Into Cycling - June 2018 by Into Cycling

INTO N E W S PA P E R ISSUE #19

June 2018

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DEVELOPING THE FUTURE OF SCHOOL CYCLING

Photo: Spur Schools Mountain Bike League Southern Cape #1 - Photo Credit: Charl Gerber Photography

The Spur Schools Mountain Bike League is about introducing more learners to bikes and encouraging South African schools to adopt mountain biking as an official sport by providing a level of regional and national structure for the sport at school level. With these simple aims the Spur Schools Mountain Bike League has built a strong cross-country racing format, with four events taking place in each province between May and September. The Spur Schools MTB League is also the country’s largest high school cycling programme and the main nursery for talent in the sport. Young mountain bikers are encouraged to saddle-up and come out in full force to represent their schools this season.

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NEWS

Progress of Commuter Cycling in Cape Town

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FIRST GRAND TOUR OF THE YEAR IS UPON US! The 2018 Giro d’Italia will be the 101st edition of the Giro d’Italia, one of cycling’s Grand Tour races. The Giro will start in Jerusalem on 4 May with a 9.7km individual time trial, followed by two stages in Israel. After a rest day, there will be 18 further stages in Italy to reach the finish in Rome on 27 May 2018. Louis Meintjes will be riding the Giro d’Italia in the colours of Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka for the first time in two years after leaving Team MTN - Qhubeka for Lampre-Merida in 2016. He has quickly settled back into his former team and is happy to be back. The Tour of the Alps five-stage race was Meintjes’ final preparation event ahead of his Giro d’Italia debut. Since making his Grand Tour debut in 2014, Meintjes has two 8th place finishes at the Tour de France and a top 10 at the 2015 Vuelta a España.

Photo: Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka - Photo Credit: Stiehl Photography The field will be tough at the Giro d’Italia, but the 26-year-old South African is hoping to improve on his Grand Another rider for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka, Ben O’Connor headed home Tour results. from the Tour of the Alps with the best young rider’s white jersey and bucket loads “I don’t think it’s worth any less than a top 10 at the Tour de France,” said of confidence as he also prepares for his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d’Italia.

Meintjes. “It’s still the Giro and it’s World Tour racing so you’d be happy with a top 10 but obviously we’re trying to improve on the 8th I’ve got at the Tour. A top five would be really great.”

Cape Town’s new bicycle mayor Lebogang Mokwena, 34 year old commuter cyclist is already a change maker in the cycle advocacy space. Although riding a bicycle was considered an essential in Lebogang’s parents’ generation to get to work, Lebogang never leaned to cycle when she was growing up. She tells the inspiring story of falling in love with the bicycle. She felt frustrated and embarrassed for not being able to cycle as an adult and made a commitment to ensure that other women, specifically in Cape Town, would have an opportunity to learn to cycle and to maximise the benefits it can brings to one’s life in a city.

cle. In 2016 she established her own programme and based on the success, she launched the Learn2Cycle programme in Cape Town in 2017, teaching adults how to ride bicycles.

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On 21 April 2018 Open Streets hosted their first Street Minds gathering for the year, during which Dr Njogu Morgan and Cape Town’s new bicycle mayor, Lebogang Mokwena shared their insight on how to support a more inclusive agenda and what it might take to make bicycles an everyday thing in Cape Town. Lebogang Mokwena captured the audience with her inspiring story of engaging with the bicycle as a tool for self-discovery. The group reflected on cycling as a fun activity that provides people of all ages to engage, social upliftment, safety, security, infrastructure, lack of an integrated system, congestion challenges, lack of bicycle parking facilities, and the need for individuals to advocate for safety.

After leaning to ride as an adult Lebogang went on to volunteer for Bike New York on their adult bicycling learning programme and since 2015, she has been involved in bicycle educational initiatives in New York City and Cape Town, mainly teaching adults how to cy-

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Nineteen months ago, Open Streets launched a new working group called Street Minds to create trans-disciplinary spaces in which people from all backgrounds and professions come together to reimagine and learn about street design. It began by Street Minds hosting meetings on a monthly basis to discuss various topics and transitioned to producing four or five events in the course of the year. Each event will centre around a specific theme such as Cycling Cultures, Township Economies, Accessibility of Urban Space, The Real Cost of Road Fatalities, and Transcending Street Design Legacies.

“We wish Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka the best of luck at the Giro!”

