Umjaho Wamabhayisekili—Imimango Nemithambeka Yawo
NGIZABALAZA, ngikhefuzela, ngishova, nokho ngingakuzwa ngempela ukukhathala, ngangiqiniseka ukuthi konke kunomvuzo. Ngemva komqansa wamakhilomitha angu-25, esiqongweni seNtuba iGreat Saint Bernard, phakathi kweSwitzerland ne-Italy, ngangihola phambili. Umqeqeshi wami wanginikeza uphawu esemotweni yakhe lokuthi ngangihola phambili ngemizuzu embalwa. Kakade ngangizibona ngiwina lomjaho futhi ngigqoka ngisho nejezi eliphuzi lomnqobi.
Ngihamba phambi kwezithuthuthu nezimoto, ngehla ngakolunye uhlangothi ngesivinini esikhulu. Ngiphakathi nendawo, ngabamba elinye lamajika ngishesha kakhulu. Isondo lami langemuva lashelela, futhi ngokungazelele ngaphuma endleleni. Ngawuqeda kabuhlungu lomjaho, kodwa ngangingeke ngisalithola ijezi eliphuzi nodumo. Angizange ngiwuwine umjaho i-Tour de l’Avenir ka-1966.
Indlela Uthando Lwami Olwakhula Ngayo
Ngazalelwa eBrittany ekupheleni kwempi yezwe yesibili. Entshonalanga France ukugibela amabhayisekili kuthandwa kakhulu, futhi lendawo isikhiqize ompetha abaningi. Ngisakhula ngangivame ukubukela imijaho yasendaweni futhi ngangingaphuthelwa umjaho i-Tour de France kuthelevishini. Njengoba ngibona abagibeli bamabhayisekili bekhuphuka ngokuzikhandla ezintubeni zezintaba eziphakeme futhi behla ngesivinini esikhulu emithambekeni, ngangicabanga ukuthi bafana nawonkulunkulu.
Lapho ngineminyaka engu-17, nganquma ukukuzama. Ngosizo lomthengisi othile wamabhayisekili, ngathenga ibhayisekili lami lokuqala lomjaho elaliyisekeni. Nganginesimiso esigcwele: ukuziqeqesha njalo ngeSonto ekuseni futhi ngaphambi nangemva komsebenzi phakathi nesonto. Ezinyangeni ezimbili nje kamuva, inhliziyo yami ishaya ngamandla, ngangenela umjaho wami wokuqala. Ngangiyowina ukuba esinye isigejane sabagibeli sasingazange singifice emamitheni nje ayishumi ngaphambi kokufika entanjeni! Kuwo wonke lowonyaka, ngangiqeda phakathi kwabokuqala abangu-15 cishe kuyo yonke imijaho engayingenela.
Inkathi yami yango-1962 yayimfushane. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu zemincintiswano nokuwina izikhathi ezimbalwa, ngabizelwa inkonzo yezempi yezinyanga ezingu-18 e-Algeria. Ngemva kokubuyela kwami eFrance, ngachitha unyaka ka-1965 ngizijwayelanisa futhi nokugibela amabhayisekili. Kodwa ngomjaho olandelayo, ngangizimisele ngokuqinile ukuphinde ngithole injabulo yokwamukela izimbali zomnqobi.
Kusukela ngo-March 1966 kuqhubeke, ngangiwina ngiphindelela. Isikhathi ngasinye lapho ngiphuma phambili noma isibili emjahweni, ngangithola amaphuzu ekugcineni ayeyongisiza ukuba ngithuthukele esigabeni esiphakeme, lapho umncintiswano wawuzoba nzima khona ngokwengeziwe. Nokho, ngalesosikhathi, ngangisebenza nobaba silungisa izindawo zaphansi ezindlini. Lomsebenzi wawukhathaza kakhulu futhi ungivimbela ukuba nginikele isikhathi esiningi ekugibeleni amabhayisekili ngendlela engangifuna ngayo. Ngakho lapho ngifinyelela inani lamaphuzu adingekayo ukuze ngihlale esigabeni engangikuso, ngangizanelisa ngemali eyenezelwe engangiyizuza phakathi nemijaho esele, kodwa ngangivumela abanye ukuba bawine ukuze ngingakhuphukeli esigabeni esingenhla.
