Meet the Team NanoTime stars who will be inspiring you to get active in 2020 and 2021.

Zandri Strydom
Zandri Strydom |
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Age: | 18 |
Facebook Athlete Page: | Zandri Strydom |
Instagram Handle: | @zandri_strydom |
Twitter Handle: | @ZandriStrydom |
Riding Discipline: | XCO, XCM and Enduro |
Best Result(s): | 1st SA junior XCO, XCM, Enduro and African Continental Junior XCO (2019) |
Goal for 2021: | Improve and be able to compete against the elite ladies, U23 SA Champs, U23 World Champs. |
Nickname: | Zan |
First Cycling Memory: | I remember riding on the farm with my brother and friends getting from point A to B with our bikes. Just the feeling of freedom and excitement of riding a bike is still stuck with me. |

Zandri Strydom in action.
Q & A with Zandri Strydom
Q: What does it mean to you to join the NanoTime team? Especially as you’ll be inspiring people to get out and get active while racing your bike.
ZS: It’s an honour to be part of Team NanoTime and be able to share a vision with them. I look forward to helping grow the brand while having good people and fantastic teammates around me.
It’s also amazing to be part of such a great “movement” to motivate people to get out and be more active. Hopefully with this movement I will be able to motivate more people in general and especially women and girls, in particular, to get out and ride a bike. Or just to be more active in general.
Q: After the uncertainty caused by Covid19 how much of a relief was it to secure a team for the rest of the year and beyond?
ZS: Securing a team was such a relief for me. Especially as this is my first pro team. I’m really happy to be part of a team with such a great group of people as teammates. I’m super excited to be part of NanoTime and I’m sure there is a lot I can learn from the guys in what remains of 2020 and beyond.

Matt Beers
Matthew Beers |
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Age: | 26 |
Facebook Athlete Page: | Matt Beers MTB |
Instagram Handle: | @mattbeers55 |
Twitter Handle: | @mattbeers55 |
Riding Discipline: | XCM, Stage Races, XCO, Gravel and Road Racing |
Best Result(s): | 5th Overall and African Jersey Winner Absa Cape Epic (2019), 1st Attakwas (2020), 1st Wines2Whales (2018 & 2019). |
Goal for 2021: | Overall Podium ABSA Cape Epic, SA XCM championships. |
Nickname: | Matt |
First Cycling Memory: | Riding my little Red HARO BMX bike on the farm I grew up on near Knysna. |

Matt Beers in action.
Q&A with Matthew Beers
Q: What does it mean to you to join the NanoTime team? Especially as you’ll be inspiring people to get out and get active while racing your bike.
MB: I’m extremely grateful to NanoTime for coming on board and basically saving/prolonging my career in cycling. They have a great vision to encourage people to go outside and get active. I know the joy the outdoors can bring as well as the sense of accomplishment of completing adventurous activities creates. I really hope I’m able to inspire people and kids by winning races and being an ambassador for an active, fun life.
Q: After the uncertainty caused by Covid19 how much of a relief was it to secure a team for the rest of the year and beyond?
MB: It was a massive relief! To have Nico and Wessel in the team too is a massive bonus. They are two great guys that have been an integral part of my career. It will be great racing with Stuart. We’ve known each other for a really long time and I owe him a debt of gratitude for managing to convince the awesome people at NanoTime to come on this cycling adventure with us. And finally, Zandri is a huge talent. She has a great presence about her which makes you want to follow her success. She will also put the whole team in her dust on the downhills, as she is very fast.

Wessel Botha
Wessel Botha |
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Age: | 21 |
Facebook Athlete Page: | Wessel Botha |
Instagram Handle: | @wesselmtb |
Twitter Handle: | @wesselmtb |
Riding Discipline: | Marathon, XCO and Road |
Best Result(s): | 1st Wines2Whales (2018 & 2019), 3rd Attakwas (2020), 1st 3 Towers (2019), 1st Berg&Bush (2019), 1st U23 African Champs XCO (2019) & 1st 94.7 MTB (2017 & 2018) |
Goal for 2021: | Stage race victories, to reach the Elite XCO Championships podium and the SA Marathon champs podium. |
Nickname: | Tapeworm / Lanky Lemur |
First Cycling Memory: | My little red bike being stolen when I was 5 years old! |