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Through her new role as Bicycle Mayor Lebogang hopes to make commuter cycling more accessible and inclusive, with a special focus on getting more women of colour on bicycles for both recreational and utility cycling and help improve their prospects for education and employment, and to boost their general happiness. Lebogang’s vision for cycling in Cape Town, resonates well with the core aims of The Bicycle Mayor Program. This global initiative by Dutch social enterprise‚ BYCS‚ aims to accelerate the progress of cycling in cities with the goal to see half of all city trips by bicycle by 2030! The Bicycle Mayor Program is being implemented with the assistance of The Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Pedal Power Association, Lebogang sees the value of the programme in showcasing the variety of cycling initiatives that are taking place in the city – fueling collaboration and dialogue between various cycling advocacy groups. In addition the program aims to broaden the global conversation on cycling futures and best practice. Lebogang also aims to run periodic Learn2Cycle classes at local municipal clinics as a way of introducing cycling to people suffering from lifestyle diseases like High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol, the successful treatment which can be managed with physical exercise.

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NEWS

The Darling Brew Extreme Returned For Its Fifth Year Running The much-anticipated mountain bike challenge, the Darling Brew Extreme (DBX), took place for its fifth consecutive year. The DBX have become one of the most anticipated single-day races in the Western Cape and is hosted in the quaint town of Darling by Africa’s first carbon neutral brewery, Darling Brew. The DBX18 mountain bike challenge, together with Retail Capital, offered four routes to choose from. Each route was named after one of Darling Brew’s quaffable brews and made use of a combination of single track, jeep track and farm roads in and around Darling. The routes ranged from the super endurance long course for experienced MTB enthusiasts, to the less challenging short ride for the family, novices and youngsters. The race started and finished at Darling Brew, where the Brewery offered riders and spectators a relaxed ambiance with family friendly surroundings, ample secure parking, locally brewed craft beer, entertainment and tasty eats. The race was won by HB Kruger and Katie Lennard in the respective men’s and women’s categories. Kruger an experienced mountain biker from the Cape Winelands and rider for ASG-Ellsworth, had an magnificent ride and finished the 70km route solo in a time of 3:13:38, 23 minutes before Andreas Studer with Cobus Swanepoel crossing the finish-line in third. Lennard won the women’s race in 3:40:55, with Lara Tennent second and Leorine de Wet taking third place. This year there was awesome prizes to be won and the Stone Jets entertained the crowds before and after the prize giving. DBX’s community project of choice for 2018 was DRESS, a recycling swap shop based close to the brewery and to their hearts. DBX donated bicycles for Darling youths to ‘buy’ with their recycling collections. DRESS was on site all day recycling guests valuable waste. Riders had the option to contribute further on entering and an amount of R5860.00 was raised. The dates for DBX19 is the weekend of the 25th and 26th of May, so be sure to mark that on your calender. For more information www.darlingbrew.co.za/dbx2018.html

ASG Group Acquires USA Mountain Bike Company, Ellsworth The ASG Group, which operates globally in the bike industry through offices in Italy, South Africa and the USA, have announced the acquisition of Californian mountain bike brand, Ellsworth. “ASG have been distributing Ellsworth mountain bikes in South Africa for a couple of years now”, said Heinrich Dannhauser, Group CEO of ASG. “From the outset, we’ve been impressed by the quality, craftsmanship and performance of Ellsworth products, especially with the latest models. The acquisition reflects our effective diversification strategy across the cycling industry and with the deal concluded, we will now concentrate our efforts on building upon the heritage that the Ellsworth brand has already built in the United States, South Africa and Europe.” Tony Ellsworth, founder of Ellsworth in 1991, will stay on with the company as Head of Design and will continue to fulfil his passion for designing the best bikes on the planet. Tony has been spearheading mountain bike design and MTB suspension technology for almost three decades. He lives and designs by his mantra that Ellsworth riders must go further, faster, with less fatigue. Alongside bikes, ASG will invest in the development of a range of Ellsworth lifestyle products and apparel to compliment this iconic brand. Mike Chapman will take over the reigns as CEO and brings with him a wealth of strategic leadership experience that will no doubt serve the business well.

Photo L-R: Heinrich Dannhauser (ASG Ceo), Tony Ellsworth (Founder & Designer), Claudio Fantin (ASG Marketing Strategist)

Ellsworth will operate from its new facility in San Diego, California as a subsidiary of ASG North America. ASG will also distribute other in-house brands through the USA from this location, including SCICON (a market leader in the manufacturing and distribution of bike bags).

