Willie Smit Grew Up Roaming The Streets Of Lydenburg, Mpumalanga. With The Support Of Friends And Family He Managed To Rise Above The Circumstances He Was Born Into. Now This Pro Cyclist Rides With The World’s Best Athletes. Here’s How He Climbed To The Top.
THE MAN
WILLIE SMIT
OCCUPATION CYCLIST
MAURO MATALONE
LOCATION JOBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
BY MEGAN FLEMMIT
Cycling through the mountainous region of southern Portugal, Willie Smit was focused on one thing: to finish the Volta ao Algarve with the highest rank possible. The stage race had been tough, but the pro cyclist was determined to succeed. Surrounded by the world’s best cyclists, Willie began descending one of the mountain peaks. When some of them crashed in front of him, Willie had to make a decision in a split second: he had to choose which way to veer, to miss the carnage. But Willie made the wrong decision – and found himself on the side of the road, battered and bruised.
A sharp pain in in his collarbone signalled a possible fracture. Willie was out of the race. But while he felt a twinge of disappointment, he didn’t stay down for long. He’d been injured many times before. Each time, he came back stronger than ever. “People think that when we break a bone, we’re out for a longtime. But in the World Tour team, their finances are good. So when I broke my collarbone, they organised an operation the very next day.”
Willie was flown to Belgium, where a team of doctors operated on him. An osteopath manipulated the bone to allow his body to heal quicker. “It’s very painful, but it’s very safe, and then you’re allowed to continue.” Two days later, Willie was back on his bike.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 2019-Ausgabe von Men's Health South Africa.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 2019-Ausgabe von Men's Health South Africa.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
CAN YOU REMIX YOUR MINDSET?
YOU KNOW MUSIC ALTERS MOOD. NOW A NEW APP PROMISES THE RIGHT TRACKS CAN SOOTHE STRESS, BOOST PRODUCTIVITY AND LEVEL UP YOUR GYM GAINS.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET REALLY SO ?
AND DOES IT REALLY FIGHT OFF DISEASE? WE LOOK AT THE DATA.
THE SEMI-COMPLETE USER'S GUIDE TO...YOUR LUNGS
THEY POWER A WORKOUT, FILTER OUT INVADERS AND WORK FOR US 24/7-UNLESS GERMS, POLLUTANTS, BAD LUCK OR OUR OWN NEGLECT GETS IN THE WAY. TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND DISCOVER HOW TO HELP THEM OUT.
ACTION MAN
THERE WAS NO MIRACLE FIX FOR TIMOTHY FAIRWEATHER'S HEAVIER PROBLEMS. THE SECRET: TAKING SMALL ACTIONS EVERY DAY TO BUILD UP TO MASSIVE RESULTS.
THE MUSCLE SPRINT
CRUSH ALL MAJOR MUSCLE GROUPS, BLAST CALORIES AND SUPERCHARGE YOUR CARDIO WITH THIS DUMBBELL WORKOUT, WHICH HAS AN INTENSE 55-REP LADDER SCHEME THAT MINIMISES REST AND MAXIMISES FUN.
THE ULTIMATE SUMMER BODYWEIGHT BURNER
BUILD MUSCLE AND STRENGTH AND CHALLENGE YOUR COORDINATION AND ATHLETICISM WITH THIS NO-EQUIPMENT WORKOUT.
RISE OF THE BEASTS
THIS YEAR'S MILESTONE TENTH EDITION OF OUR COVER GUY SEARCH DREW 413 GUYS WHO EMBODY SELFLESSNESS, GRIT AND PERSEVERANCE. THEIR ANIMALISTIC DEVOTION TO FITNESS AND TALES OF TRIUMPH WILL INSPIRE YOU TO GREATNESS.
...I LOSE MY COOL?
DON'T WHITE-KNUCKLE IT. LEARN TO UNDERSTAND, OWN AND ULTIMATELY TAME YOUR OUTRAGE WITH OUR EXPERT POINTERS. DEEP BREATH, NOW...
MOVING MOUNTAINS
LONG HAULS, STEEP CLIMBS, EXTREME COLD AND OTHERWORLDLY LANDSCAPES IN THE CEDERBERG-OUR WRITER TAKES ON THE ELEMENTS AND UNEARTHS A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON A FIVEDAY TREK ALONG PHANTOM PATHS CUT THROUGH BEWITCHING SCENERY.
THE NEW PLYO POWER-UP
HOW MODERN TAKES ON AN OLD FITNESS FAVOURITE CAN CALIBRATE YOUR TRAINING FOR AN INSTA-BOOST OF ATHLETICISM AND STRENGTH.