Cycling for bicycles draws champions
SWISS watch brand Breitling, together with their triathlon squad, will take on the Coronation Double Century bicycle race in Swellendam to raise funds for 500 bicycles for Qhubeka.
Qhubeka is a South African nonprofit company that has supplied more than 75 000 bicycles through fundraising programmes.
It was founded in 2005 in consideration of 12 million of the country’s 16 million school-going children walking to and from school – 500 000 of them walking more than two hours to school and two hours back.
The partnership between Breitling and Qhubeka will help to fund bicycles for Qhubeka’s learn-to-earn and work-to-earn programmes across South Africa.
Qhubeka executive director Tsatsi Phaweni said they wished the team luck.
“We are thrilled that Breitling are supporting us through this squad mission. We share a belief in teamwork, being driven by purpose, and an appreciation for the ways that bicycles change lives,” Phaweni said.
Breitling chief executive Georges Kern will be part of the #SquadOnAMission team, taking part in the 202km endurance road cycling event.
“We have so much respect for the work Qhubeka does.
‘‘They donate bicycles to people whose lives are changed in meaningful ways.
‘‘A bicycle can take someone to school or work or a clinic – these donations can be, literally, a matter of life or death, and we’re thrilled to be able to use our mission to support Qhubeka’s vision,” Kern said.
Under the banner #SquadOnAMission, Breitling’s all-star squad includes Jan Frodeno, German triathlete, Olympic gold medallist and multiple Ironman World Champion; Daniele Ryf, Swiss triathlete, multiple Ironman World Champion; Chris McCormack, Australian triathlete, multiple Ironman World Champion; Ronnie Schildknecht, Swiss triathlete, Ironman champion; Nino Schurter, Swiss mountain biker, seven-time World Mountain Bike Cross-Country Champion and Olympic Champion; and Vincenzo Nibali, Italian road cyclist, winner of all three cycling Grand Tours.