In celebration of Qhubeka reaching the milestone of 50 000 bicycles distributed throughout South Africa, Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung cyclist Gerald Ciolek has kindly donated his 2014 Milan San Remo jersey to be auctioned off in aid of the charity.  

The jersey contains the bib number 1, in reference to being the defending champion of the race. Ciolek surprised the cycling world by winning the 2013 edition of the Italian race in sub-zero snowy conditions.   

Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung rides to raise awareness for  Qhubeka. “I’d like to congratulate Qhubeka on this achievement because just as a professional athlete has to make sacrifices, I am sure the staff and volunteers have had to work hard and sacrifice to get to this 50 000 mark,” Ciolek, who is currently racing the Vuelta a España, said. “I’m very happy to play a small part in this. We were looking for ways to bring more funding to the project and hope that people will get excited and bid for the jersey.” 

“At Qhubeka our focus is on mobilising people with bicycles because we believe that bicycles can change people’s lives, whether it’s by helping them to access economic opportunity, get to school safely and quickly, or develop a passion for the sport of cycling.” said Executive Director of Qhubeka, Sarah Phaweni. “Qhubeka is thankful to Gerald Ciolek for his support. By choosing Qhubeka as the beneficiary of the auction of his Milan San Remo winning jersey, Ciolek has helped highlight the need to get more people on bicycles.” 

Qhubeka is a South African non-profit organisation that helps people to move forward and progress by giving bicycles in return for work done to improve communities, the environment or academic results. Having a bicycle changes people's lives by increasing the distance they can travel, what they can carry, where they can go and how fast they can get there. Qhubeka is World Bicycle Relief’s programme in South Africa. For more information, please visit www.qhubeka.org

The auction opens on 11 September 2014 at 12pm and closes at 6pm on 30 September 2014.