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NEWS

PPA ACADEMY OFFERS 6 YOUNG

JUNIORS WELL ATTENDED

In the beginning of 2018 the Pedal Power Association (PPA) Academy, now in its second year of existance, offered the opportunity to six young road cyclists to experience cycle racing in Europe during 2018 and received an cash bursary from the PPA towards their expenses in this regard.

Round 3 of the SRAM WC XCO Series, in association with Tygerberg MTB Club series took to the mountains of the Slanghoek Valley nestled behind Goudini Spa recently.

RIDERS INTERNATIONAL RACING EXPERIENCE

Riders were selected based on their results in the following events during the period 4 February to 11 March 2018: Bouckaert-Soenen Funride (Paarl), SA Road & Time Trial Championships (Oudtshoorn), Ride for Sight (Gauteng), Herald Continental Cycle Tour (Port Elizabeth), Tour De PPA (Durbanville) and the Cape Town Cycle Tour (Cape Town). Points were allocated based on finish position per age group, as per the Racetec results for that event with a minimum of six starters in an event/age group in order for points to be allocated. The top two male and female riders on points in the Junior (u/19) and first year u/23 men and women were selected, as well as two wild card entries as determined by a panel of experts.

Photo: Ashleigh Parsons

AT SRAM WC XCO SERIES #3

The juniors accounted for most of the numbers with a vastly depleted Elite field. The likes of Sani2C and a few other high profile events had something to do with the subdued turnout. The Junior categories were well attended for what was essentially a leg tester for the final showdown on 3 June 2018, at the newly built Tygerberg MTB course at Bloemendal. The Slanghoek course is a favourite among the competitors starting off with a single lung-busting climb in the searing heat before diving into the forest to cool off for a few seconds. Negotiating the rocks and keeping up momentum through the forest section saves both legs and time leading into the second climb. The second climb is nicely kept under cover of the forest and keeps riders on their toes with wide switchbacks where it is possible to ‘send one up the inside’ if you have the legs and spare heart rate to attempt it.

Ashleigh Parsons, winner in the women u/19 and Charl Swanepoel, second in the mens U/19 category are both learners at Huguenot High School in Wellington and are both fortunate to be on their way to Europe.

Other PPA Academy winners include: Imtiyaaz van der Hoven (men u/19), Hennie Roux and Daniyal Matthews (men u/23) and Courtney Webb (women u/23). “Using these funds, we have decided to make Belgium our home for 6 weeks, alongside two other riders - one of which is Courtney Webb, This is my second time racing in Belgium and I’m excited to add The Belgium Youth Tour to the agenda. We are incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity that PPA has given us,” says Ashleigh Parsons.

SA NATIONAL JUNIOR

TRACK CYCLING CAMP TO BE HELD IN JULY The 2018 South African National Junior Track Cycling Camp will be held at the Bellville Velodrome from Tuesday, 3 to Sunday, 8 July 2018. The National Track Training Camp is available to all Under 17 riders (racing ages 15 and 16), and junior riders (racing ages 17 and 18), seeking to garner knowledge and improve on their performance. The training camp will also serve as Talent Identification purpose for possible National Team representation for the African Continental Track Cycling Championships in 2019 and 2020.

Photo Credit: Henk Neuhoff Photography

The descent from the second climb allowed for a quick gasp of air, but required concentration to overcome the raft of braking bumps on line. Not particularly difficult but it’s always an embarrassing surprise when you lose the front on standard issue 180-degree switchback. The flowing berms and spiral descent to the tech zone kept the crowds entertained, but with the addition of a few more jumps, the wow factor of this section could be upped even further. The final section included a new (for 2018) rocky descent. Apparently, there were multiple lines to choose from but damned if I saw anything other than straight down the middle. “It was an excellent test of skill, line choice and a bit of bravery. Organisers joked before the Sub Vets start that they weren’t sure the A-line was any faster due to the number of medical rescues they had to make. I don’t think there were any serious injuries, however. The last couple of hundred metres gradually ascended to the finish line and provided a testing sprint for those still in a dice for placings.” The final event will take place on 3 June at Bloemendal and doubles up as the Western Cape Champs - expect to see some good racing, along with packed fields as the new track is sure to test everyone.

