Key South African cycling industry figure, Graeme Stickells, is recovering from a near-death experience when he was hit by a mini-bus taxi while training for the upcoming Race to the Sun Gravel Race. Here’s what happened and how you can support his recovery.
By Sean Badenhorst
Graeme is the co-owner and head instructor of Torq Zone Academy, South Africa’s first and only internationally certified bicycle technician training centre. Established in 2014, Torq Zone runs 11 x three-week training programmes a year and has successfully trained 444 trade technicians (bicycle mechanics) and 120 home mechanics.
There’s a very good chance your bike has been serviced or repaired by one of Graeme’s Torq Zone graduates.
Graeme was on his way to join a Pretoria road group ride early on Sunday March 9. It was 5:15 am and already quite light. He was struck from behind by a mini-bus taxi, which dragged him 15 metres, some of it offroad, before fleeing the scene. Graeme was riding with powerful front and rear lights and a Garmin Varia vehicle radar.
“I’m very lucky to be alive. I have ridden that road thousands of times over the years and have never really felt too unsafe there, no matter how much traffic there is. It’s a fairly narrow road with one lane in either direction. A witness says that the taxi driver looked like he wanted to go around me but there was an oncoming vehicle, which prevented this, so he struck me,” explained Graeme this week.
Graeme doesn’t recall the impact. He was knocked unconscious and very seriously injured. His injuries included several broken ribs, a punctured lung, four fractured vertebra (lower back), fractured pelvis and bleeding on the brain.
“Fortunately, I ride with an ICE ID, which allowed one of the motorists that stopped to call my wife, who rushed to the scene and was able to manage all the relevant emergency medical protocols. Had I not been wearing that ICE ID, things could have turned out very different,” said Graeme.
Graeme stays cycling fit most of the time and was specifically focusing on the increased endurance required to tackle next month’s King Price Race to the Sun Gravel Race, when the incident occurred. He was on his Giant road bike, which splintered into pieces from the impact.
Graeme, 52, who has four children, two of which are at university and one still at school, spent 10 days in ICU. He underwent all the necessary surgeries on the Tuesday, two days after the incident. He is now home, but unable to work at Torq Zone until at least the end of May 2025.
Although his medical aid has covered all the medical costs, the incident has left Graeme unable to earn an income for a period and his cycling friends have set up a Back-a-Buddy fund to help him cover his costs until he is able to return to work.
The funding campaign is required to keep the Academy open and to cover expenses whilst Graeme is unable to earn an income. Also, without the campaign, the Academy will be forced to close down and miss opportunities through the national skills funding to reach previously disadvantaged persons and assist projects who’d not normally be able to leverage this.
Here is the link to the Back-a-Buddy account. Any donation will be appreciated.
