Do you love a challenge? Start pedalling – don't miss your last chance to prepare for Joburg’s annual cycling extravaganza. The more you pomp those pedals, the more pasta you can load! (Better than stringent spring diets).

The City of Gold is calling on all big and small Armstrongs to load up with carbs and push into the pedals at the annual Pick 'n Pay 94.7 Cycle Challenge extravaganza. Started by Midrand Country Cyclists ( MCC) in 1997 with a field of just over five thousand cyclists, the race has become the biggest cycling race in Gauteng. In 2007 there were close on 30 000 participants. "Crawl, walk, then run." That has been the philosophy behind the Pick 'n Pay 94.7 Cycle Challenge. Although the ambition is to build the event into the largest cycling race in the country and the world, the organizers are deliberately growing the race cautiously. It is predicted that the entry figure will reach over 40 000 in the next few years. Aim of this big sporting event is to put on the best run cycling event to benefit all cyclists. Are you up for the challenge?

There is no doubt that the race has had a positive impact on the local cycling, health and related industries. 25% of the race entries are from females who compete on equal terms with the men. The Cycle Challenge was the first major cycling event to have a separate women's category. Also tagged to the event is the Children's Cycle Challenge. A race for 3 to 6 year olds, it had its beginnings as a grassroots development initiative - Joburg's Cutest Race for the World's Toughest Tots. This proved so popular that it's grown to require a separate category for 7 to 11 year olds in 2001.