Laziel grew up in Harare, Zimbabwe a country with 90%+ unemployment and an economy that's been in freefall for over two decades. He didn't finish school. He used to walk 30km a day just to look for work. At his lowest point, he thought there was no way out.

Then he scraped together enough money for a bus ticket to Cape Town. No plan. No contacts. Just a feeling that there had to be something more.

He started working as a fiber technician, installing internet across the city. When he got retrenched, he borrowed a housemate's bike to drop CVs around town. That borrowed bike changed everything.

What started as transport became therapy. Then passion. Then community. Then a career. Today Laziel is one of Cape Town's most respected cyclists sponsored by brands, racing 245km gravel events, training 40-45 hours a week, and building one of the city's strongest cycling communities through OACS Clubhouse and Community Connect.

But this episode goes way deeper than cycling stats. We talk about what rock bottom actually feels like, the trauma of leaving home, what it means to not know where you belong, and how cycling became the thing that held it all together. Laziel was named after his grandfather Lazarus and he lives up to that name. Every time life knocks him down, he comes back.

We also get into the practical side: how to start cycling on a budget, the kit you actually need, how Laziel built brand partnerships authentically, and why being genuine matters more than follower count.

If you've ever felt stuck, lost, or like you don't belong this conversation is for you.