From 108kg Rugby Player to UCI World Championship Rider
With Njinga’s coaching and community, Tony dropped over 31kg, boosted his power-to-weight, and went from struggling on sportives to qualifying three times for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships.
- 31kg lighter- (108kg - 77kg)
- accelerate

The Ex-Rugby Player
At the end of 2013, Tony weighed 108kg. He had held onto the rugby drinking lifestyle, but without the sport to burn it off. Determined to make a change, he bought a road bike and turbo trainer. His first sportive - just 34 miles - took him four hours.
“I knew I wanted more, but I also knew I needed guidance.”
Finding Coaching and Community
When Tony found Njinga, everything changed. He signed up for indoor training sessions and joined the Njinga Collective, cycling club. The structured training gave him focus and performance gains, while the supportive cycling group gave him inspiration and belief.
“From the training sessions, I gained the structure I needed. From the Collective, I gained the inspiration to push beyond my limits.”



Breakthroughs and Big Rides
By April 2016, Tony had taken on the Mallorca 312, completing 232km in 9 hours 17 minutes, a far cry from his first sportive. His weight dropped to 89kg, his fitness soared, and though climbs still left him at the back, he never gave up.
But Njinga helped him go further. Despite a serious knee injury, Tony rebuilt his strength and shocked himself by qualifying for Group 1 at the Cape Rouleur, an achievement beyond anything he thought possible.
From Setbacks to Success
In 2017, Tony set his sights on the UCI Gran Fondo World Championship qualifier. He narrowly missed out by just 50 seconds, a crushing blow.
But Njinga’s coaching gave him perspective, focus, and a smarter plan. By 2018, he returned stronger, lighter, and faster. He qualified.
Tony’s transformation wasn’t just about FTP gains or race results. He went from 108kg to 77kg, added over 20 watts to his FTP, and achieved a 3.6 power-to-weight ratio.
He also became a Njinga Ride Captain and later Njinga Rider of the Year, giving back to the same community that had pushed him forward.
“Njinga’s philosophy incorporating Train | Fuel | Mind is spot on. The crew are always there to push you, and the community lifts you higher than you think possible.”



What’s Next
Tony continues to compete at the highest level, qualify for world championships, and inspiring others. His story is proof that with the right coaching, mindset, and community, no challenge is too big.
“I started at 108kg, barely hanging on at the back of the peloton. With Njinga’s coaching and community, I’ve lost over 31kg, added power and qualified for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships three times.”