Posts Tagged ‘Albe Geldenhuis’
Gert Stoltz 1992 World Duathlon Champs
Gert Stoltz, or Tarzan, as my friends called him, at Duathlon Worlds 1992.
Gear: Oakley Factory Pilot glasses/goggles. Oakley’s first shades. They were a bit “old fashioned” by 1992, but probably the most prized Oakley item one could own today. Size 61 Zini bike bought from Bruce Reyneke Cycles with Reynolds 501 steel tubing, Shimano 105 group set with down tube shifters and Biopace non round chainrings. Patrick shoes, (the cheapest) LOOK clipless pedals (a novelty) and a frame pump which today is the size of a rocket ship.
Since I can remember, my dad and I did sport together. When I was a toddler, “Rofstoei!” (wrestling) was my favourite, in part because my dad was the strongest in the whole wide world (thats a fact)- with only one hand, he could pin me down so tightly I couldnt blink an eye.
Soon I graduated to other sports which we did together – bikes, motorbikes, running, archery, canoeing (paddling) yup and even swimming. He hated swimming, (legs made from steel dont float) but tolerated it in order to compete in Biathlons and Triathlons.
We had many fantastic sporting memories together,
“We expected Greg Bennett, but its the South African, Conrad Stoltz, who wins the only ITU leg in France” 1999
[“I’ll bet this is the strangest interview you’ve ever done,” says Conrad Stoltz as he locks his Specialized road bike to a lamp post outside a Stellenbosch coffee shop.
Thirty minutes earlier, he had to duck out from our conversation to visit his physiotherapist for a good working over: a couple of niggling injuries needed some soothing.
The “Caveman” has certainly been through his fair share of ups and downs over a career dating back to 1991. In fact, he may just be the longest serving professional sportsman in South Africa (if one thinks back to the 1995 Rugby World Cup, Conrad was already a “veteran” of the French triathlon circuit).
CRANK was fortunate enough to sit down with Conrad recently and talk about his early days as a professional triathlete in South Africa and continental Europe.
CRANK: Conrad, you had your “breakthrough” race aged 17 at the SA Champs in Langebaan way back in 1991. Could you talk us through your build up, expectations and the race itself?
CONRAD STOLTZ: That was indeed a “milestone” race for me – something just “happened” that day and I moved up the next level.
It was the first year that we had a heated pool in Pretoria – they built a Health and Raquet Club in Pretoria in 1990; I bought a life membership costing something like R700. So that was the first year that we were able to swim right through the winter, which had always hampered us in the years before.
My aspirations then were to win the junior category – there was great depth within the junior ranks with Greg Lunderstedt, Bryan Mellville, Cameron Jones, Dave Hyam; to name but a few.
On race day, there was a “more than” gale force southeaster which resulted in huge waves in the swim- very intimidating for us “Vaalies”. Back then we swam out the marina out to sea – or so it felt. – Kevin Richards had a huge lead out of the water, which he extended on the bike to over four minutes.
I was a complete “tri geek” and rode… ]
Click here for the rest of the classic interview on www.crank.co.za
France Iron Tour- the 10 stage one- in 95 or 96? Stage 2 start in Marseilles. That’s me in the middle, (silver sleeveless suit) hogging the start line. Back in the days I could still swim…
