URGENT NOTICE

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES TOLL TARIFF ADJUSTMENTS FOR N4 TOLL ROUTE IN MOZAMBIQUE – EFFECTIVE 01 APRIL 2013

The Ministries of Finance and Public Works and Housing announced an annual toll tariff adjustment which will be effective at Mozambique’s Moamba and Maputo Toll Plazas from Monday, 01 April 2013.

These adjustments follow the previous adjustment in March 2012 after a six year period where no adjustments were made as determined by the toll concession contract. Due to this breach, Trans African Concessions (TRAC), the company who manages the N4 toll route in South Africa and Mozambique, suffered extensive financial losses. This, as well as other circumstances beyond TRAC’s control, hampered the rehabilitation and maintenance programme earmarked for the N4 in Mozambique. The burden on TRAC was compounded by nationwide asphalt shortages, overloading of heavy vehicles (particularly sand trucks) and limited (or no) law enforcement. The above created additional pressures on TRAC’s ability to provide the high standard of road infrastructure it is known for.

TRAC welcomes the recent toll tariff announcement. It will go some way to address the financial losses suffered and give impetus to the planned rehabilitation and maintenance programme which is expected to commence within the next 4 – 6 months. TRAC is also in the process of establishing an asphalt plant in Mozambique which will deliver the high quality asphalt required to upgrade the N4 toll route.

NEW TOLL TARIFFS – 01 APRIL 2013

Public transport operators and minibus taxis will continue to benefit from a 40% discount on toll fees at both Maputo and Moamba Toll Plazas.

The 18-year old grade 12 pupil from Richards Bay completed a hat-trick of wins in the third edition of the event. Like in the previous two years, Dalton won all four stages in the junior category to prove that she’s head and shoulders above her peers.

“Hard work and dedication is the key to my success. I really enjoy stage racing and this tour had something to offer for everyone – from sprinters and climbers to criterium specialists. This year we rode with the men which brought out the best in me,” she said.   

Dalton who rides for Momentum Toyota has her eyes set on the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, but her short-term goal is another crack at the Junior World Championships in Italy in September. “I participated last year, but because I was South Africa’s only representative and as a country we had very little UCI points, I started at the back and got caught up in a crash. I finished, but know I could’ve done a lot better because while racing in Europe, I beat some of those who finished in the top five.”

The organisers and sponsors of the National Junior Tour want to further invest in her career and have undertaken to add a ladies under-23 category to next year’s event. “I will definitely be back because I absolutely love this event. Maybe I’ll have stiffer competition next year. At the moment the tour is just too tough and intimidating for some of the riders. Some of the climbs in this area are brutal and even the top Europeans will battle, because all they do is criterium racing,” Dalton said.

Enno Swanepoel of Mr Price won the overall – and points classification in the under-16 category, while Kent Main walked away in the yellow jersey in the junior boys category.

All proceeds from the entries were donated to the Burry Stander Foundation which promotes safe cycling and enforcement of the 1.5 metre rule.  

It was also announced that next year’s African Championships would be hosted in Nelspruit.    

TRAC N4 CYCLE TOUR SET TO LAUNCH ANOTHER CAREER

21 – 24 March 2013

Nelspruit/Mpumalanga –If history is anything to go by, then this year's TRAC N4 Under-16, Junior and Under-23 Cycle Tour in Nelspruit will be the launch pad of another promising career.

This is where Louis Meintjes cut his teeth for the rigors of professional cycling. Meintjes - now riding for the MTN-Qhubeka team in Europe - won the junior title in 2011 and the under-23 title last year. He was also crowned national under-23 road champion this year after finishing second overall behind seasoned European campaigner Jay Thomson. Although still under-23, Meintjes is not eligible to defend his title from 21 - 24 March this year as the TRAC National Junior tour is not an UCI sanctioned event.   

Meintjes' shoes need to be filled and a select group of riders hope to do just that when around 140 of South Africa's most promising cyclists descend on the Mpumalanga capital for the third edition of the event.

Calvin Beneke - son of the legendary Gary Beneke - Willie Smit, JC Nel, Ryan Gibbons and Wesley Eslick are the under-23 riders to watch out for. Apart from being crowned champion, these riders will also set their sights on inclusion in the national under-23 team that will take part in the Mzansi Tour later this year.

