Europcar SA is thrilled to announce that Dan Craven, a member of Team Europcar’s International World Tour Squad, will feature as a guest at the Momentum 947 Cycle Challenge on 15 and 16 November.
“We’re particularly excited by Dan’s acceptance of our invitation to ride in both the Twitter Ride and as part of the Celebrity Group of this year’s Ride For A Purpose event, joining our company’s celebration of more than 25 years of support for cycling in South Africa,” says George Corbett, Divisional Executive of Shared Services for Europcar SA, official car rental partner for the Momentum 947 Cycle Challenge.
“This sponsorship is particularly close to my heart as I’m a keen cyclist and will once again be taking part in the Momentum 947 Cycle Challenge,” adds Corbett. “Similarly, Dan is from Namibia and delighted to be supporting and promoting the sport he loves in Southern Africa.”
Craven joined the bearded figures of the 2014 peloton which made him very noticeable during this year’s La Vuelta in Spain, even in the extreme heat, South Africans will be fascinated to know he’s also the grandson of the late rugby supremo, Danie Craven.
Local cyclists can enjoy the opportunity of joining Dan in the Twitter Ride of about 40 kilometres, departing from the Cycle Challenge EXPO at the Coca-Cola dome on Saturday 15 November, says Corbett. Participation is free, although numbers are limited. Those interested should follow @Momentum947 - #CC2014 for Twitter Ride details and updates.
“We are also look forward to Dan assisting the Europcar SA Cycling Academy with pointers,” says Corbett. “The Academy grew out of the 2011 founding of Team EuropcarSA, focusing on Under-23 and development riders. It’s become one of the most consistent teams nationally, achieving podium results at virtually every event. It was also the best-placed SA team at the Mzansi Tour in March this year.
“We’ve added an Under-16 development team, too. We’re proud that as well as winning many of the Under-16 races and tours, this now includes the current SA age-group champion.”
The academy emerged from the sport’s need for a formal structure offering young cyclists development and assistance to enable them to progress and emulate their sporting role models, explains Corbett.
“As a company, we’ve chosen to support cycling as a sport both in SA and internationally because we see how it reaches out to individuals who are driven by their passion to achieve,” he says. “We recognise, too, that our staff are all individuals with a passion for our business and for customer service, contributing to Europcar succeeding in achieving its corporate goals.”
Cycling is about training, motivation and attention to detail, believes Corbett.
“These values resonate with us as an SA-owned, international franchise that keeps as close as possible to our customers to be attentive and responsive to their travel needs and innovate to create the best service solutions for tomorrow,” he says. “Inspiration drives the best of corporate endeavour, just as it does competitive cycling. So I’m looking forward to combining both and getting out there on my bike to take on the Momentum 947 Challenge!
Get the latest updates on the Momentum 947 Cycle Challenge from Dan Craven by following the EuropcarSA or Team EuropcarSA social media platforms: #DanCravenridesJozi.
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