Nickname: I don't have one... Height: 159cm Favourite colour: Lime green Favourite food: Pizza : ) Pre race meal: Muesli and Strawberry yoghurt Eye colour: Green Greatest achievement to date: 1st overall at MP champs in both the road race and the TT and 2nd at Dome to Dome 2010 (Junior) Pets: I have a cat Name of Pet: uhm haha we just call her Katteraas One thing you like about riding for team bizhub: My team mates and the new kit.
Catherine Williamson
Nickname: None Height: 5ft3 and three quarters in old English terms Favourite colour: Blue Favourite food: My mam's chocolate fudge cake Pre race meal: Cereal and toast when its such an early start Eye colour: Bluey grey according to my husband!! Pets: Cats Name of Pet: Blossom (nicknamed big bum) and Bizzie (nicknamed little bum!!) Best pal name: Rob, my husband One thing you like about riding for team bizhub: Riding with a great bunch of girls
Caitlin de Wet
Nickname: Caity Height: 1.67m Favourite colour: Green Favourite food: Pizza Pre race meal: Future Life Eye colour: Blue-Green Pets: A Great Dane, 2 sausage dogs, and my faithful retired pony. Name of Pet: Dane: Ullrich; Worsies: Dash & Daikin; Pony: Pepsi Best pal name: Erin One thing you like about riding for team bizhub: The fact that we all get along with each other so well! We have a variety in ages, nationalities, and disciplines which makes it even more interesting.
Ischen Stopforth
Nickname: None Height: 171 cm Favourite colour: Green Favourite food: Apples Pre race meal: Muesli & banana Eye colour: Green/brown Greatest achievement to date: Winner of 2009 MTN Marathon series, selection to represent SA at Worlds Marathon Championships 2009 Best pal name: Pete One thing you like about riding for team bizhub: We get to ride Specialized bikes and we have the coolest kit
Lindi Erasmus
Nickname: Peanut, Lindz, Kabouter J (mom) Height: 165 cm Favourite colour: Green Favourite food: Anything with Spinach Pre race meal: Potatoes or Pasta and Cytomax Muscle Milk Shake Eye colour: Green Greatest achievement to date: Racing for bizhub ladies team Best pal name: Kevin One thing you like about riding for team bizhub: Being able to share my experience of racing in the team with the other ladies in my team.
Linn Torpe
Nickname: None Height: 168cm Favourite colour: Red, white & black Favourite food: Mexican, braai (braaibroodjies) Pre race meal: oats, muesli Eye colour: brown/green Greatest achievement to date: 2 times national road champion One thing you like about riding for team bizhub: Its a professional and friendly team.
Yolandi du Toit
Nickname: Lans Height: 176cm Favourite colour: Green Favourite food: Any home made meal Pre race meal: A mixture of muesli, all-bran fruitful flakes and Herbalife's specialized protein powder. Eye colour: Blue-Green Greatest achievement to date: 1st at African Games road race and 3rd at African Continental XC Championships. Best pal name: If I name only one, I risk losing one :) One thing you like about riding for team bizhub: The team has a really nice group of girls and I look forward competing alongside them this year.
Monique Gerber
Nickname: Nikki Height: 169 cm Favourite colour: Pink Favourite food: Fruit Salad Pre race meal: Pronutro (for morning races) Eye colour: Brown Pets: 6 Cocketiels (Madiba,Gena,Roxy,Scotty,Junior and Snowy), 1 African Grey (Vicky) and 1 Sun Conure(Barney), 2 Jack Russels (Teddie and Sparkey) Best pal name: Jamie-Lee One thing you like about riding for team bizhub: We have the best looking kit by far. (and the team boss never take no nonsense from nobody, especially officials)
Nicci-Mari Grobler
Nickname: Nicci Height: 174cm Favourite colour: Pink Favourite food: Fillet steak and Toni’s pizza Pre race meal: Spaghetti bolognaise the evening before the race. Eye colour: Blue-green Greatest achievement to date: Sabie Experience 2010. It was my first stage race and we (my boyfriend and I) came 2nd in the mixed category. Pets: Two dogs, Tammy and Lady One thing you like about riding for team bizhub: The opportunity to do so many races all over the country (that I otherwise would not have been able to do) as well as being in the company of riders that have achieved so much and are willing to help me out.
Candice Neethling
Nickname: Candy Height: 170cm Favourite colour: Pink- just as well : ) Favourite food: Mugg and Bean.. anything from there Pre race meal: Any good pasta.. with a tomato type sauce Eye colour: Brown Greatest achievement to date: 3rd at XC Junior World Championships in Canberra Pets: 2 dogs and a Dalmatian who thinks he is human Best pal name: Jaclyn One thing you like about riding for team bizhub: I love the “girl factor”. Unlike other teams its all about making the girls the best riders they can be. It is very unique to find such a wonderful group of girls all in one team : )
Lilandi Swanepoel
Nickname: Landi Height: 175cm Favourite colour: Purple Favourite food: Food! Pre race meal: Pasta/Patato , lean meat and salad Eye colour: Brown Greatest achievement to date: 2010 SA Time Trial Champion Pets: Dog (German Shepherd) Best pal name: Ulrike Rautenbach One thing you like about riding for team bizhub: Bizhub girls know how to combine fun with performance and we are the best looking and by far the best dressed ladies team!
