Isuzu 3 Towers MTB Stage Race


My experience at Isuzu 3 Towers last year was so good that I was really looking forward to his year’s addition of the race.

The organisers Mark and Jeff put together a spectacular event with amazing routes backed up by a solid infrastructure. The tents, hot showers and food provided are some of the best found anywhere.

Oh, and did I mention the trails.....

Over the 3 stages of the race we cover everything from never ending climbs to super fast descents through bush tunnels and hand cut single track.

My partner for the race was Leana de Jager and it was our first time riding together.
This meant we had to get to know each other whilst also doing our best to win the race.

Our main competition came from the pairing of Samantha Oosthuizen and Samantha Saanders.

Leana and I were a good match from the start. Our climbing ability was ideally the same. As the race route consisted of many endless climbs we could ride together much more efficiently. It was on these ascents that Leana and I managed to gain time on our rivals giving us a win on all 3 stages and also the overall victory. We couldn’t have asked for a better 1st time experience of the Isuzu 3 Towers.

Samantha Oosthuizen and Samantha Sanders put up a challenging fight finishing in 2nd place overall.

Caitlin de Wet and Nicci Grobler teamed up under bizhub’s sister outfit, DEVELOP.
Their 1st outing together was very successful as they managed to round off the podium in 3rd place overall.

Again I had a really good time at Isuzu 3 Towers and I’m already looking forward to next year’s addition.

MTN Ride Crater Cruise

On Saturday morning team bizhub lined up for the MTN Ride Crater Cruise held in Parys.

Clear blue skies greeted the big field with a slight breeze which was sure to pick up later on and influence the race.

A very competitive ladies field took to the start which meant the battle out on course was going to hurt a little bit more than usual.

The ladies started alongside the Elite men and there was a lot of fighting for position as we headed onto the first section of gravel district roads. Around 15km into the race the route detoured into a single track section which spat us back out on to the main district road a short while later.

This piece saw the big bunch splinter into small little groups. The leading ladies managed to form a small group of seven which included me, Ischen Stopforth (bizhub), Leana de Jager (bizhub), Ariane Kleinhans (Contego), Yolande Speedy (MTN/Qhuebeka), Cherise Taylor (USN) and Karien van Jaarsveld (USN). Once this leading ladies group was established there was no more bunch riding as we weren’t allowed to sit behind any of the men or receive help from them during the race.

At about 30km the route took us off the district roads onto a short steep single track climb leading to the Queen of the mountains hot spot. Ariane was first to turn managing to open a small gap on Yolande and myself who in turn managed to open a small gap on the rest of the girls. Looking back I actually still can’t believe that a single corner caused so much damage.

With Ariane up the road Yolande and I were forced to help each other in trying to chase down the lone leader.

Our ‘alliance’ was still intact upon reaching the well-known handmade technical single track section on Baskop farm. This came about 65km into the race. I tried my best to stay with Yolande but her superior technical skills proved too much as she raced away through the thick sand and dense bush. I settled down and tried my best to get a good rhythm going in an attempt to make contact with Yolande and Ariane again.

This was where I relied on my Polar Heart rate monitor to gauge my effort. It was still a long way to go and I didn’t want to exceed my limits, but at the same time I really wanted to get to the front of the action. Despite my best efforts the race situation remained unchanged and Ariane maintained her lead to win the race gifting herself a very nice birthday present.

Yolande took 2nd on the day and I managed to round out the podium with a hard fought 3rd place.

I was happy to stand on the podium alongside two world class athletes who just happen to be some of the nicest girls currently racing on the mountain bike circuit.

Final results:

1st Ariane Kleinhans

2nd Yolande Speedy

3rd Yolandi du Toit

4th Ischen Stopforth

5th Cherise Taylor

This coming weekend I will be partnering up with Leana de Jager for the Mankele 3 Towers held in the Lowveld. I am looking forward to getting to know her a bit better as this will be our first time riding together.

Ride the Rhino

Over the past weekend our team took part in the Ride the Rhino 3 day MTB event held in the Western Cape.
The main purpose of the event is to raise awareness of rhino poaching and funds to help rescue the Renosterveld. This area is one of the most endangered habitats in the world.

