The Columbia Thin Air Mountain Bike Challenge

It is always a privilege to be part of a new race on the calendar, especially when it is held in a beautiful tourist destination like Dullstroom.

The Dunkeld Country Estate, just outside of town was the venue for the inaugural Columbia Thin Air Mountain bike Challenge. Situated at over 2000 m above sea level, the high altitude was sure to be a factor during the race.

The only factor that didn’t play along was the weather. Two days of rain prior to the event forced race organisers to reroute some of the course which unfortunately meant the loss of some hand built single track.

Luckily on race day the rain stopped long enough for us to start and finish the 75km marathon without getting wet (from above). We started with a loop of Dunkeld Estate before heading onto open gravel roads. The kilometres literally flew by until we reached the biggest challenge of the day - a 10km long climb named Everest by the locals...I wonder why??

The fast rolling gravel roads from the beginning ensured bunch riding but ‘Everest’ quickly put a stop to this. The group I was in got steadily reduced on the climb until we were only 4 riders left to crest the climb together. From the summit it wasn’t all downhill to the finish as the undulating terrain made it tough to maintain good rhythm during the second half of the race.

The scenery more than made up for the suffering with some beautiful views of the countryside as we descended through the mist lining the top of the escarpment.

The final 10km stretch was a reality check with rocky jeep track and some technical sections demanding all our dwindling attention. I was very pleased to cross the finish line in 1^st place in just under 3hours.

Dunkeld Country Estate is an ideal mountain bike destination and having had the opportunity to stay and race my bike in such enchanted surroundings made my weekend an unforgettable one.

The Rocky Mountain Garden Route 300

Last Wednesday the team made its way down to Knysna for the 2^nd edition of the Rocky Mountain Garden Route 300.  The reason for coming down a day prior to the event was to do the team photo shoot on Thursday.  With the riders on the team being geographically spread across the country, it is not an easy task to get everyone together. As our full team (Nicci Grobler, Leana de Jager, Catherine Williamson and myself) was competing, it was the ideal opportunity for a team photo shoot.  (You are welcome to have a look at the pictures on the team’s Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/teambizhubcycling

With all the formalities completed it was time to start the race.

The Rocky Mountain Garden Route 300 takes place over 3 consecutive days and covers a total distance of 300km (hence the name).

Each stage starts and finishes at the Cruise Cafe situated next to the Knysna Lagoon with the beautiful Knysna Heads as a stunning backdrop. As the days went by and the calorie deficit grew, the focus shifted from the Knysna Heads to the delicious buffet meals Cruise Café had on offer.

The race routes were mostly laid out in and around the lush green Knysna forest and largely consisted of single and jeep track.  Some of the single track had logs placed across them to form steps, so I guess walking trails would be a more suitable description for some of the single track we negotiated. It is a peculiar feeling racing your bike on routes surrounded by thick forests allowing just enough sunlight through to not leave you wondering around in the dark.

Day 1 – 105km, 2100m ascent

Last year I rode the race with Catherine but for this year’s edition I teamed up with Leana de Jager.  I’ve ridden several stage races with Leana as team mate and we’ve always combined well making for some good memories. I was looking forward to another adventure alongside Leana and upon reflection it was indeed an adventure.

At first everything seemed to be perfect (the trails, the weather, the location etc) but the morning of stage 1, the entire team woke up feeling a bit under the weather. A stomach bug made its way into the race village and affected all of us in the bizhub camp. As the saying goes – we ride together, we die together...

Leana and Nicci were the first to get affected by the virus.  Despite feeling ill, Leana rode her heart out and pushed herself over barriers I’m sure she didn’t even know she had. At the end of day 1 we crossed the finish line in 4^th place in a time of 5h 40min.

Day 2 – 115km, 2300m ascent

Stage two was the ‘big’ stage of the race as it was the longest stage and included the most climbing.

