The announcement comes on the back of a record-breaking production year for the Uitenhage-based vehicle manufacturer.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the launch of the 27th edition of the event, VWSA general manager of communications Matt Gennrich said the company was once again proud to be associated with the race.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a very successful and well-organised event that has stature in the cycling and wider community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gennrich said there was a definite logic to the sponsorship because \u201ccycling is a sport that has broad appeal, as do our cars.\u201d<\/p>\n
The country\u2019s second oldest national classic, which takes place in Nelson Mandela Bay on February 4 and 5 next year, traditionally marks the start of the professional racing season.<\/p>\n
In 2011, Team Bonitas\u2019 Tyler Day and Nashua-Toyota\u2019s Robyn de Groot won the men\u2019s and women\u2019s feature events on the road while Fedgroup-Itec Connect\u2019s Brandon Stewart and Team Contego\u2019s Ariane Kleinhans took top honours in the mountain bike events.<\/p>\n
Next year\u2019s weekend-long festival of cycling kicks off with the mountain bike challenge in Addo on the Saturday followed by the road events in Port Elizabeth on the Sunday.<\/p>\n
The 105km Classic, which starts and finishes at Hobie Beach opposite The Boardwalk<\/a> Casino and Entertainment World, is known for its scenic coastal route around the \u201cwild side\u201d of the city.<\/p>\n The Herald\u2019s chief marketing officer Justin Peel said some of the races have been rebranded and their distances adjusted to make them more accessible to the respective target groups.<\/p>\n The supporting road events for the Classic will be the 70km Pursuit and 40km Challenge.<\/p>\n The Powerade-sponsored 21km Leisure Ride, 2km Kiddies\u2019 Ride and 500m Toddlers\u2019 Dash provide more family-friendly options, with proceeds being donated to the children\u2019s charity Reach for a Dream.<\/p>\n On the mountain biking side,\u00a0the 80km Extreme and 60km Adventure races have been streamlined to provide a better off-road experience, while the shortened 30km Powerade Leisure Challenge is aimed at fun riders. The Powerade-supported 5km Kiddies\u2019 Challenge and 500m Toddlers\u2019 Dash complete the categories.<\/p>\n As title sponsor of the Eastern Cape\u2019s richest race, VWSA has contributed a substantial portion of the R100 000 winners\u2019 prize purse. The automotive giant will also be giving away a four-door Polo Vivo 1.4 worth R123 000.<\/p>\n
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