The event got underway on Friday at Langebaan Country Estate just outside Langebaan. From here riders covered a total distance of 250km over the 3 consecutive days to finish in Durbanville. The route run through most of the Renosterveld area stopping in between at Darling and Malmesbury which allowed us plenty of opportunity to enjoy the local hospitality.

On the last day 288 red rhino riding jerseys were given to the participants. The reason for making exactly 288 jerseys is because 288 rhinos have been poached up until now in 2011.

Team bizhub had two teams participating in the event, a mixed team and a ladies team.
Nicci Grobler and I made up the ladies team. The two of us seem to bring out the best in each other. This helped us to win all 3 stages and also to take the overall victory at the end.

The mixed team consisted of youngster Liani Morker and team owner John Robertson. Neither of them have competed in a 3 day mountain bike event before but were both keen to take up the challenge in order to support cause. At the end they had a great ride together and managed to finish in 4th place overall in their category

It felt great being part of an event as unique as Ride the Rhino.

This coming weekend the team will be participating at the MTN Crater Cruise in Parys.
Hope to see you all there.

MTN Hilton Dirt Festival

This year the Hilton Dirt Fest marathon formed part of the MTN marathon series.

The fact that it was also the penultimate event of the series made for very competitive racing. Everyone was trying to collect the remaining points available in order to secure their spot or move up in the overall series standing.

The event was hosted at Hilton College just outside Hilton, KZN on the 24th of September.

The route and venue was spectacular to say the least. The 80km distance took us through Hilton’s surrounding forest and also provided us with breathtaking views over the Albert Falls Dam and the Umgeni Valley. Added to that, the course also had plenty of singletrack to enjoy!

The women’s race was a double bill as victory on the day and series honours were on the line. Yolande Speedy (MTN/Qhubeka) and Ischen Stopforth (Team bizhub) were both in the running to secure the overall MTN series title and therefore set out to gain as much points as possible to cement their positions.

On the start line Speedy was the wearer of the pink leader’s jersey with a narrow lead of 105 points over Stopforth.

In the first quarter of the event Speedy and Stopforth took to the lead while Candice Neethling (Team bizhub) and I were set to chase in 3rd and 4th place respectively.

Conrad Venter who was with the team for 5 years during the teams ‘Konica Minolta’ era has rejoined the team. He was waiting for us at the waterpoints located along the route with an ice cold waterbottle in one hand and energy gels in the other. I am sure I speak for everyone in the team when I say that he saved our lives a few times during the race. It’s great to have him back onboard.

Candice and my position stayed the same all the way to the finish while Speedy managed to open a small gap on Stopforth in the final kilometres to take the victory at the MTN Hilton MTB Dirt festival.

Final results:

1st Yolande Speedy
2nd Ischen Stopforth
3rd Candice Neethling
4th Yolandi du Toit

Our other teammate Nicci Grobler also had a great ride to finish 3nd in the senior ladies category.

This coming weekend Nicci and I will be teaming up for the Ride the Rhino 3day MTB event in the Western Cape.

Jeep Tribune Hill2Hill, 18th September

This event follows quite a different format than most MTB races as it is point to point race which takes place between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
This 105km Marathon started in Hilton and finished at the Shongweni Polo Club grounds in Hillcrest, hence the name Hill2Hill.

Riders lined up early Sunday morning for the 6 O’clock start. Later during the day when the sun was scorching down on us it became clear why riders were set of so early. War stories after the race revealed that some riders who weren’t racing even stopped at some river crossings to swim just to relieve themselves from the heat.

The woman’s race set off at quite a fast tempo as Cross Country specialist Mariska Strauss (Team Contego) set the pace from the start. The first few kilometres of the race was mainly on single track through forest before heading onto a small section of tar in Pietermaritzburg. Until this point Candice Neethling(Team Bizhub) was on her own in front, I was chasing a few meters behind her and a few meters behind me were Mariska Strauss and Ischen Stopforth (Team Bizhub). We all regrouped before the Queen of the mountain sprint 25km into the race. On the crest of the Climb the group was reduced to 3 riders as Candice was tailed off slightly. Soon after passing the 2nd water point at around the 30km mark, Mariska also slipped off on a short steep climb. The climb was followed by a descent which led into some technical single track. Once out of the single track I was on my own and just set into a comfortable rhythm.