Leana felt a bit better while I started to feel the ill effects of the virus. This levelled things out making us quite a fitting pair on the day. We kept focusing on maintaining a good race pace which would get us to the finish line as soon as possible without fading out on course.  After a long day we were happy to cross the line in 3^rd place in a time of 6h 02min.

Day 3 – 80km, 1700m ascent

We started the stage with high hopes of fighting for a podium spot. Sadly my hope vanished as soon as we were set off to start the final stage. Leana felt her old self again while I felt the exact opposite. I started feeling nauseas and “empty’ with nothing left to give. I was moving pretty fast that day, unfortunately just in the wrong direction (backwards). Leana and I assessed the situation and we both decided it would be best for me to not risk my health and rather stop before causing any permanent damage. I hate pulling out of a race but this time I honestly couldn’t see myself reaching the finish line in one piece. Very disappointingly that is how our tour ended- 20km into stage 3.

Despite the team having to endure some setbacks over the 3 days of racing, we still had a happy ending as Catherine and Nicci went on to win the final stage and finished 2nd overall for the weekend.

If all goes well we will be back next year to fight another battle and hopefully this time it will be the right one!

USN CUP SERIES

The 2nd round of the USN Cup series was hosted at The Big Red Barn on the outskirts of Pretoria.

The 50km race route consisted mainly out of single track; yes your eyes aren’t deceiving you - 50km of fun, fast, flowing single track in the middle of Midrand. This forced the race organiser to limit race entries to 1200 people to prevent bottlenecks from happening and ensuring everyone had a pleasant ride.

Overnight rain storms cleared in time for us to start under pristine summer skies. Unfortunately flash floods had caused some damage with wooden bridges being washed away during the night’s deluge.  Andrew Grobler and his team did a fantastic job of rerouting the course and the race still ran smoothly despite a few last minute detours.

A furious pace was set from the word ‘GO’ as riders were fighting for position going into the first stretch of single track. In the opening kilometres of the race I found myself battling for the lead alongside Cherise Stander. The two of us road together until I was forced to stop with a deflating rear tyre around 15km into the race. I inspected the tyre but couldn’t find a cause for the loss of air. I quickly ‘bombed’ the tyre (inflating it with a CO2 canister) and set off in hot pursuit of the leaders as I now found myself back in 3rd position.

It took quite an effort to make up time as the flattish route didn’t really lend itself to chasing. Just before the 20km mark I passed the lady in 2nd place and shortly afterwards I caught Cherise who had to deal with a flat tyre herself.

It wasn’t long before I felt my rear tyre going flat again. Now I had to gamble between stopping again and continuing with a slowly deflating tyre. Which would cost me the least amount of time?  In the final 10km I felt my tyre starting to fold over the rim through the corners and I had no other option but to stop and ‘bomb’ again.
Luckily none of my competitors passed me while I was inflating my wheel. This time it was just a brief stop and I quickly got going again. I gave everything I had left during the final kilometres as I couldn’t afford another stop and I had no idea how close the other ladies were to me.

In the end I managed to hold on to the lead and won the 2nd round of the USN Cup Series. I am very pleased with the victory as it is my first victory for this year and the first in team bizhub’s 2013 colours!

The USN Cup series is only in its 2nd year of existence and judging by the entries being sold out well in advance of each event, it just goes to show what a great job the VeloCourse team are doing. So make sure you enter well in advance as the USN Cup races are definitely not to be missed.

Cross Country Provincials series #1, Thaba Trails

I wasn’t quite sure, but I knew it had been a long time since my last cross country race. In fact, while reviewing my racing calendar I found that the last time I did a cross country race was back in 2010! Fast forward a few years and I found myself standing on the start line for the first event in the Provincial Cross Country Series, also named the The Burry Stander Memorial XCO.

Needless to say, I didn’t know what to expect from a cross country race, my competitors or my skills. The only thing I did know was that the event was held at Thaba Trails Bike Park in Alberton, which is part of my training ground, so how can one not support a local race... :)

On arriving at Thaba Trails Bike Park there was a palpable buzz in the air. The younger category riders were already out on course racing for the coveted top spots on the day.