DEVELOPING THE FUTURE

OF SCHOOL CYCLING

This is a comprehensive training camp, where both Sprint and Endurance disciplines will be addressed. All riders will be required to participate in every session, and the days will be long and challenging. During the middle of the training camp, and again at the end of the training camp, riders will be offered attempts at hitting the National Time Standards. These Time Standards have been set as qualification purposes for junior riders wanting to make the National Team for Junior World Championships. Currently only Courtney Smith and Rickardo Broxham have qualified to represent South Africa and attend the Junior World Track Cycling Championships to be held in Aigle, Switzerland from 15-19 August 2018. So there is still time to add riders to the roster, should they qualify. The camp is being organised and coached by Junior High Performance Track Cycling Manager, Kurt Begemann. For more information contact Kurt Begemann on 061 488 8049 or Email: begemann.racing@gmail.com

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Record attendance at Spur Schools Mountain Bike League Southern Cape #1 On Saturday, 19 May 2018 Spur school mountain biking enthusiasts from the Southern Cape came out in full force representing their schools in the first round of the Spur Schools Mountain Bike League Southern Cape that took place at Klipheuwel Trail Park, Klein Brak River. The first round recorded the largest attended race of the series in the Southern Cape Region to date, with about 200 participants from 16 schools in the region where all age groups were allocated a number of laps to complete. After seven laps on the course, Hoërskool Outeniqua’s Tristan Nortje won the junior men’s race ahead of McKinley Reid’s, Ian Burger in second and Casper Pretorius from Shalom Akademie in third. In the junior women’s race York High’s Kirstin Roelofse took first place ahead of Hoërskool Outeniqua’s Mia Bester, with Jess Devine from Oakhill High School’s rounding off the podium in third position after 5 laps. Oakhill High School’s Julian Bunge and Hoërskool Outeniqua’s Sorina Venter won the youth boys and youth girls youth races respectively. The second round in the Southern Cape will take place at Saarsveld in George on 28 July 2018. Western Cape MTB buffs gear up for the Spur Schools MTB League Schools in the Western Cape Spur Schools Mountain Bike League will line-up on 9 June 2018 for the first event of the season at Southey Vines Cycle Park in Somerset West. Young mountain bikers are encouraged to saddle-up and come out in full force to represent their schools this season. As the second biggest region in the League, the Western Cape is expected to see yet another healthy spike in participation numbers this year.

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MTB

Ride A Piece Of History At Karoo To Coast The 100km off-road route of the Buco Lion’s Karoo to Coast from Uniondale to Knysna takes in the R339 which features the iconic Prince Alfred’s Pass. And what a pass it is. Many have called this Thomas Bain’s greatest work. A big call for someone as pioneering and prolific as that. Bain was responsible for the planning and construction of more than 900km of roadways in South Africa. Thomas and his father, Andrew Geddes Bain, were commissioned to build the Pass and work started in 1860. Bain tackled the forested valleys and steep slopes and – with his crew of convict labourers – cut and dry-walled for four years to link the Klein Karoo with the coast. According to the Knysna Historic Society, the pass was opened to light traffic during 1866. When Prince Alfred visited in September 1867 it was re-named and then the pass was officially opened on 29 September 1868. Most of the original pass that ox wagons used to cross the mountains is where you now roll your knobbly tyres. When you’re suffering up some of the climbs and bombing the tight switch-backed descents, take a minute or three to appreciate: The pass traverses four different biomes on its route from Klein Karoo plains to the coast. A section of the pass also bisects the Middle Keurbooms Conservancy - a 30 000 hectare conservation and eco-tourism hot spot.

Photo: Buco Lions Karoo to Coast Mountain Bike Challenge - Photo Credit: Ewald Sadie

At 68,5km it is officially the second longest mountain pass in South Africa (behind the 73,3km Baviaans-Kouga 4x4 route). However that pass is not accessible to sedan vehicles, making it technically the longest pass in South Africa. It also holds the distinction as the second oldest unaltered pass still in use. It is the only pass in South Africa where people live along side the road and trade in the pass. This pass is one of the finest examples of Bain’s unique dry-walling method to support roads on mountain faces.