Ischen and I reached the 5th waterpoint together at around the 87km mark. Ischen was very intent on winning the race and surged on the lower slopes of the climb leading away from the waterpoint.
I decided to stick with my race strategy and ride at a steady pace as there was still a hard 15km stretch to the finish line.

Ischen Stopforth took the Victory at Hill2Hill with me following just behind to take 2nd place. Candice Neethling was set to finish in 3rd place, but unfortunately suffered a mechanical failure within the last 6km. She had no choice but to watch other riders pass her while pushing her bike to the finish line. Mariska Strauss also had a great ride coming off her European campaign to finish in 3rd place.

Nissan TrailSeeker #3, Down &Dirty

This past Saturday team bizhub took part in the 3rd event of the Nissan Trailseeker Series.

The event was held at the Cornwall Hill College in Irene, Pretoria. The cycle friendly venue made for a pleasant atmosphere as riders started and finished on the school’s athletic field. This gave family and friends the opportunity to cheer riders on while sitting on the grand stand, or underneath an umbrella, next to the field whilst sipping on a cold beverage -Yes summer is (finally!) upon us!

The Nissan TrailSeeker Series is currently the biggest series in Gauteng and this was quite evident when looking at the strong field who took to the start line.
The fairly flat 70km route consisted mainly of jeep track and district roads in and around Centurion. Despite it being a great summer’s day, the strong August wind was sure to make for a challenge out on course.

During the first 5km of the race I found myself racing alongside Yolande Speedy (Team MTN/Qhuebeka) and Theresa Ralph. On a long drag into a head wind I managed to open a small gap on them and it only grew from there as I managed to sustain my pace whilst battling the blustery conditions.

At the end I managed to maintain my lead over Yolande and took the Victory at Nissan Trailseeker Down & Dirty. I was really pleased with my performance and very happy to capture my first win at a Nissan Trailseeker event this year.

Yolande Speedy had a great ride coming back from her injury to finish in 2nd place with Theresa Ralph rounding off the podium in 3rd place.

Final Results

1st Yolandi du Toit (Team Bizhub)
2nd Yolande Speedy (Team MTN/ Qhuebeka)
3rd Theresa Ralph
4th Samantha Saanders (Team Mankele)
5th Nicci Grobler (Team Bizhub)

Eqstra Spring Classic MTB race, 28 August

The event took place on Sunday at Helderfontein Estate in Lonehill, Midrand.

After Saturday’s brilliant sunshine, the skies were dark and threatening as we rode casually to the start for a warm up.

On arrival I was quite surprised by the amount of people who turned up for the event. On second thought, I shouldn’t really be that surprised as spring has finally arrived and everyone is keen to get outside and ride their bikes again.

The 45km route was laid out mainly in and around the equestrian estates. This gave casual riders the opportunity to gaze around at the elegant horses and their neat training facilities while enjoying a leisurely bike ride.

If you were racing though, it was a completely different experience.

As soon as the gun went off riders were sprinting to be first into the single track. I can’t really remember when exactly that first piece ended because it felt like we were sprinting the whole way to the finish.

A Shorter course didn’t mean the racing was going to be easier, it only meant that you will be going at your limit for the entire course. With the winning time less than 2hours you don’t have to preserve energy for the final kilometres, which is vital in the longer races.

The course was fairly flat and very fast. It consisted mainly of district roads and single track. With mountain biking growing so rapidly in South Africa you can find loads of single track almost everywhere. In this case even in the middle of Johannesburg!

This time the line up for team Bizhub included myself, Liani Morkel and our Team Manager, John Robertson.

I felt good on the day and managed to finish the event in 1st place. It was my first race after the winter and I am happy to start my 2nd half of the season with a victory. Liani Morkel has been struggling with flu and therefore wasn’t able to perform to her full potential and had to settle for a brave 12th place.

This coming weekend the team will participate in the Nissan Down and Dirty in Pretoria.

