Columbia Grape Escape

After the Rocky Mountain Garden Route 300, I had three days of easy riding before standing on the start line for the 2nd edition of the Columbia Grape Escape.
Nicci Grobler and I teamed up for the 3 day event which was held in the Boland region of the Western Cape.

The first stage started at Durbanville race course in Durbanville and finished 74km later at the Boland Agriculture High School in Wellington.

The first section of the race went up a 10km long climb and with Nicci and I just coming out of a three day stage race, we decided to focus first on loosening our legs properly before racing too hard too soon.

On the climb Nicci and I found ourselves in 3rd position behind the pairing of Jennie Stennerhag & Nicola Walker in 2nd place and Hanlie Booyens & Jane Seggie in 1st place.

We steadily worked our way to the top of the climb and continued to gradually pick up the pace as the kilometres ticked by. I couldn’t believe it but my legs were actually feeling good despite having a few days racing in them.

Nicci and I managed to ride up to Jennie Stennerhag & Nicola Walker around half way and rid ourselves of them on a drag within 3km. We finished the stage feeling much better than we started and was happy to cross the line in 2nd place.
Stage 2 started where we finished the previous day and took us all the way to the end at Diemersfontein Wine Estate 69km later.

The first 45km of the event was fairly flat with the 1580m of climbing all happening in the last 25km. From the start we were lead onto a jeep track section and as we were quite a big group, everyone was fighting for position to go onto this section first. Here everything splintered into smaller groups and we found ourselves in a group which also contained Jennie & Nicola.

Hanlie and Jane managed to get themselves into the group just in front of us. Nicci and I tried to ride across but we were wasting too much energy in relation to the distance we were closing and therefore decided to rather stick with the pack until we reached the climbs.

As we reached the bottom of the first hill Nicci and I decided to lift the pace a bit and managed to rid ourselves from Nicola & Jennie. Once we saw that we were riding away from them we settled into a steady pace in an attempt to gain more time on our rivals.

What we didn’t realize was that we were starting to close the gap Hanlie & Jane had on us. Unfortunately the finish line came too soon and we ended 1min 20sec behind them in 2nd place.

The last 67km stage also started where we ended the previous stage and finished at Boschendal Wine Estate just outside Stellenbosch.

The event organisers definitely left the best for last as we were spoiled with loads of single track and breathtaking views. Unfortunately to be able to experience these beautiful views you had to ascend to the high vantage points, which made this stage the hardest day on the bike including 2058m of climbing.

Leaving the start line we immediately started ascending. Nicci and I climbed alongside Hanlie & Jane during the first part of the event. Only when we had to stop to fix Nicci’s flat tire did we lose contact with them. Luckily I had a lot of training in fixing flat tires at Rocky Mountain Garden Route 300  and we managed to get going again within 5min.

For the remainder of the stage Nicci and I didn’t see any of our rivals and crossed the line in 2nd place. Hanlie Booyens & Jane Seggie went on to take the overall victory at Columbia Grape Escape, with Nicci and I in 2nd place and Jennie Stennerhag and Nicola Walker in 3rd place.

With less than 24h of recovery I will be taking part in my next event, the Cape Argus Pick & Pay MTB Challenge. In between I will do my best to find a new pair of legs:).

Rocky Mountain Garden Route 300

The 3 day event covering a distance of 300km took place in the beautiful holiday destination of Knysna. It is not the only reason the town is well known for but also as one of the places which has spectacular mountain biking trails to offer and during the event it was just once again confirmed.

All the stages started and finished at the Waterfront in Knysna, which made the tour, accommodation wise, a bit more comfortable not having to move around at all over the 3 days.
I partnered up with Catherine Williamson for the event. The last time we raced together was at Wine2Whales in 2010. It was my first time taking part in this event and as I haven’t raced alongside Catherine for a long time I was looking forward to start the ‘unknown’ adventure.

Day one’s 100km started off at a blistering pace as everyone was full of adrenaline and eagerness to start racing. The first part of the race took us on a long steady climb. Here Cath and I managed to move into the lead as we gained time on the other woman’s teams.

Around 15km the whole front group including Cath and I went the wrong way. By the time we found our way back onto the race route we were quite far behind and had to work our way up to the front of the race again. The latter was much more challenging as you get stuck on the single track behind slower riders and have to wait for more open section to pass.

