![\"ccs-58780-0-89687000-1478865932.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-58780-0-89687000-1478865932.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>The Cycle Nation Women’s Team is ready for action at the 2016 KZN Summer Series on 16 and 17 November. (Left to right) Amanda Wray, Herme Visser, Cashandra Slingerland, Alexa Terblance, Jeri Moran and Charmain McCallum. Cashandra, Jeri and Charmaine will be in the Summer Series squad. Photo: Rika Joubert<\/span><\/p>\nTwo back-to-back UCI 1.2 women-only races will be hosted by Cycling South Africa in conjunction with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport and Recreation and Msunduzi Municipality. Teams taking part include local, international and African teams.<\/p>\n
The Cycle Nation Women\u2019s Team that will be taking part in the KZN Summer Series, consists of Johannesburg\u2019s Cashandra Slingerland, Samantha Summerscales and Jeri Moran, along with Charmaine McCallum from Durban and Nelspruit\u2019s Emily Clarke, who is appearing courtesy of her current team, Team Valencia.<\/p>\n
King mentioned he was immensely proud to have the team part of the KZN Summer Series. \u201cIt’s a testament to the hard work we have put into developing our new team along with the assistance and ongoing support we have received from our sponsors, Enza Construction. It’s a great opportunity to be able to offer a return to them on a more prestigious stage than we’re used to performing.,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
A mixture of excitement and nervousness surrounds the team. \u201cFor many of them it will be the first time in their cycling careers where they get to race in a field where the depth of talent is massive and the level of performance exceptionally higher than anything they’re used to,\u201d said King.<\/p>\n
Bar Johannesburg\u2019s Cashandra Slingerland, who has in the past campaigned on the European racing circuit with the former MTN Energade Ladies Team, this will be a completely new experience for the rest of the Cycle Nation Women\u2019s Team.<\/p>\n
King feels that this is an opportunity to develop the riders who are part of the team. \u201cIt’s valuable experience that they will gain and that we hope we can transfer with more opportunities for other women who might be interested in getting involved in competitive women’s racing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He also mentioned that the team is very new, having only begun racing seriously as a team this year.<\/p>\n
Speaking about the importance of these races to women\u2019s cycling in the country, King said: \u201cThis is a vital shot in the arm for the sport. It’s an opportunity for all the women involved to gain invaluable experience and more than that, an opportunity for us to score valuable UCI points right on our doorstep.\u201d<\/p>\n
Catch teams like the Cycle Nation Women\u2019s Team taking part in the KZN Summer Series.<\/p>\n