Hope to see you there!

The Subaru Kalahari Challenge, 2day stage race.
This past weekend team bizhub travelled to Botswana to participate in the

6th edition of the Subaru Kalahari Challenge.
For most of us it was our first trip to Botswana and therefore we were
all looking forward to our adventure across the border.

Our team was invited by event organiser Seamus O’neil to be part of
the event this year. He also arranged for us to be hosted by a Botswana

family, Kim and Nevelle, the night prior to the event. They say the
only way to truly experience a country is through its people. Nevelle
and Kim didn’t just open their home for us but made us feel like
family from the moment we arrived there. To say we had a good evening is quite an understatement.
.
On Saturday the first stage started at Game City Centrum in
Gaborone and finished 98km South in the bush at Vulture’s Hill.

The next day’s 96km stage took as back home to Gaborone to finish off
the 2 day event at Gaborone Yacht club.
The flat course was quite rough and tough as the terrain in Botswana is very rocky and sandy (horizontal hills as they call it in the local language).


I also realized yet again that flat doesn’t mean it is going to be
easy. It only means that you will have to pedal nonstop to get anywhere.
I was amazed by all the single track they have in Botswana. On
both days the route consisted 90 % out of single and jeep track. I
am glad I didn’t have to mark the course as each single
track splits into 2 or 3 directions at least every 500m.

Our overnight stay in between stages was outstanding. Riders slept in army tents which came equipped with mattresses, 3 blankets for each rider, a pillow and a flash light. This meant there was no need to travel with sleeping bags or pillows.

We were also served delicious, traditional South African food
which consisted of ‘braaibrootjies', 'Kerrie en rys', 'worsbroodjies' and
'slap pap' just to name a few. (sorry but English words wouldn’t do justice here)
Bizhub had two teams riding in the event, a mixed team and a ladies team.
Nicci Grobler and I made up the ladies team. This was only our 2nd
time riding together but the two of us seem to bring out the best in each

other. This helped us to win both stages and also to take the
overall victory at the end.

The mixed team consisted of youngster Liani Morkel and Reinhardt
Basson. This event was Liani’s first stage race and therefore she was
mainly there to learn. At the end she and Reinhardt had a great ride
together and managed to finish 3rd on both stages, giving them 3rd
place overall at the end.

We couldn’t have asked for a better first experienced of Botswana.
What made this event truly special for us was the passion the event
organisers showed for their race and their warm hospitality.

Thanks again for making us part of this unique event.

ASG Walkerville MTB Classic, Sunday 17th July


The 12th edition of the Walkerville Classic was yet again hosted at
Lapeng Hotel and Conference centre in Walkerville, Gauteng.


This year’s event took off in much friendlier winter weather than last
year which was a big relief for all cyclists.


The 60km route consisted mainly of short steep climbs and fast single
track. The course was very rocky and at some places it became quite
tricky to ride over and downhill on a trail of lose rocks.


The week prior to the event I came down with a cold and on Saturday
(the day before the event) I thought I’ll be fine to race which was
unfortunately not the case.


From the beginning Teresa Ralph (Lynx) took the leading position with
Carla Rowley (Biogen) chasing in 2nd place, me in 3rd place and
Sanet Small (Team Ghost/DO IT NOW) in 4th place.


Our positions stayed unchanged throughout the race which meant all of
us crossed the finish line in the same position we start off with.

Final results:

1st Theresa Ralph
2nd Carla Rowley
3rd Yolandi du toit
4th Sanet Small


This coming weekend the team will be travelling to Botswana to take
part in the Subaru/Kalahari Challenge (2day stage race)


In the meantime I’ll be taking it really easy in order to be healthy
come this weekend.

Tour de Plett Cycling Festival
After the Knysna Oyster festival MTB and road races last weekend, team bizhub stayed on in Plettenberg Bay to take part in the inaugural Tour de Plett Cycling Festival.

Event Organiser, Danie Erasmus invited the team (bizhub) to participate in his
event and also provided us with lovely accommodation at his
guesthouse, O’Hannas in Plettenbergbay.
Most of the time I only see my teammates at races and therefore I
really enjoyed spending the week with them down in Plett and getting to know them better.

