Namibia road and mountain bike cyclist, Tristan de Lange, said he is looking forward to his new journey as a road racer in Europe.
In an interview with Nampa on Monday, the 24-year-old 2019 African Games double gold medalist said representing Namibia at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan showed him he has more to offer in the road race.
“The Olympics triggered a change in my career. It opened several doors for me but also made me open to the possibility of the change. It made me realize that I could achieve just as much on the road bike as I have done racing the mountain bike,” he said.
De Lange, who is also the 2021 Nedbank Desert Dash champion, added that his target for this year was to represent Namibia at the Commonwealth Games, as well as compete at several continental tours overseas with the new team.
“Unfortunately, I missed several selection races at the start of this year due to an injury I picked up from the Desert Dash in December. It is still being nursed, but my recovery is improving week by week. The next three weeks will be the decider if I’ll be ready for the Commonwealth Games in August. Everything is being done together with my coach, Jeroen Swart, and physios to speed up my recovery as much as possible,” said De Lange.
De Lange also said he will be departing for Europe in two weeks to meet the people he will be working with this year in Girona, Spain.
“Girona will be my permanent base for the coming years. I will be there while preparing for the 2024 Paris, Olympic Games, as well as work hard to reach World Tour status. While in Spain I will also be mentored by Dan Craven, Namibia’s most decorated road cyclist, and I will learn as much as possible from someone who has been at the top of the game,” he added.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency