The Mayor of the Cape Town Metropolitan Council, Helen Zille, led the Tour d’ Afrique cyclists over the finish line on a tandem bicycle. The Mayor cycled with the group the last kilometers through Cape Town suburbs to the official finish line.Starting in Cairo on January 13, the intrepid cyclists had pedalled the length of Africa through 10 countries to reach the Mother City on target in exactly 120 days.“The sense of achievement felt by each and every participant cycling those last few metres of the 12 000km event is beyond words,” said Henry Gold, founder of the world’s most gruelling bicycle challenge. “It is one of those rare moments in life when everything seems to be crystal clear, when you feel secure about yourself, your life path, your place in the world and you say to yourself: “After this I can do anything”.Meanwhile ‘Baobab’ seemed as fit and fresh as ever, despite the punishment of some of Africa’s most atrocious roads and tracks during adventures that included being used by the Tour d’Afrique film crew and leading last year’s pioneering 16 000km Toyota Timbuktu-Table Mountain Expedition down the wild, west side of Africa.Toyota South Africa came to the rescue of Tour d’Afrique 2007, the world’s longest and toughest cycle race, by providing the services of the well-travelled Toyota Fortuner to the race organisers.The race organisers had sent an urgent appeal to Toyota South Africa after their 4X4 vehicle experienced mechanical problems during the first few stages of the gruelling transcontinental cycle race.“With the latest drive to Cape Town from Kenya through Malawi, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia, Baobab has again lived up to its nickname and proved synonymous with many of the rugged attributes of one of Africa’s most remarkable trees,” commented Andrew Kirby, Toyota SA’s senior vice president - sales and marketing. “The Toyota Fortuner has also proven its durability and reliability by conquering some of the challenging and unforgiving African roads.”Caption – The Mayor of the Cape Town Metropolitan Council, Helen Zille waves the South African flag after leading the 2007 Tour d’ Afrique cyclists over the official finish line at the V&A Waterfront last Saturday, 12 May 2007. With the mayor is the founder of the race, Henry GoldContact DetailsAndile DlaminiToyota SA Motors (PTY) Ltd011 809 2576/08adlamini4@tsb.toyota.co.za