Cross Country racing in itself is a lot more spectator friendly as riders do several laps. The laps are usually around 4 to 5km long and riders can be seen on every lap as they fly through the start/finish area before making their way onto the next lap. The supporters took full advantage of this and put up gazebos alongside the course to cheer on riders and hand up much needed sustenance to tired riders.

The Elite and Under 23 ladies set off together at 9am to do 5 laps of the 5km course. It was a flat out sprint on the 400m gravel road leading into the first single track, as riders were fighting for the lead position.

Amy MacDougall won this ‘sprint race’ and was first on course with Yolande Speedy right on her heels. I found myself lying in 5^th place and by the end of lap one I moved into 3^rd place, 45sec behind the 2 leaders.

The first half of the course consisted of steep, rocky single track ascents and descents. While the second half of the course was mainly on very flat slalom like single track. I managed to make up time on the first half of the course but the 2^nd half suited Amy and Yolande more than me. Evidently the snaking single track, being off camber and on loose gravel, is one area where I can still improve significantly.

Amy kept her lead for the entire race, winning the first leg of the provincial series with Yolande Speedy in 2^nd place, while I rounded out the podium in 3^rd place.

All in all I really enjoyed the cross country race. It was very different to what I am used to in Marathon racing. There seems to be some truth in the saying – a change is as good as a holiday.

Thanks to Wendell Bowl and his team for putting together a great course and spectacular event.  

MTN National MTB Series driven by Nissan, Barberton #1

Barberton is widely regarded as the start to the season and one can always be sure to see a strong field competing for the coveted top spots and series points at this event. As it is the first leg in the MTN National 

MTB Series everyone comes to test their form and see how their preparation has gone.

 I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the woman’s field that lined up at the start of the 75km marathon event.  Not only did the field include all the top names in woman’s mountain biking, but also a few top road cyclists who decided to try their hand at mountain biking.

The race route was tailor made for a climber. Basically you climb for the first third of the race, then for the 2^nd part you ride alongside the escarpment and for the final stretch you slowly start making your way down the mountain on very fast jeep track, traversing several water crossings before you finally reach the finish.

The weather also played its part with overnight rain making the course quite muddy in places. This also meant you had to be on your toes as any loss of concentration could result in a crash on the rutted course.

After the neutralized start things got a little bit hectic as we had to navigate our way through some muddy and technical jeep track. With all the girls knowing that position was important, it was quite a fight to stay amongst the leaders. I steadily moved up the field and by the start of the day’s main ascent I found myself climbing next to my teammate Leana de Jager.

At this stage we were riding in 6^th and 7^th position and because we were of similar strength we decided to stick together. It was nice to have Leana alongside me as we motivated each other to keep pushing right to the end.  

At the end Leana and I crossed the finish line together in 5^th and 6^th place. At first I was disappointed with my result but looking back I know where I can improve and I look forward to upcoming races.

 As always I enjoyed racing my bike in the hilly terrain of the Lowveld. The area has some stunning scenery and riding through the lush green forests and mountainous terrain always adds to the racing experience. 

Race results:

1^st           Candice Neethling

2^nd          Roben de Groot

3^rd           Ischen Stopforth

4^th           Catherine Williamson

5^th & 6^th Leana de Jager and Yolandi du Toit

7^th           Ariane Kleinhans

USN MTB CUP Series #1

Saturday saw the start of the USN CUP SERIES for 2013, with the inaugural race held at Stoke City Wakepark in Midrand. With rain starting to fall a day prior to the race and continuing through the night we were left to race on a very wet and muddy course. Who says you need a wakeboard to ski around Stoke City. Just bring your bike and come join in on the fun J

The only drawback was that my new bike, a Rocky Mountain Vertex, was barely a week old and we all know what mud can do to a bike...

My teammate Nicci Grobler joined me for the race, and under grey skies we set off to do two 30km laps of the 60km event.

