PROMINENT Lesotho cyclist, Tumelo Makae who is based in Switzerland appeared on 28th position at the Men’s Elite Mountain Bike (MTB) on Friday and 85th in the Mountain Bike Cross Country (XCO) category on Saturday during the Union Cycliste International (UCI) World Mountain Bike Championships in Val de Sole, Italy.
sports
Sept. 1, 2021
TEBOHO JAFETA
2 min read
Makae fails to shine at world event
Top Lesotho cyclist, Tumelo Makae
Makae had taken to social media platforms on Thursday to share his sentiments about the races prior to the event.
“This weekend I will represent Lesotho colours 🇱🇸 @valdisolebikeland 🇮🇹 @uci mountainbike world championships. Starting with E MTB tomorrow (Friday) and XCO on Saturday, it's always super special to race in these colours,” he commented.
In an interview with Metro on Tuesday, the publicist of the Federation of Cycling Lesotho (FCL), Malefane Morie said Makae’s performance was not so impressive at the weekend races.
“He performed poorly in comparison with his last year’s showing at the same events. Maybe he was disillusioned by failing to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to Lesotho’s ineligibility pending low rankings, but I will try to reach his coach to find out.
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“His scholarship contract ends soon and due to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, he decided to focus on the other aspect of the sport, and ventured into coaching in 2020. He did the UCI International Coaching Level One, which he completed early this year and started Level Two in July. The UCI had earlier promised to employ him after completing his Level Two training. So if he passes the course, they might employ him as a coach but if they don’t, he will have to return home,” Morie added.
Makae is currently based at the UCI’s World Cycling Centre (WCC) in Aigle, Switzerland where he is undergoing high level training from first class mentors under the Olympic Solidarity Athlete Scholarship. The Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC) scholarship was meant to assist him qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
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