Motul backs Blue Sky Cycling Academy with bike care skills program

Motul has renewed its partnership with the Blue Sky Cycling Academy in South Africa to help disadvantaged youth build cycling, maintenance, and life skills. The Youth Month initiative uses bike washes, training, and race support to fund entries, expand access, and create pathways to employment.

Why it matters: - The partnership turns cycling into a practical skills pipeline for young people in vulnerable communities. - The program links sport with discipline, school performance, accountability, and potential livelihood opportunities. - The bike wash fundraisers also help pay race entries, which keeps more riders in competition.

What happened: - Motul renewed its partnership with Blue Sky Cycling Academy during National Youth Month. - Blue Sky Cycling Academy is based in Zola, Strand, in the Western Cape. - The registered NPO works with young boys and girls from vulnerable local communities. - The academy uses cycling to support personal development and positive life choices. - Motul also backed the academy’s fundraising initiatives in 2025 and returned this year. - The Blue Sky squad marked Youth Day at the Killarney League Race on Sunday, 14 June.

The details: - Blue Sky uses a “hand-up” model, not a “hand-out” model. - Young members must pass school subjects, help with fundraising, and attend training to stay in the program. - The academy focuses on upskilling, responsibility, and accountability. - Jess Moyer said the academy aims to build responsibility, discipline, and pride while giving youth healthy alternatives to destructive influences. - Jess Moyer also said the program supports social cohesion and inclusion by offering a safe, welcoming space for young people from different backgrounds. - Motul’s Bike Care range supports bicycle maintenance and includes eco-designed formulas. - The product line includes cycling products developed with the Tour de France and off-road products developed through Motul’s partnership with the UCI Mountain Bike World Series. - The Wine Lands Cycling Club runs local mountain bike outrides through its Wine Lands Cares program. - Blue Sky scholars run bike washes at those events using Motul products. - The bike washes give riders exposure to the local cycling community and a chance to show the product range in action. - Club members gave positive feedback after the bike washes. - Support from Motul, Wine Lands Cycling Club, and local donors led to concrete outcomes in 2025 and 2026. - The academy enrolled two young men in a professional bike maintenance course. - One of those trainees has already become a mechanic and fixed a complex mechanical issue under race-day pressure on the start line. - Bicycle donations expanded the academy’s fleet and allowed it to welcome more youth. - The Deputy Principal and a teacher from Nonzamo High School joined this year to provide academic support alongside sports training. - Bike wash funds directly cover race entries. - Last year, 14-year-old Laeeq placed first in the U15 category and ninth overall at the PPA fun ride. - The academy now has 20 active riders, including nine U19 athletes. - Mercia Jansen said Motul’s CSR is guided by its global value, “Protect our Playground.” - Mercia Jansen also said Motul’s Bike Care products are biodegradable and eco-designed and leave no harmful chemical residues in the community.

Between the lines: - The partnership is doing more than sponsoring sport; it is creating a small-scale workforce pathway through maintenance training. - The model also ties community visibility to self-funding, which can make the academy less dependent on one-off donations. - Motul is using a youth-facing community project to reinforce its environmental brand message around eco-designed products.

What’s next: - The academy plans another specialized bike wash fundraiser later this year. - The event is meant to help the team enter more major competitions and expand its community outreach. - The public will be able to watch the riders at work and support the fundraiser directly. - People can follow Blue Sky Cycling Academy on Facebook and Motul SA on Facebook and Instagram.