Hoffman out to secure legendary Tour Durban status
Multiple
aQuellé Tour Durban winner and one of South Africa’s premier road cyclists
Nolan Hoffman will be back in Durban for this year’s Tour Durban hoping to
defend his title and increase his exemplary record at the East Coast classic on
Sunday, 11 September.
Hoffman showed his strength and experience when he
powered his way to a win at the 2021 edition of the Tour Durban but it ended a
seven year drought since he last won the Durban classic.
Having tackled the Tour Durban for the first time in 2004, Hoffman has seen the
race in all its various forms but is excited that this year the event will
return to a more standard Tour Durban route over 106km.
“The route is going to be challenging we know that, but the thing with the
hills in Durban is that they are still fast and flowing,” the 37 year-old
Hoffman said.
“This does play into my hands and I think that’s a reason why I love coming to
Durban to race the Tour Durban.
“Not only that but it’s also the prestige of the event and I have always come
to Durban with big ambitions for the race and I think I have that attitude more
in Durban because the race suits me well.”
Hoffman has joined the Aluwani Pro Cycling Team after they were set-up last
year. Despite being a new team and learning how his team mates operate, they
have had some good success already.
“I won the Monte Casino Classic this year and Reynard Butler has been riding
really nicely so the team is starting to gel well.
“We had a long break through the winter after a big block of training in June
so we are looking forward to getting back out on the road and racing.
“We’re expecting a lot of competition at the Tour Durban and there will be a
number of teams that will be on the start line pushing hard and we certainly
want to see as many teams and riders as possible taking the opportunity to
compete in one of the key road races on the calendar.”
Heading into the Tour Durban, Hoffman has no problem stating the team’s
intentions for the 106km showdown next month.
“We are coming to Durban to win,” he mentioned emphatically. “We are excited to
be racing and we’re coming down with a full team of six riders.
“The other teams will try and prevent an end-sprint but we are going to have to
manage the race well enough that we can get to an end sprint.
“We’re going to have to ride offensively but that’s how we ride,” Hoffman added.
