News Highlights

The start ramp at the BMX Oval has been 'revamped' thanks to the Pedal Power Association (PPA), a long-time supporter of the LCA and the Velokhaya BMX Oval - and of cycling transformation in South Africa.

Cyclist Songezo Jim, a member of the GT Velokhaya team, has been selected to compete in the African Championships, which will take place from 10 - 14 November in Rwanda.

Five of Velokhaya's BMX cyclists will soon have the opportunity to pit their skills against the world's top BMXers when South Africa hosts the World BMX Championships for the first time at the end of July.

Khayelitsha's hottest new cycling talent, Team GT Velokhaya PPA's Songezo Jim, is the only Under 23 Cape Town-based rider in the South African nine-man team to compete in the 2010 Nations Cup, which will be held in Europe in March and April.

Khayelitsha BMX duo joins top South African BMX Team....and Danish business leaders raise funds for the further development of the Velokhaya BMX Oval in Khayelitsha

A R100 000 donation by the Vodacom Foundation has boosted BMX training and racing at the Velokhaya BMX Oval in Khayelitsha near Cape Town.

Pick n Pay cyclist Emile Jacobs makes us proud! The Life Cycling Academy's Emile Jacobs is currently competing in European cycling events.

Organiser Velokhaya Events holds its first Engen Dynamic Cycle Challenge (EDCC) for 2009 in Port Elizabeth.

Danish Teammates in SA to join Cyclist Luthando Kaka for SA's Premier Cycling Event - top European team in SA for international cycling event.

The Velokhaya BMX Oval opens on November 28, 2008.

Korea to Cape Town cyclist Dan Martin is welcomed in Cape Town by Velokhaya after cycling more than 38 000km. Dan visits the Velokhaya BMX Oval with his parents, George and Sue.

Velokhaya Events hosts its second Engen Dynamic Cycle Challenge. The event is held near Paarl in the Western Cape.

Work starts on the buildings for the Velokhaya BMX Oval as the Safmarine-donated shipping containers are converted into a club house, change rooms etc.

Team CSC Saxo Bank triumphs at the 2008 Tour de France as Carlos Sastre wins the 2008 general classification (yellow jersey), Andy Schleck the 'best young rider' category (white jersey) and Team CSC Saxo Bank, the 'best team' category at the 2008 Tour.

Another Euro 3000 donation is secured for Velokhaya on Wednesday, 23 July as Carlos Sastre wins Stage 17 of the 2008 Tour de France and takes over the yellow jersey from his team mate, Frank Schleck.

The Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) - owners of the Tour de France - announces its support for Velokhaya on July 21, 2008

Multi-trade shipping line Safmarine announces its donation of seven retired seafreight containers to the Life Cycling Academy (LCA) on 21 July. The containers will be converted into modern buildings for the Khayelitsha-based Velokhaya BMX Oval, a new facility aimed at providing a 'safe recreational space' for learners from its four surrounding schools and beyond.

Cervèlo announces its donation of specially-branded Soloist Team bikes which feature the Tour de France, CSC, Saxo Bank and Cervèlo logos. The bikes are auctioned on eBay. The proceeds benefit the building of the Velokhaya BMX Oval.

A Velokhaya delegation from the LCA - which includes six cyclists aged 15-23 years-old - departs South Africa on July 16 to attend the Tour de France 2008 as VIP guests of Team CSC Saxo Bank. On the day of their departure, Team CSC Saxo Bank rider, Kurt-Asle Arvesen secures a Euro 3000 donation for Velokhaya with his Stage 11 win at the Tour de France. The win was Team CSC Saxo Bank's first in the 2008 Tour.

The first of three powerful Velokhaya print advertisements designed by Young & Rubicam South Africa is printed in The Times newspaper on 14 July 2008.

Cyclist Songezo Jim finishes second in the juniors category of the Knysna Tour on July 5. Songezo is one of the six young cyclists from the LCA selected to attend the 2008 Tour de France as a VIP guest of Team CSC Saxo Bank.

The 2008 Tour de France starts on July 5. The Velokhaya logo appears on Team CSC Saxo Bank vehicles, team kit and promotional clothing.

Luthando Kaka adapts quickly to his new European environment and participates in his first European cycling event on July 2. He competes in the Salling Mountain Grand Prix in Skive and finishes in eighth place.

The acsis professional mens team - the LCA's competitive elite team - participates in the inaugural Engen Dynamic Cycle Race held in Pietermaritzburg. The 106 km race features a strong field of riders. The race is organized by Velokhaya Events.

Lead rider for the acsis professional men's team, Luthando Kaka is signed by the European Continental Team, Team Glud and Marstrand Horsens (Team GMH). Kaka, one of the six young cyclists who represented Velokhaya at the 2007 Tour de France, becomes the first black South African road cyclist to become a permanent member of a European continental road cycling team. A private send-off function is held for Luthando Kaka on 21 June where community leaders urge the youth to follow Luthando's example and to empower themselves through their skills, using sport to add value to their lives, their families and communities.

Swen Lauer, former BMX World Championships rider and Velokhaya supporter, wins the 20" 30+ and Cruiser class categories at an event held in Hessen, South West German, while proudly displaying the Velokhaya logo on his race shirt.

Engen Petroleum Limited launches its entry into cycling with the announcement on May 13 of the sponsorship of two 'Engen Dynamic Cycle Challenge' races in partnership with Velokhaya, as well as Safe Cycling training courses, in association with the LCA.

15 year-old Emile Jacobs, a member of the LCA's Pick n Pay Ascends Program places third in the 70km Boys u/16 Road Race at the SA Road Cycling Championships.

