Office National Adds Support to Tshwane Cycle Classic

Thousands of cyclists line up at the start line during the 2018 Tshwane Classic, presented in association with Office National and Jacaranda FM. Picture by Deon Haak (Jetline Ation Photo)

South Africa’s largest independently owned provider of office products and stationery, Office National, has announced their partnership with the Tshwane Classic cycle race, which takes place in Pretoria on 3 November this year at the Voortrekker Monument.

Office National has added their support as premier partner of Pretoria’s largest cycling event, extending its association with cycling after sponsoring the Bestmed Veterans squad for the past five years.

“As the fastest growing mass participation cycling event in the country it stands out as a beacon in the current tough economic climate,” says Office National CEO Andre de Beer.

“It ticks all the boxes and we believe it sets the benchmark as an affordable, yet high value participation sporting event. It’s also nice for us to get involved at this early stage to assist in the growth of the event along with organisers, Hectic Promotions.”

According to de Beer, the fact that the race is managed by a non-profit institution contributed to them getting on board. “Hectic Promotions does wonderful work with the City of Tshwane, and we would like to play our part to support the community-based initiatives that are funded by the event.”

Hectic Promotions is active with various community-based projects, which include the Winter Woolies knitting project, which saw 1800 beanies handed out during the winter of 2018, the Green Caps Recycling Project and the revamping of clinics and libraries in Pretoria.

Says Hectic Promotions director, Mauritz Meyer: “Hectic Promotions now manages two mass participation road cycling events which attract a combined participation total of 12 000 cyclists.

“The Bestmed Cycle4Cansa Classic is in its 22nd year of presentation and 2018 saw us present the second edition of the Tshwane Classic. We also organise the annual Paarl Boxing Day Track Challenge, which is the oldest and most prestigious cycling event in the country.

“Our entry and spectator figures continue to grow through meticulous detail to organisational excellence as well as our extensive rider and media database to whom we market these events actively.

“Our charity projects are presented in collaboration with the City of Tshwane and Cycle4Food. We are active with various community-based upliftment projects in Tshwane and we would like to continue extending our reach and scale. Every partner that comes on board with our events helps us do this and we are extremely thankful.”

Office National will be very visible on the Tom Jenkins ascent at the Union Buildings during the race, 10km before the finish line.  They will be providing ample support for tired legs as riders try and overcome the last major obstacle on the Tshwane Classic route.

“Tom Jenkins is a signature part of the course and constitutes the biggest talking point for participants before and after the event,” said De Beer. “It’s a great place for us to be and we will make sure we lift cyclists’ spirits and help them get to the top.”

Office National has a national footprint and prides itself in being an independently owned commercial and retail provider of stationery, office furniture, computer products and business technology.

Courtesy of Office National, a R5000 cash prize will be up for grabs for King and Queen of the Mountain at the top of the Tom Jenkins climb for elite men and women.

An unshakeable belief that the Tshwane Classic will become one of the country’s premier road cycling races was at the forefront of Meyer’s mind as tirelessly worked to establish the first edition of Pretoria’s signature mass participation road cycling event in a traffic free environment in 2017.

Meyer, the epitome of life after retirement, is the founder of the Tshwane Classic and he is the driving force behind a bid to elevate the occasion to that of the other city mass participation road races in South Africa – the Cape Town Cycle Tour and 947 Cycle Challenge.

As it turned out the race has proven itself beyond expectation with more than 5000 cyclists taking part in the inaugural edition and 7000 cyclists getting to the start line last year.

“Four years ago, the Tshwane Classic was a dream for me,” said Meyer. “It’s humbling to see how things have come together.

“We stuck it out with just a few sponsors in the first two years, but now we are blessed with the amount of approaches we get as corporates and other stakeholders want to get involved. We are doing an announcement in March about a headline sponsor as well.”

About Hectic Promotions: Hectic Promotions is a registered non-profit corporation and boasts a proven record of accomplishment in presenting mass participation cycling events which fulfil the requirements of sponsors, stakeholders and participants.

It is one of the foremost cycling event organisation companies in South Africa with a long history of presenting prestigious events on the national cycling calendar that benefit several community-based charity projects.

Released by De Villiers National Cycling, on behalf of the Bestmed Tshwane Classic, presented in association with Office National and Jacaranda FM.

Media enquiries email devillierscycling@mweb.co.za or phone 083 269 7659.