The first 5km of the route was on jeep track followed by long sections of winding single track. Once exiting the single track we had another 5km left on jeep track before going onto our 2^nd and final lap.

In order to find out where my form is at the beginning of the season, I went pretty hard from the start. Halfway into the first lap it was only Nicci and myself out in front. Nicci and I started to work together in an attempt to establish as big a gap as possible on the rest of the chasing ladies field. The 2^nd lap took us a bit longer to complete than the first as the muddy track was churned up by all the preceding riders. We also encountered some traffic while catching the 30km riders and the back markers on the 60km race, but generally they were very considerate and would let us pass without too much hassle.

Nicci and I rode together from start to finish and crossed the line together to take 1^st and 2^nd place. I can’t think of a better start to the season for Team bizhub and for me racing alongside a good friend and teammate taking the top honours on the day.

Well done to the Velocourse Team for putting together a very well organised event with a great route despite the challenging weather conditions. 

Omnicane Southern Tropical Challenge

Last year was my introduction to this unique 4 day MTB stage race on the Island of Mauritius.  I was very pleased when Aurelie Halbwachs invited me again this year to team up with her for the 4^th edition of the Omnicane Southern Tropical Challenge.

Prologue, 5.75km/ +152m ascent

The event started with a 5.75km prologue at Domaine De Lagrave, situated in the middle of the Island. This region is very mountainous meaning we were in for some tough, hilly riding.

Aurelie and I had a good start and we pushed hard for the first 3km on flat jeep track through some plantations. Just before the first long hill, Aurelie fell hard as we descended a concrete downhill jeep track section. She went over the handlebar, landing hard on her back, bending her front wheel and flattening her front tyre in the process.

We managed to get her bike in a ride-able state and carried on riding to the finish. I could see Aurelie was in a lot of pain, but she bravely fought on and we were both very relieved to make it across the finish line. Despite the setback we still managed to take the red ladies leader’s jersey going into stage 1

 Stage 1, 65km/ 1100m Ascent

The stage start and finish was at Domaine De Lagrave as the circular route took us into the surrounding mountains of the Midlands district. We didn’t know how Aurelie’s back would feel after her crash the previous day and therefore decided to start easier and hopefully finish strong.  Our strategy worked out better than expected as we both felt great and finished in the top ten teams on the day and extending our lead in the ladies competition. I’m sure the fact that we both enjoyed the route and spectacular scenery contributed to our good result on the stage.

Stage 2, 75km/ 1600m Ascent

On day 3 we said good bye to our tented accommodation for the last 2 nights at Domaine De Lagrave as we headed towards our new camp site at Bois Cheri. This day proved to be the most challenging as it was the longest, the hilliest and the bumpiest of all stages.

Still, riding on a Tropical Island one can be sure to find some motivation along the way and mine flourished every time we dove into forested single track. The stage was by no means easy and I was exhausted as we crossed the finish line after 4h30min in the saddle.

Our new campsite soon revived my spirit as it was situated high in the mountains surrounded by tea plantations. Bois Cheri is very well known for their tea and we got to sample several flavours of the brew over afternoon tea and pancakes.

Stage 3, 51km/ 500m Ascent

 The last stage took us from the heights of Bois Cheri through a crocodile farm and along the coast to finish fittingly on the beach at Point d’Esny.

Although it sounds easy, experience has taught me there is no such thing as an easy stage. The route had two very difficult river crossings which required climbing down and out of very steep and rocky ravines.  Upon reaching the home stretch on the beach all the pain was forgotten as Aurelie and I managed to regain our title at the Southern Tropical Challenge.

As always I really enjoyed racing with Aurelie. She is a great team player and it can make all the difference to the enjoyment of a race and the result attained at the end.

Also, well done to Yannick Lincoln and his team for putting together a well organised event. It is great to see the race improving so much in all facets during the four years of its existence. 

Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge, 18^th November

Although the Momentum 94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge was my last goal for the season, racing for me has still not come to an end. 