SA Championship results: A well-deserved third place and bronze medal is awarded to girl cyclist Sinazo Matholeni (U/13) of the LCA's Pick n Pay Ascends Programme. Zanele Thsoko (U/16) of the acsis Competitive Cycling Program takes third place in the time trial and fourth place in the U/16 Girls road event.

A record 24 Life Cycling Academy cyclists - including six girl riders - enter the SA Championships held in East London, 8 - 11 May. This is more than double the number entered into the 2007 event.

Roadwing - the South African short-haul trucking company celebrating its 20th anniversary year in 2008 - offers to transport, free of charge, two shipping containers which will be incorporated into the starting ramp at the Velokhaya BMX Cycling Oval in Khayelitsha. This marks the start of construction of the Velokhaya BMX Oval.

Swen Lauer, one of Germany's leading BMX riders, leaves South Africa on 16 April to participate in the European BMX Championships at the beginning of May. He aims to raise awareness of the Velokhaya BMX Oval and hopes to form a sister-relationship between the German club Weiterstadt and South Africa's Velokhaya Cycling Centre.

Luthando Kaka becomes the new Under 23 Western Province Men's Road Cycling Champion and Verdi Farao, also a member of the acsis professional men's team, takes fourth place in the Elite Men's category.

Luthando Kaka becomes a familiar name to people all around South Africa as this talented young cyclist leads the 2008 Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour - held on Saturday, 9 March - by 30 minutes. Kaka is the lead rider for the acsis men's professional team and one of the first cyclists to join the LCA in 2004.

Team CSC and its sponsors Cervèlo and CSC (NYSE: CSC) reaffirm their commitment to the LCA and Velokhaya's vision of 'growth through cycling' by donating more than 450 items of top brand cycling equipment to the initiative. The equipment, shipped onboard the Safmarine Nomazwe, is to be used to train black elite cyclists participating in the LCA's acsis competitive cycling program.

Team CSC donates more than 21 000 USD to the Velokhaya fundraising campaign following a holiday auction held in December 2007. Work begins on the BMX track, the first phase of the Velokhaya BMX Oval.

The Ackerman Pick n Pay Foundation donates R100 000 towards the purchase of new bicycles for members of the Velokhaya Cycling Centre in Khayelitsha. This takes the LCA one step closer to fulfilling its aim of encouraging mass participation in cycling by making it possible for more young children to participate.

Friday, 14 December marks the groundbreaking of the Velokhaya Cycling Centre at its home in the Khayelitsha community just outside Cape Town. The design and building of a world-class BMX track will kickstart Phase One of the Velokhaya Cycling Centre. The groundbreaking is done by cycling commentator, Phil Liggett.

'The voice of cycling', Phil Liggett becomes Velokhaya's first patron.

Glyn Broomberg presents his plans for Velokhaya at a team CSC teambuild in Denmark.

Pick n Pay's Marketing Director, Jonathan Ackerman and CEO, Nic Badminton handed over the SA Colours Kit and bicycle to Emile Jacobs, the first SA Champion borne out of the Pick n Pay Ascends Program. Emile took the SA Road Champ title, in the under 14 category, at the SA Champs held in Bloemfontein in July 2007 after he beat a large field of fellow cyclists in a very competitive age group.

24 August marked the opening, in Knysna, of the first Life Cycling Academy (LCA) branch outside the Western Cape. The LCA launched its Southern Cape program by handing over 15 new bicycles to the new branch, which is located at the Knysna Sports Academy Centre headed by Keith Crethley.

Six young cyclists from Khayelitsha, South Africa - the first Velokhaya delegation - travel to France where they line up with 2007 Tour de France race leaders at the start of Stage 9 in Val d' Isere (Thursday, 17 July) and participate in a press conference on July 16.

At a press conference on 5 July, CSC and Team CSC announce the launch of the Velokhaya initiative. To promote Velokhaya, Team CSC places the yellow and black Velokhaya logo on its team kit and all team vehicles. CSC also announces that it will donate 3 000 Euro to Velokhaya for each stage Team CSC wins at the Tour de France. Additionally, CSC will host six riders and two staff members from the LCA at its annual Tour de France employee event, this year to be held in Val d'Isere.

The Velokhaya brand campaign is formulated as a vehicle for raising funds at the 2007 Tour de France.

CSC in South Africa agrees to sponsor the visit of six Life Cycling Academy cyclists to the Tour de France.

Team CSC visits the Life Cycling Academy on December 13.

Bjarne Riis announces Team CSC will hold its annual teambuild in South Africa in December 2006.

Do Communicate/Debbie Owen approaches the LCA with the idea of hosting Team CSC - the world's number one pro-cycling team - in Khayelitsha during the Team's visit to South Africa in December 2006. The purpose for this visit is to highlight the successes of the LCA and the potential of cycling in South Africa's previously disadvantaged communities.

Bjarne Riis travels to South Africa on the invitation of CSC in South Africa and Cervèlo South Africa. Top black cyclist, Luthando Kaka - a member of the LCA - is invited to meet Bjarne at a cocktail party held at Spier Wine Estate. He is accompanied by Glyn Broomberg and Amos Ziqubu, founders of the Life Cycling Academy.

PR Consultant to CSC in South Africa, Debbie Owen, attends the Tour de France where she meets members of Team CSC. Her visit to France is followed by a proposal to CSC in South Africa to invite Team CSC to South Africa in 2006. The aim of the visit is to increase awareness of cycling and to showcase CSC in South Africa's support of South African cycling.

The Life Cycling Academy is officially registered as a Section 21 Company (a company not for profit or gain). Amos and Glyn put structures in place that would ensure a range of focused, sustainable and meaningful programmes that would change the lives of many young children.

Glyn Broomberg and Amos Ziqubu meet and discuss the formation of the Life Cycling Academy.