Intuthuko Esheshayo
Ngenxa yemiphumela yami, amaqembu amathathu ayezimisele ukwenza nami izivumelwano zemijaho. Ngenqaba ukuze ngingashiyi ubaba. Nokho, omunye umqeqeshi obeleselayo wanxusa ubaba ukuba anginikeze isikhathi esingangesonto sokuncintisana emjahweni onzima ezintabeni zasePyrenees ngasemngceleni weFrance neSpain. Ngaphuma isibili kulowomjaho, ngakho saqhubekela eSpain, lapho ngawina khona umjaho wezimfundamakhwela i-Tour of Catalonia. Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa kamuva, ngangenela umjaho i-Tour of the Balearic Islands, ngawina ingxenye yokuqala, futhi ngagqoka ijezi lomnqobi, kodwa langilahlekela ngosuku lokugcina ebangeni elifushane ngenxa yokuthi iqembu lethu lahoxa emjahweni.
Khona-ke kwalandela umjaho i-Route de France endaweni yaseNice. Ngagila izimanga ezingxenyeni eziningi futhi ngazuza indebe njengengcweti ephambili yemiqansa. Ngenxa yemiphumela enjalo emihle, ngakhethwa njengomunye wabagibeli abaphambili abayishumi futhi ngamenyelwa ukuba ngimelele iFrance emjahweni i-Tour de l’Avenir, umjaho wezimfundamakhwela we-Tour de France.
Phakathi nalezozinyanga ezimbili, okuwukuphela kwezindaba ezazitholwa umkhaya wakithi zazivela emakhasini ezemidlalo emaphephandabeni. Ngicabanga ngobaba nangeqiniso lokuthi wayenginikeze isikhathi esingangesonto kuphela, ngalenqaba lelothuba futhi ngabuyela ekhaya. Kodwa umqeqeshi wami nomhleli wephephandaba elithile lezemidlalo baqinisekisa ubaba ngokuthi ngangingomunye wababelindelwe abantu baseFrance ukuba awine, ngakho wangivumela ukuba ngihambe. Ngangicabanga ukuthi ngiyaphupha! Ezinyangeni nje ezimbalwa ngaphambi kwalokho, ngangisesigabeni sesithathu noma sesine sezimfundamakhwela, kodwa manje ngase ngikhethelwe umjaho wamabhayisekili wezifundamakhwela obaluleke kakhulu emhlabeni! Njengoba ngishilo ekuqaleni, ukuwa kwangenza ngalahlekelwa emjahweni i-Tour de l’Avenir ka-1966.
Ngo-1967, ngawina imijaho engaba yishumi, ngangenela umjaho osuka eParis ukuya eNice, futhi ngaphuma isine emjahweni i-Tour du Morbihan, eBrittany. Ngo-1968, lapho ngineminyaka engu-24, ngasayina isivumelwano sami sokuqala sobuchwepheshe, ngijoyina iqembu lomgibeli wamabhayisekili waseHolland uJan Janssen. Sangenela umjaho i-Tour de France, futhi uJan wawina ngalowonyaka. Ngalesosikhathi, ngemva komjaho omfushane siyiqembu eRennes, eBrittany, ngahlangana noDanielle, owayezobukela umjaho wakhe wokuqala wamabhayisekili. Kwakungeke kube umjaho wakhe wokugcina, ngoba sashada ngonyaka olandelayo.
Yeka indlela engangizithanda ngayo lezozinsuku—umoya wokubambisana njengeqembu, ukuphila kokwehla wenyuka, ukubona amadolobha amasha nezindawo ezintsha nsuku zonke! Ngangingatholi imali eningi, kodwa kwakungasho lutho ngoba injabulo yokungenela umjaho yayenelisa kakhulu. Ngangiqhuba kahle emijahweni ehlukahlukene futhi ngangethemba ukuwina omunye wemijaho emikhulu. Nokho, ngaqala ukuqaphela ukuthi kunegebe elikhulu elihlukanisa abagibeli bamabhayisekili abayizimfundamakhwela nabangochwepheshe.