Team dormakaba Welcomes Amy McDougall Following a successful Cape Epic where she won the Hannele Steyn Trophy for the first African Women’s team with Candice Lill, Amy McDougall has joined Team dormakaba. Her first ‘official’ race in team colours was the recent JoBerg2c race where she won the overall mixed title with teammate Arno du Toit. “Racing with Candice and the rest of the team at the Epic was great. I was already friends with her and Samantha (Sanders) who was my Valencia teammate for the four years I was there. Everybody was really welcoming. Sam, the mechanic, and Liesle, the team manager and massage therapist, were lovely and made it so easy to integrate into the team. The Epic provided the perfect foundation for Shaun (Frayne) to approach me to join the team on a full-time basis,” says Amy.

He had his crew break large rocks up by means of fire and cold water. Then stacked the triangular pieces at an inward tilting angle of 15 degrees and then backfilled from the top. Keen to experience this iconic piece of history from your bike without any other cars on the pass? Enter the Buco Lions Karoo to Coast Mountain Bike Challenge taking place on 23 September 2018. For more information visit www.karootocoast.com

WC SA Schools Coaching Course A very successful second SA Schools Coaching Course was held on the 19-20 May 2018 at Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch. The Western Cape Schools had a great representation of different Schools from different areas attending. The course presented by Erica Groenewald from Daisyway Coaching Systems, in collaboration with Training Point kept the teachers and parent representatives captivated and valuable knowledge and practical experience were shared amongst the team.

Amy says she and Samantha will be focusing on stage racing for Team dormakaba this season. “And, where the calendar permits, I will also be fitting in some XCO (cross-country) races and potentially some overseas trips. The team has such a wonderful energy that it really inspires all of us to do well. Shaun gets super excited about our racing which motivates and rubs off on us. He goes the extra mile to make sure we are comfortable and looked after properly. And then there is the team colours and branding that really stand out and make a statement.”

Photo L-R: Amy McDougall and Samantha Sanders winning the sani2c title Photo Credit: Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media

Aside from good results and promoting the dormakaba brand, Amy believes her personality, passion, and energy will add value. “We are really excited that Amy has joined the team and wish her many happy kilometres racing with us. She brings so much and has already proven to be a valuable asset not only in racing but the overall team structure as well,” says Shaun Frayne, MD of dormakaba South Africa.

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On day one attendees learned more about the duties of a School coach, skills coaches need to demonstrate as well as conflict management. The importance of Long Term Participation Development (LTPD) and critical periods of development as well as early developers vs. nurturing late developers was emphasized. The importance of coaching girls, one of the focus points of the Western Cape Schools Cycling this year was discussed as well as basics of sport nutrition .This was followed by a practical explanation session on the sport field where teachers and parent representatives were taught how to conduct a skills training session. On day two the attendees touched on training zones, performance models and setting up a programme. This was followed by a written test and each participant had to present a group skills session plan of choice. Before the attendees can be accredited as South African Schools Cycling Coaches, they need to hand in a practical task before 23 July 2018. Annelize Ziehl-Owens, Chairlady of the Western Cape Schools Cycling thanked SPUR Schools MTB League for their contribution to bring cycling to more schools and creating opportunities, Erica Groenewald for her contribution to cycling on a national as well as international level, Ben Puddu, Vice-Chair, for hosting the course as well as the teachers and parent representatives for their participation, passion and changing learners’ lives in the process. “The Western Cape Schools can look forward to a Primary Inter-Schools SKILLS Competition roll-out in future as well as development programme under less privileged communities. On behalf of the Western Cape Schools committee we wish all the School riders best of luck with the first SPUR Schools League on the 9th of June 2018,” - Annelize Ziehl-Owens.

KNYSNA

DISCOVER THE WONDERS OF THE GARDEN ROUTE This year’s hugely popular Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival will take place between 29 June and 8 July 2018, again providing an ideal choice for a winter break for the whole family. Following the devastating fires in the town last year, the regrowth of the region has been phenomenal, and visitors to the picturesque Garden Route area will have no shortage of activities from which to choose, with more than 100 activities arranged over the 10-day period. The premium sport-and-lifestyle festival has become an institution on South Africa’s winter calendar and really does offer something for everyone: sports enthusiasts can sign up for the country’s top cycling and road-running events; families need look no further for fun-filled quality holidays; adventurers will be overwhelmed by the area’s spectacular natural scenery and thrilling adventure options, and of course for those looking to indulge in world-famous Knysna oysters with a glass or two of bubbly, the festival is a veritable paradise! As always, visitors can look forward to delicious food and drink, with local restaurants offering themed menus for the duration of the festival. Also on offer will be a variety of concerts, comedy, fashion shows and more, an adventure-filled programme tailor-made to keep the little ones busy along with the Momentum Health Kiddies Area which will be open to keep the little ones entertained. This year’s sporting events include mountain bike events on Saturday 30 June, with 80km, 50km, 30km, and 15km routes, in addition to the newer 30km E-bike race.