On Saturday we took part in the Tour de Plett mountain bike race which
took place just outside of town at Wittedrift.

All the rain from the previous weeks made the course quite muddy with
big water puddles turning the 75km route into even more of a challenge.
The route consisted of long rocky climbs and descents, beautiful jeep track in the Knysna/Plett forests and also spectacular
views as we cycled through the Buffalo Hills Game Reserve.
Candice Neethling (bizhub) used her strong cross country start and took the
lead from the off with me chasing in 2nd place. It was a lonely ride
for both of us as we didn’t see anyone in front or behind us
throughout the event. At the end Candice took the victory in the inaugural Tour de

Plett MTB with me in 2nd place and Heidi Koen in 3rd place overall. My
other two team mates also rode very well as Nicci Grobler managed to finish
4th in the 75km event despite being ill and Liani Morkel finished 2nd in the 50km event.

The following day the team took part in the Tour de Plett road race.
Despite our exertions at the MTB event the previous day, we all set out
to give our best and get another good result for team bizhub.
This time we had two pairs of fresh legs joining us in the form of Lindi Erasmus
and youngster Monique Gerber.

The 110km route took us out and back on the N2 in the direction of PE.
On our way back the route veered off into Nature’s Valley which eventually led us onto
Nature’s Valley pass. This made the route very scenic but also extremely
challenging. Anriette Schoeman (Nashua/
Toyota) used the pass to break away and win the race with Lindi Erasmus (bizhub) in 2nd place and Candice Neethling (bizhub) rounding of a fine week in 3rd place.

I truly enjoyed the hospitality and great organisation at the Tour de
Plett and would love to return again next year.
This is definitely an event to add to your race calendar for 2012!

Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster festival
The team travelled down to Knysna on Friday the 1st of July to
participate in the Knysna Oyster Festival.

The festival consists of various events which included a mountain bike
and road event on the Saturday and Sunday respectively.
Four bizhub girls (Nicci Grobler, Candice Neetling, Ischen Stopforth
and myself) lined up for the start of the 75km mountain bike event on
Saturday morning. We set off in
cold weather and drizzling rain which worsened as the kilometres
slowly ticked by.

Eszter Elderly (Team MTN/Qhubeka) took the leading position from the
beginning with Ischen Stopforth chasing in 2nd place, Candice Neetling
in 3rd place and myself in 4th place (all bizhub).
The 75km course consisted of long steady climbs followed by some short
steep climbs and slippery downhill single track all in the beautiful
Knysna forest.

The mud made the course extra challenging as it took longer to
complete the course and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who struggled
with chain suck which forced me to dismount several times and undo my chain.
The ladies race positions changed inside the last 15km as Candice managed

to pass Ischen to move into 2nd place and Hanlie Booyens (Team Jeep)
passed me to move into 4th place.
As Candice approached the finish line her tyre popped of her rim with
about 1km to go. She stopped to bomb it but realised that it wasn’t
possible as her tyre had a deep side wall cut. She then decided to
make a run for it.
Candice came across the finish line with her bike beside her instead
of being on it and still managed to finish in 2nd place.

The overall victory went to Ezter Elderlyi with Ischen Stopforth
rounding off the podium in 3rd.

The following day Team bizhub lined up for the
Knysna Oyster festival road race. Lindi Erasmus (bizhub) joined us for the

road race which meant that we had at least one pair of fresh legs for
the event.

Even though we all were very tired from the previous day’s effort we
weren’t going to give up easily and road as hard as our legs allowed
us to. Lindi managed to make the break going to the finish line and
finished in 5th position at the end.
This week the team is staying in Plettenbergbay to participate in the
Plett Challenge road and mountain bike events taking place this coming
weekend.

Nissan TrailSeeker #1,Hazeldean.

The Nissan Trailseeker Series is the biggest mountain bike series in
Gauteng consisting of five events.

Hazeldean was the first event in the series and took place in Pretoria East at
Tygervalley College.

