Tiaan Ebbing (17) seems well on his way, pedalling from victory to victory as a young racing cyclist while growing as a talented bike mechanic.
It is this combination of skills both on and off the bike that make this young Langebaner Weslander and SuperSport’s Let’s Play winner for July.
Currently in Grade 11 at Hopefield High School, he is one of a select few chosen as test cyclists for the new Silverback Stratos race bike to provide monthly feedback. This makes him part of an elite group of 40 cyclists around the globe.
He says his passion for cycling began at an early age. “I’ve always enjoyed cycling, but I really started racing competitively in Grade 8.”
Tiaan has three years of competitive racing under his belt, during which he achieved various colours in the sport.
“In 2017, and the following year, I achieved West Coast colours, and in 2018 I got Western Province colours.”
Earlier this year he was crowned the winner of the Yzerfontein MTB race, achieved second place at the Darling MTB challenge and came third in the Knysna Cycle Competition.
Apart from cycling, Tiaan also works as a bike mechanic at CycleWorx in Langebaan. “As a bike mechanic it’s also nice to help people in that way, fixing their bikes so they can enjoy racing,” he says.
Tiaan started repairing bikes in 2017, when the frame of his first bike, an Axis, broke, and he had to repair it himself. “I enjoy the mechanical side, and find it very interesting to discover how things work.”
He mentions his favourite form of racing is endurance cycling.
Asked about his training schedule, he says: “Lots of cycling intervals, spending long hours on my bike, and my coach sends me weekly training programmes.”
Proud mother Annette says Tiaan’s obsession with cycling tends to take up much of his time. “When dinner’s ready or when he has to mow the lawn, he’s out riding,” she says.
His future goals include becoming head mechanic for one of the pro-cycling teams in the cycling industry. For now he is working on juggling his cycling, schoolwork and his job.
“What drives me is knowing the hard work I’m putting in will be rewarding in the end,” Tiaan says.