A week after the Momentum 94.7 MTB event, I took part in the Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge as well. It is one of South Africa’s biggest road races with 26 000 competitors taking to the start. We started in Woodmead and cycled the 94.7km loop through the streets and highways of Johannesburg to finish at Waterfall Country Estate.

Our 4 man (woman) team consisted mainly of mountain bikers namely Nicci Grobler, Catherine Williamson, Leana de Jager and myself.

During the early stages of the race a steady pace was set up front as a few teams tried to establish an early break. With this plan not succeeding, teams started pushing the pace higher on the climbs consequently reducing the numbers in the leading group.  Just before we got onto the N14 highway Sharon Laws (Team 

Momentum Cycle Lab) who hails from England broke clear from the leading group and soloed all the way to the finish to take the victory on the day.

As soon as Sharon’s lead grew to over 4 min it became clear that the group won’t be able to real her back in and started racing for 2^nd place. The last 10km stretch back to Waterfall Country Estate included 3 long drags and here the final moves of the day were made reducing the field to a mere 14 riders which included my teammate Catherine Williamson and myself.

Catherine had a very classy ride and took the bunch sprint to finish 2^nd overall with Cherise Taylor in 3^rd place. 

Coronation Double Century, 24 Nov

Two days prior the start of the Coronation Double Century (CDC) I received a phone call from Isabel Moolman asking me to join their Mr Price team for the event. They say you regret more the things you don’t do than the things you do. Needless to say on Saturday morning I found myself standing on the start line of the CDC in Swellendam.

The CDC represents quite a unique racing format. Teams consisting of 12 riders are set of at 1 min intervals to complete the 200km course in the fastest time possible. 

The weather conditions on the day proved to be an even bigger challenge than the distance as we had to deal 

with rain and strong winds.

The 9 men in our team set a fast tempo on the front from start to finish while the 3 girls (Isabel  Moolman, Claire  Matthews and me) hanged on for dear life. The hanging on paid off at the end and we crossed the finish line in 3^rd place in the mix category.

The Mr Price team (support included) is a great group of people together and I really enjoyed spending time with them on and off the bike.

On Thursday I will be taking part in the Southern Tropical Challenge alongside a good friend, Aurelie Halbwachs. The event is a 4 day mountain bike stage race traversing the Island of Mauritius. I can’t think of a better place to end the season and start the holiday!

Momentum 94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge

The Momentum 94.7 Road and Mountain Bike Races mark the end of the South African racing season.  Being a final event on the calendar adds an interesting aspect to race tactics on the day as you don’t know what to expect from fellow competitors. Some riders might be long overdue for a break, while for others it might be their last opportunity to get a good result in order to secure a contract for 2013.

The Momentum 94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge was held at the impressive Waterfall Country Estate in Sunninghill, Gauteng. The increasing popularity of mountain biking has forced race organisers to offer two route options (30km and 55km), instead of the previous year’s one route option (45km). This meant the race could accommodate varying levels of skill and fitness making it much more doable. 

The 55km route included a total of 1069 m of ascent, making for quite a challenge as the route wound through the Leeukop Prison and on the trails surrounding Waterfall Estate.

My teammate Nicci and I took the lead early on in the race and worked together to open a gap to the other competitors. About 20km into the race, we reached a river crossing which was immediately followed by a long uphill drag. Once on top I noticed that the group Nicci and I were with before the river crossing was reduced to only me and one other rider.

We rode at a fast pace, steadily catching up to other riders who had started a bit too quick. This meant the group changed constantly as some riders got picked up and others got left behind. I ignored the changing group dynamics, and focused instead on my own riding until I crossed the finish line in a time of 2h:25min. Nicci was lying in 2^nd place for most of the race but unfortunately had a flat tyre which saw her moving out of the podium placings.