Wessel Botha in action.
Q&A with Wessel Botha
Q: What does it mean to you to join the NanoTime team? Especially as you’ll be inspiring people to get out and get active while racing your bike.
WB: Joining Team NanoTime is such a great opportunity and privilege for me. Being active and in nature has always been a big passion of mine. It has really changed and shaped my life. Encouraging people to do the same being the goal of the team makes me very excited to see what positive impact we can have on people’s lives. Hopefully we can encourage young people to get out into nature. Being part of a professional team, that has some of the best riders in SA, is huge motivation in terms of training and racing performances for myself.
Q: After the uncertainty caused by Covid19 how much of a relief was it to secure a team for the rest of the year and beyond?
WB: 2020 has been an extremely challenging year for us all. After the termination of our previous team there was a lot of uncertainty on what the future would look like, with no racing taking place and the economic struggles. Sponsors make riding a bike for a living a reality; only having to focus on cycling and not worry about the financial side is a huge advantage and privilege. Securing the deal with NanoTime was a huge relief and I look forward to our partnership for the rest of 2020 and beyond.

Nico Bell
Nico Bell |
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Age: | 36 |
Facebook Athlete Page: | Nico Bell |
Instagram Handle: | @nicobell13 |
Twitter Handle: | @nicobellsracing |
Riding Discipline: | XCM, Stage and Road races, plus Time Trials. |
Best Result(s): | 1st SA XCM Championships (2017), 1st Cape Pioneer Trek & sani2c (2012 & 2017), 1st joBerg2c (2013 & 2018), 8th Absa Cape Epic (2012 & 2014) |
Goal for 2021: | Absa African Jersey at the Absa Cape Epic and a podium SA TT championship. |
Nickname: | HellsBells |
First Cycling Memory: | 15 years old riding the Jock classic last stage on my MTB with a T-shirt and takkies on. |

Nico Bell in action.
Q&A with Nico Bell
Q: What does it mean to you to join the NanoTime team? Especially as you’ll be inspiring people to get out and get active while racing your bike.
NB: It’s great to be part of a team structure, managing NAD for the last 5 years I have helped riders grow and reach their true potential. With NanoTime I can pass my vast experience on to the riders and help make sure everyone has the best possible chance to win races, with the best equipment and correct setup with the team structure. It’s a bonus that we can do what we love and inspire others to be active too!
Q: After the uncertainty caused by Covid19 how much of a relief was it to secure a team for the rest of the year and beyond?
NB: Covid19 has affected many people, as well as Team NAD. It was great to have NanoTime step up and take over the team. We as riders are exceptionally grateful for their support in these tough times! We also have the opportunity to race through to the end of 2021, which allows us now to train and focus to achieve our goals without having to worry about our income.

Stuart Marais
Stuart Marais |
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Age: | 31 |
Facebook Athlete Page: | Stuart Marais Racing |
Instagram Handle: | @stuart_marais |
Twitter Handle: | @Stuart_Marais |
Riding Discipline: | XCO, XCM and Stage Races |
Best Result(s): | 2 x Silver medallist African Continental XCO Championships, 2nd sani2c (2019), 2nd Absa African Jersey at the Absa Cape Epic (2018) |
Goal for 2021: | SA XCM & XCO Championships as well as sani2c |
Nickname: | Stu |
First Cycling Memory: | First Cycling Memory: Riding my Red 5 speed Raleigh around my house in Ixopo |