Ompetha Abaphambili . . . Kanye Nabanye
Phakathi nenkathi yemijaho ka-1969, ngangena eqenjini elilodwa nomgibeli wamabhayisekili odumile waseFrance uRaymond Poulidor. Ngangenela imijaho emikhulu yosuku olulodwa—umjaho osuka eParis kuya eRoubaix nomjaho i-Flèche Wallonne, eBelgium. Ngangihambisana nabagibeli bamabhayisekili abaphambili ezintubeni zezintaba, ngiqeda kahle kakhulu ezingxenyeni eziningana. Nokho, ngaphezu kwakho konke okunye, ngangikujabulela ukuwina imijaho yasendaweni eBrittany phambi kwezixuku zezibukeli engangizithanda.
Kodwa ngokuphambene namathemba ami, njengabanye abaningi ngangingenawo amakhono angokomzimba kampetha ophambili. Engxenyeni enzima yomjaho i-Tour of Spain, kwadingeka ukuba ngihoxe ngenxa yeqhwa nemvula. Lapho ngaqaphela ukuthi ompetha abaphambili banokuthile okwengeziwe, leyonto ethile ekhethekile ebenza bakwazi ukukhuthazelela ukushisa okukhulu namakhaza ashubisa umkantsha. Ngokwesibonelo, ngangingekho esigabeni esifanayo no-Eddy Merckx, umpetha waseBelgium owayephuma phambili ekugibeleni amabhayisekili ngalesosikhathi. Wayesidlula sonke ngokungenakuqhathaniswa. Eqinisweni, ngaso sonke isikhathi ngangiba semuva kwakhe phakathi nemijaho ayeyingenela.
Ubunye Phakathi Kwabangenele Umjaho
Kwakukhona ubunye ngisho naphakathi kwamaqembu ancintisanayo. Nami ngokwami ngakuqaphela lokhu phakathi nenye yezingxenye ezinzima kakhulu zomjaho i-Tour de France ka-1969. Ngobusuku obungaphambili, sasifike ehhotela sikhathele ngemva kochungechunge lwezingxenye zasentabeni ezinzima. Iwashi lasivusa ngehora lesikhombisa ngakusasa ekuseni. Njengokuvamile, sasithola ukudla okuningi kwasekuseni emahoreni amathathu ngaphambi komjaho.
Ekuqaleni, sasingaba ngu-150, ngamunye elandisa ngobunzima nenjabulo yezinsuku ezimbalwa ezidlule, nakuba eqaphela ukuba angembuli amacebo eqembu omjaho ongaphambili. Kwakuzoba usuku olunzima. Lomjaho wawuqala eChamonix, ngaphansi kweNtaba iBlanc, uya eBriançon, ngebanga lamakhilomitha angu-220 ezindleleni ezizungezwe izihlahla ze-alpine kanye nezintuba ezintathu ezinkulu okwakufanele sidlule kuzona.
Zisuka nje, ijubane lalishesha kakhulu. Lapho ngikhuphuka eNtubeni iMadeleine engamamitha angu-1 984, ngazi ukuthi kwakungeke kube usuku oluhle kimina. Izulu lalina, futhi njengoba sasikhuphukela phezulu, lemvula yaba yiqhwa. Esiqongweni, abayisithupha bethu abavela emaqenjini ahlukahlukene kakade base besemuva ngemizuzu eminingana kwabangaphambili. Sigodola, saqala ukwehla entabeni, iminwe yethu iqine kakhulu kangangokuthi sasingakwazi ukwehlisa ijubane ngaphandle kokubeka unyawo phansi. Ngezansi, isikhulu esithile sasinikeza uphawu sisemotweni lokuthi ukufika kwethu sekwephuzile ngokungangabazeki kwakuyokwenza ukuba sikhishwe emjahweni. Kwangidumaza kakhulu ukucabanga ngibona umjaho wami i-Tour de France uphelela endaweni engangiyithanda kakhulu, izintaba.
