Erasmus Shalihaxwe
Cyclists Alex Miller and Louise Breed won the first Nedbank Windhoek Pedal Power race of the 2025 season, which took place at Teufels Schlucht outside Windhoek this past weekend.
The race, with its main sponsor Nedbank Namibia, saw over 150 cyclists participating, including six male and five female teams.
Miller clocked two hours, 24 minutes and 39 seconds to finish first ahead of perennial rival and close friend Drikus Coetzee, who clocked 02:24:39 for second place, while third place was taken by Justus Beulker, who also clocked 02:24:39.
In the elite women’s race, Breed won in a time of 02:26:01 ahead of teammate Anri Krugel-Greeff, who clocked 02:26:02 for second place, and Olivia Shililifa clocked 02:26:02 for third position.
In the men’s team rankings, CYMOT racing team, Team MBM, and Hollard Elite are joint first-place holders, while in the women’s team rankings, Hollard Ladies are top of the standings, followed by Food Lovers Market Ladies Team and CYMOT Ladies Racing Team.
Speaking after the race, Miller said he was excited to emerge victorious and was looking forward to an exciting season in Europe, where he recently joined a yet-to-be-announced Italian team, where he will focus on the Union Cycliste Internationale’s (UCI) Gravel series.
“It’s always satisfying to start the season with a win in the local races. I am also looking forward to a fantastic season ahead with my new team in Europe, where I will be heading to at the end of February,” he said.
The women’s winner, Swakopmund-based Louise Breed, said she felt satisfied after winning in her first-ever competitive cycling road race event.
“It was a fun race for me, especially after starting cycling about seven months ago. This was my first road race. I did not think I would win the race. The peloton was always together because the route was flat. There were a few attempts that were not successful, and in the end, it was the sprint that won the race,” she said.
Nedbank Namibia Communications and Public Relations Manager, Selma Kaulinge, welcomed back the cyclists to the new season, saying as the sponsors, they are impressed with the fitness and number of cyclists who participated in the race so early in the season.
“We are hoping to see a more competitive season from the athletes as they challenge for top spots in both individual and team competitions. We are also excited about the new talent that these races continue to expose. As money experts who do good, we continue to advocate for providing talented Namibian athletes with a platform to display their talents,” she said.
The next Nedbank Windhoek Pedal Power Race event is scheduled for Sunday, 19 January at Copperkettle in Windhoek.