Stuart Marais in action.
Q&A with Stuart Marais
Q: Can you tell us about the back story of NanoTime, how the team came about?
SM: NanoTime has humble beginnings, establishing itself in 2014 as a supportive group for riders participating in the Trans Baviaans 24hr Mountain Bike marathon. At the time, going by another name the “WilleHonne” or Painted Wolves, named after the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) they strived to emulate the nature of these magnificent and highly endangered animals. Wild dogs are very social, and packs have been known to share food and to assist weak or ill members. These animals are formidable in the hunt and will cooperate to tackle prey much larger than they are. We strived to embody the ideals of this eponymous animal and whether you finished first or last, the club was there to cheer you on. Fast forward six years, into the new decade, and NanoTime was born, based on the same values instilled all those years ago but developing into something new and fresh with the aim of getting people back to their roots and moving.
The initial intention with the team was to only look at starting in the 2021 season, as most riders had been signed and I personally was looking forward to an exciting 2020 season across South Africa. As the season kicked off there were so many athletes showing incredible promise, looking to build throughout what would have been an Olympic year. Then, as everyone knows, Covid hit with full force and with-it teams started to fold as sponsors were, understandably, unable to fulfil their obligations. Dave Jacobs, CEO of {type}DEV, then approached me and we decided to move our timeline up by 6 months and try see if we can change an incredibly negative situation into a positive one. Along with it we aim to change the way teams are run in South Africa. To be leaders in what will be a very different world going forward.
Q: What does it mean to you to join the NanoTime team? Especially as you’ll be inspiring people to get out and get active while racing your bike.
SM: Joining NanoTime has been the biggest step in my career as a professional cyclist. Having spent my professional cycling career as a privateer, with the exception of 2014 when I rode under the Kargo banner, this will be the first true team setup that I shall belong to. It’s immensely exciting and will be good to have the comradery of team mates going forward. We hope that the success of the team will be shared with our fans and followers. I trust we can inspire them to get active and get moving as we showcase what is possible, with sport. As much as we are professional athletes, we all started somewhere. I managed to work my way up the cycling ladder whilst working as an engineer and so there is no reason why others cannot follow suit.
Q: After the uncertainty caused by Covid19 how much of a relief was it to secure a team for the rest of the year and beyond?
SM: I was fortunate in that I had joined the brand at the end of last year. After nearly ending my career as a cyclist, at the end of 2019 due to a lack of support, I was saved by {type}DEV, NanoTimes holding company, with the ultimate plan to develop a cycling team. I am truly grateful to those behind the scenes for making this a possibility and allowing not only myself, but the rest of the athletes under team NanoTime, to continue racing under these uncertain times. This is truly testament to the type of company {type}DEV are.
Q: What are the team’s goals for 2021 and beyond?
SM: With a line-up of some of the top athletes South Africa has to offer, we have ambitions of being the best team in the country. Initially we will be targeting local marathon, cross-country and stage races, with our eyes firmly fixed on becoming the first South African team to win the Absa Cape Epic. We will also be aiming to have a few SA Champions in the team. But we want to expand to be an internationally recognised team too and honestly, I believe we have potential World Champions in our line-up. We want to do everything we can to help these athletes realise their potential.
Q: Explain the make-up of the team, where do you see the squad progressing over the next few years with young riders like Zandri and Wessel, an experienced rider like Nico and then yourself and Matt, very much, in your primes?
SM: The aim of the team was to have a good mix of quality riders who can each bring something different to the squad. And where each of us can learn from each other. Nico has a wealth of experience, that surpasses most riders in South Africa. To have someone like him managing the team and the value he brings through what he can teach athletes, I know we are already off to a good start. Matt, as most already know, is a powerhouse second to none and the results that he, Nico and Wessel achieved whilst riding under the NAD banner where truly incredible. I personally managed to experience this when I partnered with Matt at sani2c last year (2019). I’m looking forward to the results we can achieve together. Wessel is a young talent. I have been racing him since he joined the U23 ranks. His talent and hard work have already helped him win countless events around South Africa, against competition far more experienced than he is. Zandri is probably the most technically proficient rider on the team. She has control over a bicycle that would make some downhill riders jealous. That, linked with her friendly character, her love for the sport and woman’s cycling meant that we really had to have her on board; as we want to develop the female side of the team more, as we move into the future. As to where the squad is going, the sky is truly the limit. We at NanoTime do not want to just be aiming at local events, we truly believe our athletes have what it takes to be the best in the world. We are already starting to look at opportunities to get them overseas and get the experience they need to make it globally.
To find out more about Team NanoTime and their mission, read the full story release here or visit www.nanotime.co.za.