Nakuba imizamo yethu yayibonakala ingenakusiza, umgibeli wamabhayisekili onokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi phakathi kwethu wasikhuthaza ukuba singadangali. Wasifaka umdlandla, wahlela iqembu, futhi wasikisela ukuba sishintshane ngokuhola iqembu phambili. Sakhuthazela. Lapho sifika endaweni okutholwa kuyo ukudla, kwase kuvaliwe, kodwa asizange senqene ukuhlanganyela ukudla okuncane esasisele nakho.
Lapho sesehlele phansi esigodini futhi, isimo sezulu esishisayo sasinikeza amandla avuselelwe. Isikhathi sasishesha, futhi phambi kwethu kwakukhona ezinye iziphazamiso ezimbili zosuku—izintuba zaseTelegraph naseGalibier, ngayinye ephakeme ngamamitha angu-1 670 nangu-2 645. Lapho sikhuphuka, sathola okumangalisayo esasingakulindele. Ejikeni elithile emgwaqweni, phakathi kwezibukeli, sabona isixuku esigqoke izingubo ezimibalabala. Yebo, sase sibaficile abanye. Sadlula abanye abase bephumile emjahweni nabanye ababebonakala bengakwazi ukuhamba. Ngabona omunye umgibeli osemusha ophambili waseBelgium ehamba ngezinyawo, ekhathele eqhuba ibhayisekili lakhe. Ngafica umholi weqembu lethu futhi ngaqeda lomjaho kahle kakhulu.
Konke lokhu kwangifundisa isifundo esibalulekile engingazange ngisikhohlwe: Uma nje ningakafiki entanjeni, anikawini futhi anikalahlekelwa umjaho. Ngaphezu kwalokho, angisoze ngawukhohlwa umoya wokusekelana owawukhona, ngisho naphakathi kwamaqembu ancintisanayo.
Ukuxhumana Kokuqala NeBhayibheli
Ngo-1972, ngangiqala ngqá ukuxhumana nesigijimi seBhayibheli. Umgibeli webhayisekili okuthiwa uGuy, owayesanda kuyeka imijaho yochwepheshe, wasivakashela ngokungalindelekile futhi wakhuluma ngokholo lwakhe olusha. Ngamtshela ukuthi anginasithakazelo nokuthi wonke umuntu ukholelwa ukuthi inkolo yakhe ingengcono kakhulu. UGuy wangibonisa amavesi ambalwa eBhayibhelini futhi waphendula ukuphikisa kwami ngokuthi njengoba izinkolo eziningi zithi izinkolelo zazo zivela eBhayibhelini, kufanele kube lula ukuhlola izinkolelo zazo ngokuziqhathanisa neqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu.
Ngangike ngezwa ngeBhayibheli, kodwa njengomKatolika ongashiseki, ngangingacabangi ukuthi linokuthile okuxhumene nenkolo yami. Nakuba kunjalo, ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi ingxoxo yethu yayifike ngesikhathi esifanele ngoba omunye wezihlobo zomkami, owayeyisithunywa sevangeli esingumKatolika, wayezosivakashela, futhi sasingaxoxa naye ngakho konke lokhu.
Isihlobo somkami savuma ukuthi iBhayibheli ngempela liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu. Nokho, sasitshela ukuba siqaphele ngoba, ngokombono waso, oFakazi BakaJehova babengabantu abahle, kodwa babedukisa abanye. Lapho ngiphinde ngibona uGuy, ngambuza ngalokhu. Wachaza ukuthi ngokuphambene nalokho engangikufundiswe esontweni, imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo womuntu ayikho eBhayibhelini. (Hezekeli 18:4) Wabuza futhi ukuthi kungani lesihlobo singazange silisebenzise igama likaNkulunkulu, uJehova.—IHubo 83:18.
Ngamangala lapho ngizwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu unegama. Lapho sibonisa lesihlobo somkami lamavesi, sathi iBhayibheli akufane lithathwe ngokoqobo ngaleyondlela. Izingxoxo zethu noGuy azibange zisaqhubeka, futhi wabuyela eParis, lapho ayesebenza khona.