One quarter into the race Cath and I managed to regain or lead and continued pushing hard until the very end. We crossed the finish line in 1st place with our teammates Nicci Grobler & Leana de Jager in 2nd place and the international pairing of Cathy Crabbe and Nina Hind in 3rd place.

Stage 2 was the hardest of all three stages covering a distance of 115km and more than 2000m of climbing. The start was quite hard as we started at the bottom of a steep concrete climb. Half way up this climb the route forked and with no arrows pointing either way we, together with the front group went left down the hill instead of keeping right all the way to the top.

This meant we had to climb all the way back up to the top, finding ourselves around half way down the field and had to work our way to the front again.
While working our way back to the front we caught up with our teammates Leana and Nicci around 30km.

As it was a very long stage the four of us decided to stick together and help each other to reach the finish line. As the kilometres ticked by we eventually formed a type of survival group of around 10 riders and completed the stage together in a time of 5h42min.

The camaraderie during the stage was quite nice as everyone was going through the same pain and mental suffering. It’s a hard feeling when you’ve been on the bike for 4 hours already and you think you must have covered 90km by now and when you look down at your speedometer and it shows that you’ve only covered 60km. Then it start sinking in slowly that you still have 55km to go but you don’t want to believe it yet and rather want to blame your speedometer for reading wrong or being broken so you ask the rider next to you “how far do we still have to go?”. Then he or she gives you that smile of, I know how you feel and say it is still 55km to go...

On day 3 we had a neutralized start as we were lead out of Knysna on the main road to George.
Within the neutralized section Catherine punctured which forced us to stop and fix the rear flat wheel. We lost around 10min but our spirit was still high and therefore we road as hard as we could in attempt to join the front of the race again.

It wasn’t 10km later and we were stranded with another flat tyre. Luckily our team mechanic, Conrad Venter, was waiting for us within 1km at the water and service station. As it was Cath’s back wheel again she wanted me to ride ahead to let Conrad know what was happening.

When Cath made her way to the water and service point Conrad quickly helped her to fix the wheel. We lost more time but all we could do was to continue racing hard and make the best of the situation. Within 15km from the finish line it was my turn to get a flat tyre on the last rocky descent of the course. Although we had bad luck during the stage we also had some good luck as Conrad was waiting at the bottom of the descent at last servicing station.

Cath and I have used up all our tyres and bombs which we have carried with us and begging wasn’t an option as riders were passing me too fast on the descent. All I could do was to start running down with by bike to where Conrad was waiting while Cath went ahead to fetch a pump and tube in the meantime.
Eventually Cath and I made our way to the finish line but our 15min lead at the start of the stage ended in a 30min deficit.

Luckily our teammates Nicci Grobler and Leana de Jager were riding very well throughout the 3 days and kept the overall victory within the team with Cath and me finishing 2nd overall at the end.

Final Results:

1st Leana de Jager & Nicci Grobler
2nd Catherine Williamson & Yolandi du Toit
3rd Cathy Crabbe & Nina Hind

Vori-Berg MTB Challenge

On Saturday morning driving to the race start the weather didn’t look very promising. It was drizzling which meant a muddy and wet course awaited us.

On arrival at the race venue, situated on the North-Western outskirts of Pretoria, the weather was still the same. This dampened my spirit slightly but was soon overshadow by the warm welcome of the race organiser and the friendly atmosphere at the race. I am sure this was the reason why the weather decided to join in on the mood and cleared up just before we set of for the 60km race.

Waiting on the start line, more and more girls came to join me including top Multi-Sport Athlete Carla van Huyssteen. I haven’t raced against Carla for a long time and with her SA National Championships in two week’s time, I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy race.

The race started with two climbs mostly on single and jeep track. On this part I managed to open a slender lead on my rivals. On the flat section which followed around 15 km into the race a group of 5 riders formed behind me. At first I didn’t mind as I was mainly focusing on increasing my lead on the other girls. But a few kilometres on I saw Carla was also in the group. I decided to rather race a bit smarter and sat up to save some energy for when I really would need it.

With no one wanting to contribute to the pace we were joined by more and more riders as the kilometres ticked by. Around 35km the route went onto a slight drag and here I decided to try and do something. I managed to get away on my own and quickly settled into a steady pace.
The section that followed was mainly on single track and got quite tricky on the rocky descending parts. I was happy to be on my own as one can judge and prepare much better for what’s to come.

