VIRTUAL EVENTS

Whisky tasting and Fireside chat with Doug Ryder

Discover what it’s like behind the scenes of a World Tour cycling team. 

Your questions answered – all welcome!

Join Hotchillee Head Honcho Sven Thiele for a very special whisky tasting and fireside chat this Friday from 18:00. Having sampled the heady vanilla, citrus and salty delights of 12-years-old Old Pulteney, Sven will put another log on the fire and be joined by Team Qhubeka Team Principal and founder Douglas Ryder. 

Doug will chat openly and honestly about the day to day struggles of keeping any cycling team afloat but especially an African cycling team.

doug ryder Team Qhubeka

This was just about do-able pre-COVID but, since the pandemic, sponsorship and partnership opportunities have dried up and, with the world becoming increasingly territorial, the money in cycling has returned to its safe European home making the viability of an African team questionable. 

After having already overcome many challenges, of which will be explored in the call, Douglas is not giving up on finding a longterm and sustainable funding solution to continue to showcase African cycling.

“The African cycling success stories, role models and inspirations are already there from Daniel Teklehaimanot wearing the polka-dots in the 2015 Tour de France, Nic Dlamini’s success at the highest level of the sport and Biniam Girmay taking silver in the U23 road race in the 2021 World Champs – having watched and been inspired by Daniel when he was 13. I’m not giving up.”

Hotchillee Premium members can join live from 18:00 and take part in the whisky tasting and following fireside chat from 18:30.

Non-members can watch the fireside chat live from 18:30, with the option of typing questions to Doug whilst watching.

All welcome!

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