Nico Panagio and Sean Kristafor were announced as the new rider partnership in Team Absa 2012 for the Absa Cape Epic on 2nd March 2012, after the unfortunate withdrawal of Gugu Zulu and Letshego Moshoeu.
Both experienced mountain bikers, the pair has been training independently for the gruelling mountain bike stage-race since November 2011. “Nico and I had planned to ride the event in 2010, but he could not make it due to Survivor South Africa commitments. So this year we were finally able to ride together,” explains Kristafor.
Kristafor, General Manager of The Body Shop South Africa, has also previously completed the Absa Cape Epic three times (2006, 2008, and 2010), as well as participating in every multi-day mountain bike race in the country to date at least once. “The achievement of completing a race as tough as the Absa Cape Epic becomes addictive,” he jokes.
Sean Kristafor
While Panagio is better known for playing the lead role in various local soap operas and mini-series, as a presenter on the magazine show Top Billing, as the current host of MNet’s Survivor South Africa, and most recently as the star in the film Semi-Soet (currently in cinemas), he is no stranger to the sport of mountain biking. He has been riding a mountain bike since 2004 and also participates in sports such as swimming, water polo, martial arts and scuba diving. This will be his first attempt at the Absa Cape Epic.
Panagio resides on the Southern Peninsula with his wife, Christi. He is also a businessman and the founder and CEO of import/export company Trade Revolution (Pty) Ltd.
“We have both been training very specifically for the Absa Cape Epic since the end of last year. As we have already had very high fitness levels, we had a good base to start from and it did not take too long for us to be prepared for this event- although one can never fully prepare for the Absa Cape Epic!” comments Kristafor. “The challenge of the Absa Cape Epic is to ride consistently over a number of days and you need to condition your body to be able to do this. You also need to be able to ride well with your partner.”
Nico Panagio
Kristafor resides in Durbanville with wife, Liesbet, who is also a strong mountain biker. He has been riding the 32.6kms to work in Woodstock, Cape Town on a regular basis as a means of training.
While Panagio prefers the technical climbs and descents, Kristafor’s strength is long distance endurance. Together they make a formidable partnership and are ready to join Team Absa 2012 at the Prologue in Meerendal on 25th March 2012.
The pair will be riding on behalf of their selected non-profit organisation, Missing Children South Africa (MCSA), of which Panagio is the Chairman of the Board. The organisation activates and co-ordinates a network of volunteers, multiple media platforms and other organisations to facilitate the authorities and act as intermediary for parents or guardians when a child goes missing with the single aim of recovering them before they come to any harm.
Absa will donate R 1,300.00 to the charity for each stage successfully completed by each rider.
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