I am very happy to finish the mountain biking season on a high note by winning the Momentum 94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge. This coming weekend the team will be taking part in the Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge road race. My last time competing in a road race was at the Knysna Oyster Festival in July, 2011. Hope it’s not too late to start working on my bunch riding skills J

Nissan Trailseeker Series #5 Hakahana

Prior to the Nissan Trailseeker race, I had the privilege to form part of this year’s Continental Run2Stop.

It is a charity event whereby two teams “race” each other from PE to Johannesburg over a period of 8 days. Each 21-member team consisted of 2 runners, 3 cyclists, 2 drivers and some all-rounder support personnel. 

Apart from completing the allocated distances per day, the teams also went head-to-head in a series of challenges from start to finish, in aid of identified charities namely Stop Hunger Now and The Sports Trust.

We finished on Friday afternoon at 6pm and 12 hours later I was warming up for the Nissan Trailseeker Series # 5 Hakahana. The race was held at Hakahana farm east of Hartebeespoort dam just outside of Johannesburg.

The 70km event was set of at 7am in chilly conditions, which was quite strange for this time of year. Luckily the rapid pace set up front from the start served as a good warm up.

Yolande Speedy and I were trading the lead from the early stages of the race. She would gain an advantage on the technical single track sections and I would distance her on the climbs.

After a busy week at the Continental Run2Stop I could feel my concentration waning in the latter stages of the race. This caused me to make some silly mistakes on the technical, rocky, single track section, eventually crashing properly within the final 20km.  

Yolande didn’t make any mistakes and had a strong ride to win the race.

I collected myself, mentally and physically, to finish in one piece just behind Yolande with Michelle van der Merwe rounding out the podium in 3^rd place.

Once again the Trailseeker Series delivered a good race within easy travelling distance of Johannesburg making for a very popular event. 

The MTN Ride Crater Cruise

It feels like months ago when I took part in the Ride Crater Cruise, as I have been racing nonstop for the 8 days since then.

The Ride Crater Cruise was hosted by the charming little town of Parys which is situated on the banks of the Vaal River in the Free State. The event was one of my goal events for the year making my 2nd place result all the more satisfying.

Theresa Ralph and I managed to take the lead early on in the race. We stayed together for most of the way, sharing the work up front in order to stay clear from rest of the chasing ladies.

The renowned 106km corrugated route of the Crater Cruise started to take its toll towards the end and I dropped off the pace with less than 10km to go. Theresa won the race and I rolled over the line in 2nd place with Candice Neethling rounding out the podium in 3rd.

Unfortunately there was no time to rest after finishing the gruelling event as I had to hurry back home, clean my gear, pack my bags and get ready to take to the start of the Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek the following day.

The Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek

A week prior to the Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek (CPT) Dirk Oerlemans contacted bizhub team owner, John Robertson, in search of a partner for the event and that is how I ended up gaining entry into this event.

The CPT is a 7 day mountain bike stage race which traverses the beautiful Klein Karoo and parts of the Garden Route.
The event started with a 15km prologue in the afternoon at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge outside of Oudsthoorn.  This gave me just enough time to board the 6am flight from Johannesburg to George and then drive through to Oudtshoorn to take to the start line of the event. Considering all of this the prologue went well as it settled my travel weary legs and cemented the new partnership.

Stage one- 103km, 1720m 

The first stage took us from the Ostrich Capital of the world, Oudsthoorn, to the finishing venue in the world famous port producing town of Calitzdorp. Dirk and I surprised ourselves with a 4thplace finish (mixed team) after a tough day of racing.

Stage two- 85km, 2760

On day two we headed out of Calitzdorp towards the majestic Swartberg Mountain range to finish at the summit of Swartberg Pass. From there we cycled another 15km to our campsite in the beautiful Olive producing town of Prince Albert. Conditions at the summit were freezing and we were really happy to reach Prince Albert on completion of the ‘Queen Stage’. A few punctures along the way made an already tough day even harder.

Stage three – 109km, 1555m 

The third stage took us in a more southerly direction to experience one of the wonders of the Klein Karoo namely Meiringspoort. Riding through Meiringspoort surrounded by dramatic rock formations on our way to the stage finish in De Rust was truly breathtaking. Unfortunately with the rain coming down hard throughout the 2nd half of the race we couldn’t take in so much of the scenery as I am sure most of us wanted to.

