80 cyclists participating in Great Dyke Tour

Sydney Mubaiwa
MIDLANDS BUREAU CHIEF

GWERU – The 2023 edition of the premier cycling 300km event, Tour de Great Dyke is on today with 80 cyclists starting off from Zimplats Complex in Selous.
The event’s public relations officer Moses Charedzera confirmed the details to The Mirror.
“The 2023 edition of the premier cycling event, Tour de Great Dyke kicks off from Zimplats Complex in Selous this morning,” he said.
The race will take three days and cover over 300km that will see them through Chegutu, Kadoma, Kwekwe, Gweru, Shurugwi and Zvishavane where the race ends.
The event seeks to maintain fitness and wellness along the Great Dyke geological formation which stretches for 500km from the northern part of the country to the south.
The 2023 endurance race is supported by Nedbank as title sponsor and has other partners in Cimas, Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, Econet Wireless, Nyaradzo, Simbisa Brands, Exide Batteries, Sterling Hotels, Dandemutande, Pote Holdings and the Midlands State University.
Tour de Great Dyke is divided into three laps; the first lap runs from Selous to Kwekwe where the cyclists will put up for the night. The second lap will take the cyclists to Shurugwi where they will again rest for the night before embarking on the last lap to Zvishavane.
Some of the proceeds from the race will support the Gifted Children Foundation in Zvishavane and underprivileged but brilliant students in the Great Dyke to acquire education. To date the Foundation has supported tens of students at various levels from primary to tertiary education.
One of the attractions is 82-year-old cylist Wilson Dube who will again participate in the race. He was there last year and his presence is testimony of how he has defied age to cycle the long distance.
Dube who had an illustrious career as a miner at Shabanie Mine for a period of 37 years, says he has been cycling for a combined 57 years. He neither drinks nor smokes. After leaving Shabanie Mine he has continued cycling and participated in all the six editions of the Nedbank Tour de Great Dyke. For his exploits, Chloride Zimbabwe have pledged to install a solar system at the cyclist’s home in Chivi.
Tour de Great Dyke was launched in 2016 to promote miner wellness and raise awareness on the investment opportunities in the 550km long, 12km wide Great Dyke geological complex.