John Robertson (Team Owner)
Konica Minolta Pro Cycling Team owner John Robertson is a former independent cyclist who first developed his passion for cycling at the age of 8 “my Father was a top rider in the sixties and seventies and I grew up around bikes and racing. As long as I can remember, I have always loved this sport” said Robertson.
Athletes under the management of John Robertson have won more National Championships titles than under any other manager in the history of South African cycling this includes five back to back victories at SA Elite National Championships (2001–2005). Teams under his management have won South Africa’s 2.2 ranked Giro Del Capo 4 years running (2003-2006). He has managed riders to victory in South Africa’s premier Pick & Pay 94.7 cycle race with 25000 participants for four years running (2004-2007). In 2006 for the first time in the history of the race Konica Minolta won both the Elite men’s and woman’s categories.
John Robertson was the vision behind Team Barloworld. He conceptualized, initialized, and established Team Barloworld. Following which he owned and managed the team for a period of three years (2003-2005). In May 2005 Team Barloworld was ranked as the No1 Pro Continental Cycling team in the world. The team completed the season with more than 28 international victories including the HC Tour of Portugal, Tour of Malaysia and Tour of Wallone. He secured funding for the team in excess of Euro 3 million per year. In 2005 he signed the outgoing Elite World road race champion Igor Astarloa together with the Italian sponsor Valsir for Euro 1, 4 million. He established holding companies for the team in Italy, South Africa and Britain through which the team was managed. Building on the foundations put in place by John Robertson. The Team progressed to be ranked amongst the top three teams at the 2007 Tour de France winning two Tour stages together and the King of the mountains Jersey.
Robertson has successfully served as South African National Team Manager on a number of occasions. In February 2007 he managed the South African National Team in its first ever victory at the Tour of Egypt. Team Barloworld had won this race in 2003 whilst under his management. He managed and provided the logistical support for the SA under 23 National Team to compete in the 2007 European GP Des Nations from April to September 2007. At the Giro Del Regionne, ranked as one of the most difficult under 23 tours in the world. The National Team gained a substantial amount of credibility on the international circuit by winning the points jersey and in the process beating some of the world’s top ranked cycling nations.
Robertson has largely redefined the sport of professional cycling in South Africa in many aspects he has set the bench mark by which other teams follow. He has been instrumental in setting up a gate way and laying the foundations through which many of South Africa’s top riders have passed to compete in Europe. He has instilled South African Professionals with the belief that they are capable of racing against and beating the world’s best.
In the 2008 Tour de France more than 10 athletes competing in the Tour had been scouted and developed by Robertson. These included Peter Velits, the 2007 world under 23 road race champion; John Lee Augustyn, the first rider to pass the highest point in the 2008 Tour de France; Vladimir Elfimkin, wearer of the yellow jersey in the 2007 Tour of Spain; Chris Froome a Kenyan rider who under the guidance of Robertson first competed in Europe in the colours of Konica Minolta in 2007.
He has excelled in developing some of Africa’s leading female athletes. In August 2007 Cherise Taylor a Konica Minolta rider representing South Africa at the world junior championships in Mexico finishing 2nd in the road race, winning South Africa’s first ever medal at junior world championships. In 2007 two of his athletes won both the junior and elite woman’s time trial and road race categories at South African national championships. Yolandi Du Toit a Konica Minolta riding for Konica Minolta in 2007 won the all Africa championships in Algeria. Currently the only two South African Professional ladies racing on European teams have passed through the doors of the Robertson stable. At the 2008 Olympic Games Cherise Taylor Represented South Africa and Aurelie Halbwachs who currently rides for Konica Minolta represented Mauritius.
His background includes a BA Social Sciences degree from Rand Afrikaans University. He has been extensively involved in the management of professional cycling teams since 1998. He has lived abroad in Italy, France and Belgium. Robertson founded and currently manages Worldvision Sport International. At the 2008 Tour de France he worked with the tours vehicle sponsor Skoda assisting with VIP hospitality. To date he remains one of a select few English nationals who have successfully made inroads into what is predominantly a European sport.
Nicolene Cronje (PR / Marketing)
Nicolene Cronje joined the team on a full time basis at the beginning of 2009.
She represented South Africa at the 2004 Athens Olympics games for the 20km walk, is also five times National 20km walk Champion.
Nicolene has brought a wealth of new ideas to the team. She is assisting the team with their marketing strategy and Public relations.
Nicolene has a passion for cycling much the same as she does for walking, her passion and level of professionalism can only bode well for the future of the team.