Stage 4 – 64km, 1894 km

Day four was a short but beautiful ride with the route taking us through the Langkloof valley and over the intimidating Kammanassie Mountains to finish at Louvain Guest Farm. The final waterpoint was quit a highlight with the milk tart slices giving us just enough energy to reach Louvain.

Stage 5, 73km 1693m

Heavy overnight rainfall prior to the start on stage 5, forced organisers to cut out some of the single track for safety reasons thus shortening the stage by 15km. The shortened stage was just what the doctor ordered and everyone was smiling at the finish in George.  An extra hour of recovery can go a long way in a day packed full of ‘things to do’. 

Stage 6, 84km 1584

The last stage turned out to be the toughest. We left George in freezing rain, climbed Montagu Pass and slowly made our way to the finish in Oudsthoorn on mud soaked roads and farm tracks. It was a cold, wet and muddy day on the bike and I was very happy to get it over and done with.

It was 7 days of hard riding but very rewarding with beautiful scenery, great routes, great organization and good food.  I’ve seen a part of the country which I’ve never seen before and I am awestruck by the beauty of this region and the kindness of its people! 

If you ever consider doing a week long stage race in the country, The Bridge Cape Pioneer is definitely one of the best options available.

Isuzu 3 Towers Stage Race

The Isuzu 3 Towers stage race is a highlight on my racing calendar. The race has so much to offer that it makes it difficult to share everything in one race report. I guess there is just one solution; come and experience it for yourself....

The 3 day race covers a total distance of 208km and includes 4760m of ascending. It is held at Mankele Mountain Bike Park situated in the heart of Mpumulanga province. The stages start and finish at Mankele, with the route taking riders past a different Tower in the area every day, hence the name.

There is no better way to describe the riding at Mankele than the way race organisers Mark and Geoff describes it as “flippen amazing riding”.   Each day we would climb above the surrounding forest several times, providing breathtaking views as we rose above the tree line. Hard efforts were rewarded with proper technical mountain bike single track littered with rocks, tree roots and forest debris. 

Once you crossed the finish line there was still plenty to look forward to - A hot shower or cold swimming pool, good food (refueling isn't a problem, it’s over fuelingJ) and even a live band before dinner. Race briefings followed which included a short video of the day’s spectacular riding.  

This year I raced alongside team mate Nicci Grobler and the two of us had a great ride. Our strategy for every stage was to ride at a hard but manageable tempo from start to finish. This worked out well for us as we won all three stages and also the overall ladies category at the end.

Thank you so much to The Mankele Team for putting together a great event with a vibrant atmosphere. I am already looking forward to next year’s edition. 

The Sunday Tribune Jeep Hill2Hill

The Sunday Tribune Jeep Hill2Hill MTB Marathon started in Hilton, KZN and finished 105km later at Hillcrest sport grounds.

It started raining non-stop two days prior to the event so I knew we were in for a muddy ride on Sunday. Waking up on the morning of the event without the sound of rain drops falling on our cabin’s roof did a lot to lift my spirits.

It was still very cold at the 6am start when the ladies category was set off 5 min after the Elite men. I managed to take the lead into the first single track section and was surprised when I saw that I had opened a small gap to the rest of the field once through the opening single track. My surprise turned to dismay when I punctured 200m down the following jeep track (about 2km into the race). Upon inspection I found a porcupine quill was the culprit. Only in Africa....

At first I managed to plug the hole, but the tyre kept on deflating as too much sealant had already leaked and the gash wouldn’t seal properly. Luckily the plug lasted me long enough to get to the next spectator point.

Here I managed to borrow a proper hand-pump, put in a tube all while running around asking for extra bombs (as I finished all mine) just to help me get to the finish line. 

