A South African junior cyclist is chasing a European breakthrough — and the biggest hurdle isn’t talent. It’s access.

In this episode of Active Hobo, Faraz Khatieb shares his origin story: how his dad and brother pulled him into cycling, how his father became his coach and mechanic, and why racing in Europe is a completely different game. Faraz is leaving **26 February** for an **Italy-based trial** with a European team — with Belgium racing on the cards — and he’s doing everything he can to turn a one-month opportunity into a full-season contract.

You’ll also hear the real behind-the-scenes reality young riders face: the costs of joining teams, the pressure to perform with limited support, and how community fundraising can make (or break) the dream.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

- How Faraz got into road cycling (and why he had to “wait his turn”)

- Dad-as-coach: training structure, recovery days, and race prep

- Why Europe racing demands race craft, nerve, and positioning—not just fitness

- The sponsorship problem: how talented riders get stuck behind paywalls

- The fundraising push to make the Italy trial possible

Support Jessie’s recovery:

https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/jessie-munton-5834745534688430810

https://www.gofundme.com/f/rallying-for-jess-recovery-from-tragic-accident/cl/s?utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&lang=en_US

Byron Munton is the kind of rider who can chase a Cape Town Strava KOM in the morning… and still talk like a student of the sport at night.

In this episode, Byron breaks down the exact moments that separate “strong” from “pro”: pacing a full-gas effort (including a Trapeze KOM attempt that came within seconds of a milestone), learning how European racing really works, and what it takes to keep your head steady when the pressure spikes.

He’s also stepping into a new chapter with Modern Adventure Pro Cycling—George Hincapie’s new UCI ProTeam project (debuting in 2026) with big European ambitions. Byron’s recent results back it up too: a stage win and 3rd overall at the 2025 Tour of Portugal.

But the real weight of this conversation is what happens off the bike. Byron speaks about his sister Jessie—hit by a driver while training in January 2024, leaving her in a coma, and the ongoing reality their family has had to face since then.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

- How pros think about pacing, risk, and recovery (when it matters most)

- The mental game of racing in Europe (and why “fitness” isn’t the whole story)

- The truth about chasing big goals while carrying real-life pain

- Why cycling safety isn’t a debate—it’s a responsibility

If this episode resonates, subscribe for more honest conversations with riders shaping the next era of South African cycling. Share it with a friend who needs a spark—and drop your biggest takeaway in the comments.

Cape Town cycling has a rich history...

In this episode, Graham Ward (Western Province Road Commissioner and Chair of the City Cycling & Athletic Club) takes us inside one of Cape Town’s oldest sporting communities—how the club traces its roots to 1891, what’s been preserved in minute books dating back to 1905, and the legacy of riders who went from Cape Town to the Empire Games and the Olympics.

But this isn’t just nostalgia.

We unpack why road racing in the Deep South largely disappeared, how compliance and permits changed the economics of hosting events, and what it really takes to put a race on the calendar today—from marshals and traffic support to ambulances and cost break-evens.

00:00:00 Meet Graham Ward + City Cycling’s origins (1891)

00:01:52 The archives: minute books (1905) + early club stories

00:03:47 Legends & legacy: Jack Rose, hour-record era + Green Point track

00:05:40 City riders at Empire Games & Olympics (1930s–1960)

00:08:19 The old scene: 100km time trials, trophies, Fripp Cup

00:10:53 Why SA lost time trial culture (traffic + safety realities)

00:13:48 Modern club racing: DC, safer circuits, “club races” today

00:14:21 Compliance 101: permits, police, medics, what triggers what

00:17:15 What makes a “real” club? constitution, committee, affiliation

00:19:29 WP League + provincial champs (Durbanville) + virtual colours

00:25:33 Clubs shaping change: meetings, agendas, building the calendar

00:27:27 Event permits: “Cycle Tour rules for 200 riders” + Cat 1–4 system

00:31:03 Safety calls: cancelling races, marshals, ambulance thresholds

00:40:21 What it costs to host a race + why crit racing could work

00:47:47 Deep South case study: Radial/Simonstown league race + risk planning

00:58:28 Motorists vs cyclists: hooting, etiquette, and practical fixes

01:10:03 Quick fire: DC, favourite rides, UCI classic, Cycle Tour

01:14:27 Join the club: pace groups, rides, membership (R400/yr)

01:16:51 Double Century teams + final wrap

Luke Moir went from being a kid digging “gnarly” trails with spades in the bush… to lining up at MTB World Cups and earning a spot on Mondraker Factory Racing (MFR).

This episode is the real story arc — not the highlight reel.

You’ll hear the early sparks (traveling overseas young and getting results that hinted at something bigger), the big jump (a standout junior performance that proved he belonged), and then the harsh reset that hit right after (COVID-era disruption, fewer racing chances, and the mental grind of trying to keep momentum alive when the calendar collapses).

Luke also talks about the unglamorous side:

the sponsor scramble, the pressure that comes with finally “making it,” and what it feels like to race when you’re not starting at the front — having to fight forward and learn fast at elite level.

Now he’s in a new chapter: joining MFR, spending time in Europe, and learning how to turn raw potential into consistent World Cup-level execution.

Intervals.icu (aka “Intervals RCU”) started as one developer’s side project to analyze torque intervals… and quietly grew into a serious training-analysis platform used by over 120,000 monthly active athletes. In this episode, we sit down with David, the founder, to unpack the full origin story—and what it takes to scale a niche endurance product into something the pro world starts paying attention to. 

We talk cycling progression (and why he’s chasing an age-group win at the Cape Town Cycle Tour), power-meter accuracy, and how Intervals pulls data from platforms like Garmin and Strava—plus the realities of building on APIs with shifting rules. David also breaks down what “serious” teams care about (kilojoules, durability after 2,000+ kJ, nutrition modeling), why he runs major parts of the infrastructure on real hardware (not just cloud), and how the platform evolved from evenings and early mornings into a full-time business supporting a small team.