Within 2km from the finish line a marshal pointed me in the wrong direction. I only realized that I was on the wrong route when I came to a closed gate. I wasn’t the only one to be sent the wrong way, and soon I was joined by more lost riders. The farmer who’s property the race was going through luckily spotted us and directed us to the finish line.

Carla was also one of the riders who went the wrong way so we both didn’t know what the end result would be. Without anyone of the riders complaining or appealing the race organiser called us and said that I will keep my 1st place and Carla her 2nd place. I was amazed by the positive reaction of everyone involved. It is very rare that races can sort out these type of problems fairly and without fuss. Everyone involved should be commended for their positive attitude.

Despite the route being wet and a bit muddy at places, I had a good time. The course was great, the event very well organised and, like I mentioned before, the atmosphere around the race was quite exceptional.

Emperors Palace MTB Classic

Since my last diary, I've been spending long hours on the bike preparing for the 2012 racing season.

In the blink of an eye, the two months have passed since my last race (Southern Tropical Challenge) in December 2011.
Having done only base training up until now, I was quite apprehensive going into my first event (Emperors MTB Classic) of a new season.

The long slow miles of base training would give me the necessary fitness but racing requires an intensity which I have yet to build.
Luckily my teammate, Nicci Grobler, was also doing the event and seeing her at the start already calmed my nerves a little bit.
Nicci and I have done a few stage races together and know each other pretty well. This gave me the confidence that we would bring
the best out of each other while fending off our rivals.

As expected my legs struggled with the quick start. But soon Nicci and I settled into a steady rhythm, helping each other through
the challenging sections of the event. Nicci and I led the race from start to finish, slowing down slightly on the 2nd lap as we made our
way past the back markers on the 20km circuit.

We completed the 40km race in a quick 1h 45min and crossed the line together with Nicci taking 1st place and me in 2nd place.

I was really happy to start the season on such a positive note and looking forward to building on the success that
team bizhub – FCF have had to date in 2012.

Omnicane Southern Tropical Challenge, 24-27 November

My last race for the season took me to the Tropical Island of Mauritius to take part in the 3rd edition of the Omnicane Southern Tropical Challenge.

I was invited by Aurelie Halbwachs (who was also my Joberg2C partner this year) to team up with her for their biggest mountain biking stage race in Mauritius.

The event opened up with a 5.6km prologue. This was a good initiative as it helped settle the nerves and also decided the wearers of the various leaders jersey’s for
the official first stage the following day.There is no other way to ride a prologue than going ‘full gas’ from beginning to end. The burning legs and lungs were well worth it when Aurelie and I crossed the line in first place. This also meant we would be the wearers of the woman’s red leader’s jersey the following day.

The first Stage started and finished at our race village in Lagrave. The 65km rolling course consisted mainly out of jeep track through sugarcane plantations, a few tar sections, two rocky climbs and a short freshly cut single track leading back to the finish. In Mauritius there aren't a lot of woman doing mountain biking which always leaves Aurelie to compete against men. For this reason Aurelie wasn’t content with beating only the ladies in the race but also wanted to fight for a good placing overall. This time there was no ‘settling into a steady pace’ as Aurelie and myself goal shifted from winning the ladies to placing top 10 overall. At the end of the stage we surprised ourselves to finish in 9th overall and still held on to our red jerseys.

On stage 2 we left our camping ground at Lagrave to finish 80km later in Bel’Ombre, at the coast. The first 40km of the route went by quickly as it was mainly on flat dirt roads through sugarcane fields.The following 15km was laid out on fairly technical single track alongside the sea. The bit of ocean views I managed to glimpse while racing were stunning. I wished I could stop just to appreciate the surroundings for a change.

On this single track there was a section which dropped into a valley. I misjudged how steep it was, but having committed I had no choice but to try and ride the tricky section. Unfortunately I didn’t make it to the bottom and crashed quite hard. It was only afterwards that I realized why everyone dismounted and walked this section. The remaining 25km to the finish was hard for me as I was emotionally and physically bruised.

If it wasn’t for my good teammate, Aurelie, who encouraged me all the way, booked a massage for me afterwards and had the race doctor examine my injuries I doubt if I would have started the next day. It just proves again how important a thoughtful and unselfish teammate is.

The last stage was only 35km long, but don’t let the distance fool you! The whole route was laid out in a mountain range and consisted only of steep ascents and descents. As we left the start line and the route started tilting upwards I had a feeling that it was going to be a nice stage, and it was indeed. I enjoy climbing and even more so when the route provides breathtaking views upon reaching the summit. Aurelie and I completed the stage in just under 3 hours. It wasn’t as short as expected....