I felt really bad to ask people for their spares realising that they might need it themselves during the race. Thank you so much to the two spectators for lending me your hand-pump and the two riders who gave me a bomb and a tube. Without your help I wouldn’t have made it to Hillcrest!!

By the time I got going again I had lost over 40min to the woman’s race leaders and was only 18km into the event. From here on it was a lonely ride to the finish as I negotiated my way through a very muddy course.

While riding I realised how nice the Hill2Hill event actually is, no matter what the weather brings. The race organisers put together a fun yet challenging course adding a bit of single track each year. The route markings were also clear despite heavy rain showers throughout the 2 days prior to the event.

Luckily my teammates (Ischen Stopforth and Nicci Grobler) evaded any similar encounters with African wildlife (and their residue), and were representing the team at the front of the race.  They both had a sterling ride finishing together in 1^st and 2^nd place with Cherise Taylor rounding out the podium in 3^rd.

EQSTRA Spring Classic MTB

This year marked the 17th edition of the EQSTRA Spring Classic which was hosted at Avianto Clubhouse in Muldersdrift , Johannesburg.

The course was similar to cross country racing as it consisted of short steep ascents and descents and a lot of winding single track. I enjoyed the route with it's constant challenges as there was always another tricky corner or rocky climb to navigate making the 45km route fly by.

My team mate Nicci and I took the lead from the start with Janine King hot on our heels. Around 24km into the race we missed a turn somewhere and as we headed in the direction of the finish line we realized that we were going the wrong way. We made our way back to the race route only to see Janine King and 4 other riders had joined us on our slight detour as they also missed the turn.

Once back on the correct route, Nicci and I had to dig deep in an attempt to rid ourselves of Janine all over again.

Around halfway we managed to open up a substantial gap on her but unfortunately it wasn’t all plain sailing 

from there to the finish. 

Nicci took a tumble around one of the corners within the last 10km.  We quickly managed to get her chain and twisted handlebars back in the right position and were back on our bikes before Janine could catch us. Who says mountain biking is not a team sport :)

 After an eventful race, Nicci and I crossed the finish line together taking 1st and 2nd place on the day with Janine King rounding out the podium in 3^rd place.

Nissan Trailseeker Series, Down and Dirty

Arriving back in South Africa from the US only three days prior to the event, I didn’t know how my body would respond to the stress of racing after all the travelling and crossing of a couple of time zones. There was nothing else to do but give my best during the event and see how it goes.

The third leg of the Nissan Trailseeker Series was hosted at Cornwall Hill College in Irene, Pretoria on a warm and windy spring day (1st September).

The 70km route consisted of one big loop laid out on mainly flat dirt roads traversing private farmlands mixed with some grassy single track. Starting alongside the elite men meant a very high tempo from the beginning as riders were fighting for position heading into the first piece of single track - It felt as if I landed myself in a stampede of mountain bikers.

It was a relief going into the 2^nd quarter of the race as things started to settle down except for all the dust, the area haven’t received rain in a long time and eating dust is definitely not my favourite type of race food. I found myself alongside my team mate Nicci Grobler in 3^rd and 4^th position in the ladies field. With the route being very flat and fast it took on a similar fashion as a road race. We were riding along in a small group either taking turns up front or hanging on in the gutter (gutter – if the wind blows badly from one side and riders form a long line on the opposite side of the road thus providing no shelter from the wind . The strong wind was one of the big challenges on the day and with less than 10km to go one guy in the group I was riding in decided to sit up and this saw our lined out group split in two.

I got caught out behind and tried to ride back up to the group but the strong head wind proved to be too much. This left me riding by myself to the end to finish in 4^th place.

Final Results:

1^st           Cherise Taylor

2^nd          Theresa Ralph

3^rd           Nicci Grobler

4^th           Yolandi du Toit

5^th           Yolands Speedy

6^th           Amy Mcdougall

Fritz Pienaar together with his Advendurance team put on yet another well organized event. To find (and build) a 70km loop of dirt road and single track in a big city is really impressive!!