The junior men's and women's events will serve as qualifying for the World Championships in Italy in September and the UCI Nations Cup in Europe.

Jevandre Pauls, Ryan Felgate, Stefan de Bod, and Ivan Venter are among those with champion credentials. As far as the junior women are concerned, look no further than defending champion Heidi Dalton. The Richards Bay cyclist also won the under-16 title in 2011.

Teams from Namibia, Ireland, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania will take part in the four day event, starting with stage one on the Schoemanskloof section of the N4 toll route. This undulated stage will test the resolve and stamina of all riders.

The second stage will take the riders from Sabie to White River, while a double delight awaits the participants on day three. A fairly short stage on the Nelspruit Ring Road will be followed by a criterium around the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday afternoon. The final stage will take the riders from Nelspruit via Mara and Boulders to Kaapmuiden and back via the Nelspruit Ring Road and the Mataffin Road to finish at TRAC N4's Nelspruit office where the champions will be crowned.

Safety awareness will be paramount during the four day event. Following the tragic death of ABSA Cape Epic champion and Olympian Burry Stander on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast earlier this year, the title sponsor and cyclists will all strongly support the 1.5m safe cycling initiative. Funds raised through entry fees will be donated to the Burry Stander Foundation. 

Trans African Concessions (TRAC) manages the N4 East toll route between the capital cities of South Africa and Mozambique (from Pretoria to Maputo). TRAC has sponsored the Junior Cycle Tour since its inception three years ago. “It is an honour to be part of an event which is already considered to be the top junior cycle tour on the African continent; and in this way play a part in facilitating the development and exposure of junior cyclists,” says company CEO, Arthur Coy.As guardians of the N4 toll route, road safety awareness is an important facet of our interaction with all road users. This is also a particularly important issue for cyclists. Mutual respect and strictly adhering to the rules of the road will go a long way to help decrease the fatality rates on our roads.

Follow the tour on Twitter: @TRACN4route

11 March 2013 - Entries for the third annual TRAC N4 U16, Junior and U23 Cycle Tour close this Sunday 17 March.

Young cycling talent will have the opportunity to showcase their stamina in a secure, multi-day event, which takes place in and around Nelspruit, Mpumalanga from Thursday 21 to Sunday 24 March 2013.  

The organisers are proud to announce that they have received interest from an under-23 team of eight riders who will be arriving to race from Egypt.

News has been released this week that the TRAC N4 cycle tour will also serve as a selection race for those wishing to participate in the newly launched Mzansi Tour later this year, as well as a selection race for the road cycling world championships that will take place in September in Italy.

Entries have also been opened to the Elite women to participate in the four-day, five-stage tour, however they will not be eligible for prize money or stage jerseys. Elite women will be placed in the same batch as the junior men.

Teams from across our borders who have already entered include the UCI combined team from Africa, as well as teams from Namibia, Ireland and Mozambique, with Holland also expressing interest in the ’Tour.  

Title sponsor TRAC N4 has been proactive with regards to the development of cycling over the past two years, and this year they will be donating most of the entry fee to the newly launched Burry Stander Foundation, a foundation created in the memory of the late Burry Stander after he was killed in a collision with a taxi whilst training on the roads. TRAC N4 is in favour of and supports the 1.5m safe cycling initiative. 

Thursday 21 March: Stage 1

• U/16 boys & girls in Schoemanskloof – start and finish at Viva filling station
• Juniors in Schoemanskloof – start and finish at Viva filling station
• U/23s in Schoemanskloof – start and finish at Viva filling station

Friday 22 March: Stage 2

• U/16 boys & girls start at Petena Pancakes in Sabie and finish at TRAC offices (63km)
• Juniors start at White River Spur and finish at TRAC N4 (107km)
• U/23s at TRAC N4, through White River, Sabie and finish at TRAC N4 (142km)

Saturday 23 March: Stage 3A

• Time trials, start at Karino (20km from Nelspruit) finish west of N4

Saturday 23 March: Stage 3B

• Criteriums at Mbombela Stadium

Sunday 24 March: Stage 4

• Junior & U/23 men at TRAC N4 in Nelspruit
• U/16s & all girls Kaapmuiden

Entries for the TRAC N4 U16, Junior and U23 Cycle Tour close this Sunday 17 March, click here to enter.

For any further information, route maps and stage profiles, please visit www.hatoere.co.za.