Aurelie and I held on to our red leader’s jersey throughout the tour, giving bizhub the final victory for the year!

I was happy to finish off my 2011 season on a high note. To celebrate it on a tropical island alongside a great friend -I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Lord of the Chain Rings, 17-19 November

Hogsback is a little village in the Eastern Cape which hosts the Lord of the Chain Rings MTB Stage race each November. From the Wine2Whales stage race in Cape Town we travelled via Knysna to reach the little hamlet of Hogsback on Wednesday afternoon. As we drove into the town, it felt like discovering a secret place. The village was situated in pristine forestry and had a mystical atmosphere hanging in the air.

The first day we woke up completely surrounded by a thick mist. The race started at 7:30am and upon leaving the start line the heavens opened up. This combined with the early hours mist, caused the trails to be wet, muddy and very slippery. The route was laid out on mostly single and jeep track winding through thick forests.

Caitlin and I decided to start at a fairly fast tempo in an attempt to gain time on our rivals before heading into the single track. This plan worked well for us as we established a good lead on the next ladies team early on. From half way we settled into a steady rhythm intent on maintaining our lead. Our strategy was successful and we managed to win the first stage.

Day two was the longest stage (78km) and also included climbing up to a high spot of 1800m above sea level. Although it was the hardest day, everyone was smiling as we woke up to a beautiful morning with clear skies.

Caitlin and I went into the stage with a buffer of 18min over our main rivals, Team Merrell (triathlete Andrea van Holt and Hilana Marais). Therefore we decided to start a bit easier than the previous day and ended up alongside Team Merrell in the early stages. We stayed together until the first big climb around 20km. The climb required a big effort and lots of concentration as it was very steep on a narrow loose rocky single track.

Here Caitlin and I managed to get away from team Merrell. With knowing we had a proper lead on them we didn’t need to push too hard and just kept our steady comfortable pace to the finish, gaining another few minutes over them by the stage finish. With the weather being more kind to us we were able to take in the beautiful surrounds of Hogsback. When the rain finally fell, it was only 5km from the finish which made it much more bearable.

Weather-wise, day three turned out to be the best with a great route to match. This gave us the opportunity to once again appreciate the beautiful views offered by Hogsback.

Over the last two days Caitlin and I established a lead of 33 min on our nearest rivals. This meant our main goal for stage 3 would be to make sure that team Merrell didn’t take any time back on us.

The final stage was surely a highlight for both of us as it was Caitlin’s last day racing her bike as a professional athlete and I was the fortunate one to share this with her. Next year she will be heading in a new direction and attending a flight school in George. She ‘ended’ her career in style with a third stage win and an overall victory in one of her favourite races.

The organisers put together a great, well organised event providing some of the best trails, lovely accommodation and amazing meals in a superb package. I really liked Hogsback with its enchanting forests and mystical feel and look forward to returning to this quaint village soon.

Contego Wine2Whales driven by Maserati

Wine2Whales is said to be the Sani2C for cyclists in the Cape region as it also provides thrilling single track and spectacular mountain views (Personally I think you can’t compare the two as they are each unique in its own way).

This was my 2nd time competing in event and this year they promised it to be even more enjoyable as they added extra single track to an already great route. To say that I was excited to experience the new route would be an understatement.

Early Friday morning I, together with my partner Caitlin de Wet, took to the start in Somerset West.
The first stage was 68km long and finished in Grabouw. Here we camped for two consecutive nights with stage two’s 63 km route being laid out in the surrounding area of Grabouw. On the 3rd day we would leave our camping ground to finish the last 80km stage in Onrus.

On day one Caitlin and I had a good ride together. We truly enjoyed the fun ascending and descending single track which even counted to our advantage towards the end. In the final kilometres Caitlin and I were narrowly in front of team Fair Cape Ladies Desiree Loubser and Marleen Loubser. Luckily the last pieces of the course were mainly single track and as Caitlin and I could ride them faster helping us to hold off the Fair Cape Ladies in order to take the 3rd spot.
Team Contego’s Mariske Strauss and Ariane Kleinhans finished a mere 13 seconds in front of us to take 2nd place. Ischen Stopforth and Catherine Williamson (bizhub) finished in
1st place.

Stage two consisted of 65 % single track. Again Caitlin and I had fun on the single track as our technical skills were fairly the same. At the end we finished in 4th place on the stage.