The Momentum Knysna Cycle Tour will take place on Sunday 1 July; and offers a 115km and 50km route. In an exciting development this year, the Momentum Knysna Cycle Tour has confirmed that the 115km road race, along with the 80km and 50km mountain bike races will be seeding qualifying events for the 2019 Cape Town Cycle Tour. So plan a winter holiday and discover the wonders of the Garden Route - enjoy walks in the indigenous Knysna Forest and view the famous Knysna Heads.

E-BIKE EVENT RETURNS AFTER SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH LAST YEAR! Last year the Momentum Knysna Cycle Tour introduced a 30km electric bike route, the first e-bike event in the country! The event was a great success and will be part of this year’s programme once more. The Knysna Cycle Tour defines an e-bike as follows: “An electric bicycle, also known as an e-bike or booster bike, is a (MTB) bicycle with an integrated electric motor which can be used for propulsion and must be combined with the ability to be pedalled by the rider.” Only e-bikes that are mountain bikes may enter the e-bike 30km category – tyres must be knobbly mountain bike tyres. No recharging or battery replacement may take place during the event. No electric road bicycles, scooters, skateboards, or motor bikes may enter this event. E-bike riders will have the opportunity to ride the Knysna Cycle Tour MTB event, a bucket list event for cyclists worldwide because of the beautiful and challenging routes, which are set up and managed for us every year by Leon Evans (Dr Evil), and include access to sections of privately owned property that are normally closed to the public. You will ride through sections of the Knysna Forest and scenic farmland areas, and be exposed to the beauty of the natural fauna and flora of the exquisite Garden Route, while testing your skills to the maximum.

ENTRIES OPEN FOR MOMENTUM BIG5 CHALLENGE The ultimate multisport challenge is back for its 9th edition and takes place at the Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival between 29 June and 7 July 2018 with Financial Wellness company Momentum as the Title Sponsor of the BIG5 Challenge 2018, where athletes can choose between the Momentum BIG5 and Momentum BIG5Lite. The Momentum BIG5 Challenge has established itself as one of the most sought-after events for elite athletes and serious enthusiasts looking to push themselves to the limit. As an extreme test of endurance, skill and stamina the BIG5 Challenge events give hard-core athletes the chance to enjoy five full-on sports events over the 10 days of the festival. Completing entrants will have covered more than 150km’s in running, swimming and cycling disciplines. Ranked by their cumulative time, the athlete who completes all five events in the least amount of time will be the winner.

Momentum BIG5 include: Knysna Cycle Tour MTB, Knysna Lagoon Mile Swim, Featherbed Trail Run, MTB Cyclo-Cross, and Forest Marathon Running. Momentum BIG5Lite include: Knysna Cycle Tour MTB, Knysna Cycle Tour Road or Harbour2Heads Lagoon Challenge (Paddling), Knysna Lagoon Mile Swim, Featherbed Trail Run, MTB Cyclo-Cross and Knysna Forest Marathon. “By adding the BIG5 Challenge to our sponsored events we hope to add more excitement and energy to the festival. The beautiful scenery, challenging routes and well-organised events are a definite drawcard, bringing sports enthusiasts to the Festival. Momentum as a Financial Wellness company is very happy to support healthy, active lifestyles and supporting these events re-affirms that commitment. The BIG5 Challenge is next level commitment. These athletes know the level of endurance, fitness and mental toughness needed and will have been training to the max to be ready for serious competition.

The BIG5 and BIG5Lite participants will start and finish with the Momentum Knysna Cycle Tour MTB and the Momentum Knysna Forest Marathon’s half marathon respectively, and complete additional events that take place during the week between the two events. Each event comprises five challenging events, with BIG5Lite offering event options. The information below illustrates the makeup of each event:

We wish all the BIG5 Challenge competitors strength and resilience and the best for their five events,” says Carel Bosman, head of Momentum Sponsorships. The inclusion of the Momentum BIG5 Challenge in the Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival calendar makes the Festival the ideal “10 days of winter” destination for adventure seekers, serious athletes and families looking for a diverse range of holiday activities. For more information visit www.big5sportchallenge.com

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SWELLENDAM

HISTORICAL TOWN HOSTING MTB EVENTS

Surrounded by the Langeberg mountain range and rolling wheat lands of the Overberg, Swellendam is the ideal location for cycling events, situated on the N2, approximately 220 kilometres from Cape Town and George.

