African press will be here to cover the. Leon (Botha, Beeld photographer) has made headlines already,” he chuckled.

“I even had to write a confirmation email today to the organiser to convince him that a team from South Africa will actually be arriving on Tuesday. This guy is not totally convinced, but then he contradicts himself with the release.

“It seems he thinks that a group of ‘jungle bunnies’ will arrive for his race. He is one of these people who still believes South Africa has no tarmac roads, that lions walk the streets and that we are totally from the dark ages. He is in for a surprise,” said Wolhuter.

The South African national womens’ team are the only outfit booked in at the race Headquarters for the duration of the tour, which is quite an honour for the SA ladies.

“All the other teams are in down town Trento while we are at the top of a 1st category pass where stage four will pass by,” said Wolhuter.