Timo Cooper - Licence to Ride

Timo Cooper is a promising young athlete hailing from Wellington in the Western Cape, South Africa. He is a determined cyclist - be it on tar or outback, he gives it his all.

Timo's 2010 season started off in January with the Attakwas Extreme Mountain Bike Challenge. The Attakwas is very popular and was rated the best one-day cycle event in a 2008 edition of the SA Bicycling Magazine. The route covered a great distance of 135 km between Oudtshoorn and Groot Brak, consisting of seemingly endless uphills, gravel roads, Jeep Tracks and many river crossings washed out by rocky descents. Timo performed exceptionally well with a very impressive time of 07:26:10, proving to everyone why he is a young gun to have on radar.

The next stop on Timo's calender was the Medallion Tour de Stellenbosch 106 km on the 7th of February. He finished in 8th place within his age group, while 131st overall.

On the 21st of February, Timo participated in the Paarl's debut mountain biking event, the Bouckaert Soenen. The event was organised by members of the Paarl Rotary Club in order to raise funds to sustain charitable projects in the Paarl-area. The Bouckaert Soenen MTB route started with a steep 8km climb before leading the riders below Paarl Rock and through the reserve. Timo finished the 45 km race 5th out of 464 participants, with an expceptional time of 1:39.

The annual Wilde Cycle Race 2010 was a definite highlight - Timo was granted the opportunity to prove himself on home ground. The Wilde MTB route covered gravel roads on wine farms in Wellington and its surrounds, with a picturesque backdrop provided by the Hawekwa and Groenberg Mountains. Timo did not disappoint, finishing in 3rd place with a time of 2:03!

Things were heating up in March. Timo participated in the Cape Argus MTB Challenge - an official Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour event, hosted on the Boschendal Wine Estate in Paarl. The 55 km route is recommended for experienced mountain bikers only, as the climbing towards the last third of the route is quite intense. Unfortunately, the heat didn't play along, but Timo still managed to finish the race with a time of 2:49.

To the end of March, Timo suffered from measles - but this didn't stop the dedicated young cyclist from participating in the Wilde Cellar to Cellar Mountain Bike Race on the 21st of March. This exciting new one day MTB race took place on the first day of the ABSA Cape Epic and covered approximately 40 km of the untamed roads between Diemersfontein Wine & Country Estate and Doolhof Wine Estate in Wellington. Timo, despite his health, still managed to finish the race in 7th place overall!

By April, Timo was almost as good as new. He took part in the Malmesbury Rotary Riebeeck Wes Funride that took place on the 7th of March. The route consisted of moderate climbs, single tracks, Jeep Tracks and farm roads in the direction of Kasteelberg - but nothing that Timo couldn't handle. He finished the race with a time of 2:14, taking 14th place overall.

The Fair Cape Point Break Mountain Bike Challenge offered the perfect conditions for mountain biking - dust, rocks and scenery. Timo participated along with 265 other avid mountain bikers, and still managed to end the race in 4th place!

That's the Timo Cooper story thus far for 2010. We hope that he keeps on doing what his doing with that bike of his - because whatever it is, he's doing it right! All the best for the rest of your season, Timo! You have our support.