If you’ve ever stood at the edge of something bigger than you—new team, new league, new level—and wondered, “Do I have the courage to go again?” this conversation with Sarah Hill is your blueprint.

Sarah’s story is a full-send masterclass: a Joburg lady raised on school-sport intensity, a rower who learned discipline the hard way, a mountain biker who taught herself to fly—and a pro who had the courage to step back, rebuild, and return sharper. She breaks down the mindset that turns fear into fuel, why team culture can resurrect a career, how to train for stage racing without breaking your body, and the exact moments that flipped the switch from “I hope I can” to “I know I will.”

Expect the kind of honesty that makes you sit closer to your screen: the Wines2Wales moment that felt like a private victory, learning to “send” downhill (yes, including a road gap), and the practical habits—nutrition, recovery, confidence reps—that separate good from great. If you’re an athlete, creator, or anyone climbing back from a setback, this episode will light a fire under your goals.

01:14 Pro season & team context

01:37 Back with Efficient Infinity

05:03 Growing up: East London → Joburg

09:43 School sports & identity

11:10 Coach steers to rowing

22:16 Wines2Wales turning point

49:24 Learning to send: DH & the road gap

51:20 US college path (Lees-McRae → Brevard)

58:59 Nationals omnium title

1:30:48 Fueling the engine: training & nutrition

1:42:52 Looking ahead

00:00 – Cold open

08:30 – East Africa opportunity: zones, free trade, and growth vs. Europe

12:30 – Cape Town Cycle Tour: finances, sponsorship droughts, and recovery

17:30 – Global cycling headwinds & why formats must evolve

20:30 – A life changed by cycling: DC culture, move to Cape Town, purpose

28:00 – Why fun rides vanished: 2010 safety act, compliance costs, risk

36:00 – Prize money vs. media value; TV rights reality

41:00 – Cavendish, Armstrong & the solidarity ride (fires year)

47:00 – Rebuilding the ecosystem: short routes, youth on-ramps, coffee stops

53:00 – E-bikes: perception vs. actual incident data

57:00 – Deep South road closures, traffic constraints & what could work next

1:02:00 – Inclusivity, new demographics, and where SA cycling can go from here

We dig into the cost of compliance, the role of PPA, prize-money vs. media reality, the DC culture, e-bikes, short routes, and practical ways to rebuild the fun-ride ecosystem in Cape Town. You’ll also hear wild behind-the-scenes moments.

#DavidBellairs #CapeTownCycleTour #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling #CapeTown #DoubleCentury #PPA #CyclingCulture #EnduranceCycling #MassParticipation #Ebike #SportBusiness #UCI

Velokhaya has developed and exposed more Africans to the Global Cycling stage than any other cycling academy, their story is hard to summarise but Sipho Mona does an incredible job of doing just that as we unpack his story and how it led to this incredible academy reshaping the lives of many cyclists in Africa.

Sipho thanks SO MUCH For your time and what you doing for the industry and youth!

#cycling #cyclingacademy #podcast #storytelling #velokhaya