UGuy wabuya eBrittany esikhathini esingangonyaka kamuva futhi wasivakashela. Wavuselela izingxoxo zethu ngokusibonisa ukuthi iBhayibheli futhi laliyincwadi yesiprofetho. Lokhu kwasikhuthaza ukuba silitadishe ngokucophelela kakhulu. Izingxoxo zethu zaqala ukuvama. Nokho, uGuy kwakumelwe angibekezelele kakhulu, njengoba ukuphila kwami kwakusagxile ekugibeleni amabhayisekili nakho konke okwakuhambisana nakho—abangane, abasekeli, nokunye. Futhi, njengoba imikhaya yakithi yayivela eBrittany, indawo egxile ngokujulile emasikweni angokwenkolo, yayiphikisana nesithakazelo sethu esisha eBhayibhelini.
Ngo-1974 umsebenzi wami wemijaho waphela ngokungazelele ngengozi yomgwaqo. Lokhu kwasenza sacabanga ngalokho okwakubaluleke ngempela ekuphileni kwethu. Mina nomkami sanquma ukuthutha edolobheni esazalelwa kulo nasethonyeni lemikhaya yakithi. Ngalesosikhathi saqala ukuba khona njalo emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso leBandla laseDinan. Sobabili sathuthuka eqinisweni, futhi sabhapathizwa ngo-1976.
Kusukela ngalesosikhathi ngiye ngaba nethuba lokuxoxa ngeBhayibheli nabagibeli bamabhayisekili abaningana esasinabo. Futhi, lapho ngiya endlini ngendlu, abantu abaningi bayangikhumbula futhi bayakujabulela ukuxoxa ngomsebenzi wami emijahweni yamabhayisekili. Nokho, abanye abathakazeli kangako lapho ngikhuluma ngesigijimi soMbuso.
Namuhla, lapho ngizwa isidingo sokushaywa umoya, sithatha uhambo lwamabhayisekili nomkhaya wami. Phakathi nalezikhathi, ngiqonda iqiniso lamazwi kaPawulu lapho ethi: “Ukujwayeza umzimba kusiza ingcosana, kepha ukumesaba uNkulunkulu kusiza ezintweni zonke, kunesithembiso salokhukuphila nalokho okuzayo.”—1 Thimothewu 4:8.—Njengoba ilandiswa uJean Vidament.
[Ibhokisi/Ibalazwe ekhasini 16, 17]
Umjaho I-Tour de France
Umjaho wamabhayisekili wasemgwaqweni odume kakhulu emhlabeni, i-Tour de France waqala ngo-1903. Uhlanganisa ibanga lamakhilomitha angu-4 000 kuya kwangu-4 800 futhi uthatha cishe amasonto amathathu, manje uphelela eParis. Cishe abancintisani abangochwepheshe abangaba ngu-200 bayahlanganyela kulomjaho, odlula emaphandleni aseFrance futhi ungenele kancane emazweni angomakhelwane. Izixuku zezibukeli ezime eceleni komgwaqo zihalalisela labancintisani.
Usuku ngalunye umgibeli ohlanganise ibanga lonke ngesikhathi esifushane wembatha ijezi eliphuzi. Obahola bonke phambili osukwini lokugcina uyena owinayo.
Ezinye zezingxenye ezimfushane kunazo zonke imincintiswano enqunyelwe isikhathi, lapho abantu ngabanye noma amaqembu bezama ukuqeda umjaho ngesikhathi esifushane kakhulu. Engxenyeni yokuncintisana ngesikhathi kwamaqembu, inani elimisiwe labagibeli abangabeqembu elilodwa kumelwe liqede umjaho njengeqembu, lonke ngesikhathi esisodwa.
[Ibalazwe]
Umjaho wamabhayisekili i-Tour de France
IFrance
IROUBAIX (lapho kuqalwa khona)
IPARIS
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Ngo-1968, eneminyaka engu-24, uJean Vidament wangenela umjaho i-Tour de France
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 15]
Mike Lichter/International Stock