On the last day, stage three, gusting winds appeared around 3am. This saw tents being blown to a 45 degree angle. Nobody was able to sleep the night in fear of their tent’s being blown away. To make matters worse, at 5am it started pouring with rain. Unfortunately the rain didn’t want to ease up and caused the stage to be cancelled.
I was content the moment the stage was said to be cancelled as I was soaking went (and freezing) from running up and down loading bags, getting dressed, fetching bikes in the bike part etc.

But on having time to think about it I am truly sad there were no end to this great experience. I do hope to come back next year as there is still one stage left to be explored!

Nissan Trailseeker Marathon Series, Van Gaalen

The Gauteng based Nissan Trailseeker Series consists of 5 events with Van Gaalen being the final leg of the competition.

I really enjoy the Nissan Trailseeker races as they always offer more than just the race itself. All the race venues cater for the whole family by having restaurants, child entertainment areas, a bike wash bay, warm showers and much more. Nissan branded umbrellas are also put up providing shady viewing spots for spectators to see the riders coming in to finish. Van Gaalen Cheese Farm which hosted this particular event followed the same blueprint, but with the addition of the Magalies mountains as a spectacular backdrop.

Standing on the start line, I was happy to find out that I was leading the series with a few points over Samantha Saanders. In addition to doing my best at this particular event, I was also determined to hold on to the leader’s jersey.

The first few kilometres of the 70km route consisted of open jeep and single track. Here a small leading group of ladies formed consisting of Yolande Speedy (Team MTN Qhuebeka), Samantha Saanders (Valencia Cycles), Theresa Ralph, Karien Van Jaarsveld (Team USN) and me.

The single track led onto a steep, loose, rocky climb where Karien and I managed to distance the other girls. We crested the climb with a lead of a few seconds and from this point onwards the two of us ‘almost’ stayed together until the very end. On a few occasions I managed to drop Karien, but each time she regained contact whilst we were duelling amongst the men who had started with us.

The final part of the race contained some amazing single track on the Van Gaalen Farm itself. Upon exiting the single track I slipped and fell in the final corner, jamming my chain in the process. I jumped back on my bike, but Karien passed me as I dismounted again and franticly tried to dislodge the wedged chain. Unbeknown to me there was less than a kilometre remaining to the finish line and by the time I got going again Karien was in the final straight winning the race a mere 11 seconds in front of me.

I would have preferred the opportunity to sprint for the win, but had to settle for 2nd on the day. The good news was that my 2nd place on the day confirmed me as the winner of the Nissan Trailseeker series in 2011, adding another victory to team bizhub’s successful season! Samantha Saanders took the final spot on the podium with a fine 3rd place.

P.S. Van Gaalen Farm’s trails are exactly what race organizers said they would be – Awesome!

Nissan Trailseeker Diamond Rush, Cullinan

The 4th round of the Nissan Series was held in Cullinan, just outside of Pretoria.
The venue was quite unique as the start and finish line was placed in the main street of this little town, surrounded by quaint restaurants and coffee shops.

It was my 3rd time participating at Cullinan and every year the Advendurance team managed to add more exciting single track to an already great course.

The 70km route, which is inaccessible in normal circumstances, consisted of winding single, jeep track, and thrilling river crossings over wooden bridges.

As always the start was very fast thanks to the elite men who were fighting for position at the front of the race. Luckily I felt good on the day and managed to be amongst the front riders as we headed onto the first piece of single track. The single track was shortly followed by a short steep rocky climb.

This piece saw the group splintered into small groups. On reaching the top I looked back down the climb but couldn’t spot any of the other girls.

I realized that I was in the leading position and had to give everything to try and stay out in front.

I felt really good throughout the race and managed to maintain my lead to the very end. It was very rewarding to take the victory at the Nissan Trailseeker Cullinan for the 2nd time in a row.

I feel fortunate to be the winner of such a great event and shared the podium with Samantha Saanders (Valencia) in 2nd place and Karien Van Jaarsveld ( USN) in 3rd place.

My teammate Caitlin de Wet spent most of her season in Europe focusing on shorter distance cross country races.
Despite not having done any marathons for a while she managed to pull off a great result by finishing in 4th place overall and 3rd place in the senior ladies category.

Final Results:

1st Yolandi du Toit
2nd Samantha Saanders
3rd Karien van Jaarsveld
4th Caitlin de Wet
5th Ronel van Wyk

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)