A cyclist by the name of Karukango Matheus from Kavango West, has appealed for the introduction and popularisation of cycling in his region.

He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with NBC during the Nedbank Cycle Challenge.Karukango Matheus' passion for cycling recently forced him to travel from Rundu to Windhoek, just so he could participate in a competition.

He raced in the 100km race of the Nedbank Cycle Challenge, which took place in Windhoek on Sunday.

Matheus completed the race and placed in the top 20, ending up satisfied with his position.

This development came despite the hardships he had to face to make it to the race in the first place. His bike, he said, was also not as advanced as those of his fellow competitors.

He explained that there are no formal structures for cycling in his region, also stating he had to hitch hike from Rundu to Windhoek with his bike.

Contacted for comment, the president of the Namibia Cycling Federation Axel Theissen confirmed that there are currently no structures for senior cyclists in Rundu but that there are plans to set up structures in the future .

He added that a development programme named " BXM outreach programme" which will cater for youngsters who are younger than 16-year-old will soon be rolled out in the town.