On arrival at the event Saturday morning my cell phone’s weather
forecast read -1 degrees with a RealFeel of -5,Brrrrr!
The first big test on the day came when I had to get out of the car in
order to get ready for the event and I almost failed...

Fritz Pienaar and his Advendurance team put together another great event which
made enduring the cold weather definitely worthwhile.

The 70km route was mainly flat and consisted of single track,
hand-built trails, a few bridge crossings over small streams and open
farm roads. All of this was truly unexpected from an event held in the middle of Pretoria and thus made the race very interesting.

I was told beforehand that the route was very flat and would be fast. The wind
decided otherwise and blew at 25km/h. This made it very difficult as
we rode into a headwind for the majority of the race. The strong wind
and very low temperatures turned out to be deciding factors on the day.

The men and ladies all started together on the College’s sports
ground. From here we were immediately taken onto grassy jeep track.
This made it quite difficult to judge where competitors were in the
field as men and women fought for position.

Ezster Elderly (Team MTN/Quebeka) took the leading position from the start with Carla Rowley(Team Biogen) and myself chasing in 2nd and
3rd position. Carla and I were playing cat and mouse the entire race whilst also trying to hunt down the leader up front.

At one point in the race we missed a turn somewhere and ended up going
the wrong way. We quickly realised this, turned around and made our way back on to the route. Luckily we weren’t the only ones who missed
this particular turn which made the playing ground “fairly" equal
again.

For most of the race Ezster was in our (myself and Carla’s) sight but
we weren’t able to close the gap which she established at the
beginning of the race.

At the end victory in the Hazeldean event went to Ezster Elderly, with Carla
Rowly in 2nd place and myself in 3rd place.


Final Results:

1st Ezster Elderly
2nd Carla Rowley
3rd Yolandi du Toit
4th Ischen Stopforth
5th Ronel van Wyk
6th Nicci Grobler

Big Induna MTB Challenge

The Big Induna MTB challenge was held on the outskirts of Hazyview in
Mpumalanga on 11 June 2011.
I travelled down to the Lowveld on Friday and was welcomed by perfect
summer weather on arrival. As soon as we got settled into our
accommodation for the weekend, I got dressed and went for my pre-race
training ride. It was a great feeling to be on my bike again without
layers and layers of clothing.

As race day dawned it was another beautiful summer’s day (at least for
those of us living on the Highveld). The organisers of Induna again
outdid themselves with a spectacular event. I took part in the
challenging 78km marathon which consisted of hand cut trails snaking
through indigenous forest, short sharp climbs and a few tricky bridges
to keep things interesting.
We started at the Induna Adventure Centre with the race route taking
us on a loop of 45km to pass the start/finish line and then head onto
the last 38km loop. Candice Neethling (Team bizhub) showed her cross
country prowess and took the lead from the start.

On the first lap I was riding alongside Ezster Elderly(Team
MTN/Qhubeka) as we fought for 2nd position out on course. The race
positions stayed like this as we completed the first 45km loop through
the start/finish area.

Ester put in a hard effort on the following short sharp climb opening
a small gap on me. The climb was quickly followed by a tricky single
track alongside the river. Before the single track Ezster was still in
sight but on it, her skill made her vanish in the wink of an eye.


From there on I was on my own chasing the two leaders out in front. I
did manage to make contact with them again but unfortunately this was
after the finish line 
Candice managed to stay in the lead until the end to take the victory
at the Big Induna marathon, while Ezster Elderly followed home in 2nd
place and me in 3rd. I am happy to make the podium at such a great
event and am looking forward to the 2012 edition already.

Subaru Sani2C

Only ten days after Joberg2C I found myself standing on the start line of the prestigious Sani2C, once again ready to enjoy the famous routes created by ‘Farmer Glen’ and his team.

Yet again I was in Team DEVELOP kit, but this time around my partner was Nicci Grobler . She is fairly new to mountain biking and has only one year of riding under her belt. In keeping with our team’s name, it would all about experience for her and I was glad to fill the role of mentor. I am also a recent convert to mountain biking and knew how daunting the challenge could be.

