(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
Most professional cyclists take to the sport at a very young age.
But for one young South African, the road to the top of the sport has been nothing short of remarkable.
And in a few months, Songezo Jim and his team are hoping to make history at the Tour de France.
Santilla Chingaipe reports.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
11 years ago, Songezo Jim had no idea what cycling was.
Growing up in rural South Africa, he'd aspired to be a soccer player.
"Actually, it's a sport that in Africa is not a popular sport normally. We all know soccer, that's one thing and also, I was playing soccer before I became a cyclist and everything."
But tragedy struck and by the age of 12, he'd lost both his parents.
The aspiring soccer player was then forced to move to Cape Town to live with his aunt.
It was there that fate intervened.
"There's a big race in Cape Town which is called the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour and that day, everything closes, so you can't go anywhere, so we just had to go and watch it. I went and watched the race, and this one other guy from the race was stopped and had a chat with the guy next to me and then after the guy left, I asked the guy, does he know that guy and everything, and he said he knows him and then I got that guy's details and afterwards, I said I want to join the club also. Then the following day, I went to the club and joined the club, but I didn't know how to ride a bike at that point so then they had to teach me, that guy had to teach me first on his small BMX how to ride and after two weeks I was good to go."
But Songezo Jim says it wasn't easy convincing those around him about his new found passion.
"Actually they thought I'm crazy. My family, my friends, I lost friends when I started cycling because when I was playing soccer, I was quite okay at soccer, so they needed me a lot and at one point, because I was doing soccer and cycling at the same time and at one point I had to do a race on a Saturday and there was a game on a Saturday. I cannot cut myself in half. One piece goes that side, and that was why I had to make a decision, which one was I going to take, I said sorry guys, I'm stopping soccer, I'm going to cycling and from there they never spoke to me."
And the keen teenager didn't let that stop him from pursing the sport.
"They actually forced me to stop cycling. Then when I used to go to school, I'd take my kit and hide it behind the house and then I'd go to school and when I'd come back, I'd say I'm going to play and then I'd take my kit hidden behind the house and then I'd go ride. They saw me after a week, my aunt saw me, on the bike with a friend and I saw her and thought 'today I'm in trouble when I get home'. When I got home, she didn't say a word, she just left me because she could see I didn't want to stop, then she just left me which was good."
And just a few years later, Songezo Jim turned pro.
Today, he is part of MTN-Qhubeka, a professional cycling team based in South Africa.
It's made up of 23 riders, with about half of them coming from various African countries.
The rest are professional riders from around the world - including Australia.
American Tyler Farrar is a recent recruit to the team.
"It's been really neat for me to just hear their stories. They take such as a different path than the traditional one that you take as an American or Australian or European rider. So yeah, it's crazy, it's two worlds coming together, but it's pretty inspirational. Some of these guys have come from really nothing to become professional finalists, and race at the top level. It's really inspiring to see what they've accomplished."
Having competed in major events over the last few years, the MTN-Qhubeka is now set to make history.
In a few months, it'll be the first Africa-based team to compete in the Tour de France.
Team director Michel Cornelisse says the wildcard entry to the race came sooner than expected.
"It was a surprise, because normally it's later in the season that they give wildcards. And we are there and so it's good for us, so we can prepare well to the race of the Tour de France, it's the main event of the year. So we are very happy to go there. So we are very happy to go there, and it's also execellent motivation for the South African riders, the biggest race in the world. So they must fight for the selection."
There have been suggestions that the team will be going into the race as a version of Cool Runnings -- a film inspired by a Jamaican bobsleigh team that had never seen snow and qualified for the winter Olympics.
Michel Cornelisse is quick to dismiss the comparison.
"If the story ends the same, then it's good. But no, we are really going in it for a green jersey and if we have those riders, then the mentality on the team is also changing. We're talking more about winning than we were last year. So now the feeling in the team is completely different because we have the best riders in the world and that also makes the South African riders better. That means we have to be in the front to support - the riders from Australia, the riders from Norway, Belgium. So it lifts up the complete team."
As for Songezo Jim, he hopes the team's debut at the Tour will inspire more Africans to take up the sport.
"Because we're an African team and cycling in South Africa - in Africa - is not all that big, so it's good. I mean Tour de France is the biggest bike race by far. A lot of people get to see the Tour de France, a lot of people get to talk about it. It's going to be so good to see that that is going to be live in South Africa and people will get to see it and they will see that there are people who also come from the country who are also in the Tour de France, it's just going to grow the sport and stuff which I hope and it will get more people into cycling."
Out of the more than 20 riders on the team, only nine can be selected.
That's what Songezo Jim is now aiming to achieve come July.
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