I am sure most of you are familiar with the Sani2C event but for those who don’t know: it’s a 3 day Mountain bike tour which starts in Underberg and finishes in Scottburgh. In between the race has stage finishes at Mackenzie and Jolivet farms which allowed us plenty of opportunity to enjoy the local hospitality.

The 9 day Joberg2C race incorporated the Sani2C routes as its last 3 stages. Having ridden the Joberg2C less than 2 weeks ago, I was happy to have seen the changes made to the course. Or so I thought! Much to my surprise I discovered that yet again they managed to modify the route. Not only did the organisers add a new single track section here and there, but also 2 steel bridge crossings built with the help of local farmers.

I really enjoyed riding with Nicci. Not only is she a strong rider but also a very fast learner. It was rewarding to see her improve as the stages went by. We managed to get a 3rd place on stage 1 and an overall 4th place at the end of the race.

The race was won by the team’s sister outfit, Team bizhub, which consisted of Catherine Williamson and Candice Neethling. Team USN (Karien van Jaarsveld and Cherise Taylor) finished 2nd with Team Jeep (Hanlie Booyens and Michelle Lombardi) rounding out the podium.

Winter normally means ‘off season’ for cyclist but not in South Africa where we are blessed with fairly good weather. In the coming months I will be busy and have quite a few mountain bike races which I am really looking forward to. One thing that does differ for me from the summer to winter season is that I am also spending some more time in the gym now. I hope that by the time summer arrives, I won’t feel so intimidated by the locals in the gym anymore:).



Nicci after stage 2

Fairbairn Capital Old Mutual joBerg2c

Last year I had the opportunity to participate in the inaugural
running of this amazing event. This year I was facing up to the
challenge with a brand new partner and a ‘new’ sponsor.

Aurelie Halbwachs and I teamed up under the sponsorship of ‘Develop’
which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bidvest group – the same
group that owns Bizhub. Develop focus solely on enterprise development
and knowledge transfer within the Print, Copy, Fax and Scan arena.

Our 9 day adventure started in my home town, Heidelberg, on Friday the
29th of April. From here we cycled across the Free State, stopping
over in Frankfort, Reitz and Sterkfontein. These little towns get
very cold at night but the warm hospitality together with the
beautiful scenery more than made up for it. In Reitz for example
there were kids dressed up in various costumes dancing and supporting
us along to the finish throughout the last kilometre. What a treat!

We crossed the border into Kwazulu Natal on day 4 riding from
Sterkfontein to Winterton.
Day 4 consisted of more technical single track and lots of climbing
which made for spectacular views from atop the Southern (Drakens)Berg
Mountains. This stage was definitely one of my favourite stages.
Aurelie and I even managed a top 20 overall result at the stage
finish.
From Winterton we visited the ‘Berg’ area and stayed over at Kamberg
followed by Underberg. Here we could feel the cold air blowing in from
the mountains on arrival but warm jackets and sleeping bags were
sufficient to keep us warm. The tranquillity and beauty of these
surroundings were truly overwhelming.

From Underberg the race took as onto the same route which the 3 day
Subaru Sani2c stage event consist of. Most mountain bike riders are
familiar with the Sani2c routes, but this year the organisers truly
outdid themselves and added even more amazing single track and bridges
to the course.
This year we ended our journey yet again at the sea in Scottburgh.
This 910km stage race over 9 days is truly a massive challenge which
makes it very rewarding once you cross the finish line at the end.

It is special to be part of an event from its inception and experience
its growth with them. For me it was really impressive to witness the
improvements the organisers made with the route in only one year. This
year there was more single track, jeep track and smoother riding
sections than in the past - particularly on the first 3 stages.
The organisation was again top class, the big variety of food was
delicious (and never ending) and the scenic routes were breathtaking.

Thanks to all our sponsors for supporting us (Team Develop and Team
Bizhub) in our endeavours.
Also to my partner (Aurelie Halbwachs ), we rode together as one and
as a result managed to finish 2nd overall in the Elite Ladies
category.

Results:
1st Team Bizhub (Ischen Stopforth & Catherine Willliamson)
2nd Team Develop (Aurelie Albwachs& Yolandi du Toit)
3rd Team Axis house velocity sport (Caren Henschel &Heike Jakins)