Swellendam is the third oldest town in South Africa and offers more than 50 provincial heritage sites and easy access to the local Berry Farm, Fairy Sanctuary, Drosty Museum, Marloth Nature Reserve and the Bontebok National Park established in 1931. Today, sustainable numbers of the formerly endangered bontebok inhabit the area alongside Cape Mountain Zebra, bushbuck, Grey Rhebuck, Cape Grysbok, baboon, mongoose, genet, and the occasional leopard. Over 200 bird species are found near the town and the area, which forms part of the Cape Floral Kingdom. Swellendam boasts with many mountain bike trails including trails in the Marloth Nature Reserve, Bontebok Park, Grootvadersbosch Conservancy, Suurbraak Trails as well as trails in the canola fields, countryside and Explore Swellendam. Surrounded by the Langeberg mountain range and rolling wheat lands of the Overberg, Swellendam is the ideal location for the Coronation Double Century, South Africa’s premier endurance road cycling event taking place every year in

Around the Pot Overberg 100 Miler - 21 July The Around the Pot Overberg 100 Miler event was started as a dream while some Swellendam local cyclists were out on their normal Saturday cycling routines and only become a reality in 2017.

November. Last year saw the start of two mountain bike events, Around the Pot 100 Miler, a one day mountain bike event, as well as the Langeberg Link MTB, a 3-day event. This is the only event in the world that we know of where cyclist cross a majestic river on a ferry. Riders will depart from Swellendam and will experience 160km gravel road racing towards the Potberg mountain. They will then cross the Malgas ferry in a 45min neutral zone before riding the last 60km back towards Swellendam. There will also be a shorter 98km ride also crossing the ferry, and a 40km fun ride through Bontebok National park. This creates an opportunity not only for mountain bike riders, but also for Cyclocross bikes which is now starting to become a new trend in the cycling world. Riders will experience a superbly well-organized event with some great goodie bags, well stocked water points and stunning on route scenery. Every rider will receive a Roosterkoek at the Malgas ferry and a finisher Hamburger with all food prepared by the local small Buffeljagsrivier primary school. The start and finish venue for this event will be at the Swellendam showgrounds.

The idea was to create a winter tourism influx into the town of Swellendam while making use of the beauty of the yellow canola fields. The yellow of these fields creates a unique opportunity for cyclist to experience the beauty of the region in full bloom combined with the crossing of the only hand driven ferry in South Africa at Malgas makes this a very special event.

LANGEBERG LINK MTB

With an expected rider count of 500 – 600 riders in 2018 with only 5% being local riders, the expected tourist visiting the town on the weekend of 21 July 2018 can be around 2000 people. Also to create opportunities for the whole community to benefit from this event and to create sustainable jobs for the unemployed. Event organizers have also started a mutually beneficial relationship with charities like Railton Foundation to create opportunities to previously disadvantaged people and the Foundation contributes enormously to make this a safe and flowing event to all riders. The aim for this event in future would be to bring 2000 riders to Swellendam and create massive winter tourism influx into the region, not only from all over South Africa, but also to attract international riders. For more information visit www.petrichoradventures.co.za

Langeberg Link MTB 22 - 24 September The Heritage Weekend in 2017 saw the inauguration of the 3-Day Langeberg Link MTB event near the Overberg town of Swellendam, taking place mostly on private land, not open to the public. Building on the success of the first event, Langeberg Link MTB will once again take place over the Heritage long weekend from 22-24 September 2018 and will be based at Oudewerf Farm, Kliphoogte, east from the Swellendam N2/R60 intersection.

WHEN 22-23-24 SEPTEMBER 2018

WHERE Oudewerf Farm On R60 And Just Outside The Historic Town Swellendam

COST All 3 days – R1 200 per cyclist and R450 single stages/day Timing by Great-Time

ENTRIES www.entrytime.co.za +27 74 457 6777 2018

info@langeberglinkmtb.com www. langeberglinkmtb.com

PAGE 8

Set in the most beautiful farming landscape, with cycling routes through canola fields, in, up, and through the Langeberg mountains overlooking the Overberg as far as the eye can see, with Bonnievale in the west, and Swellendam in the east. The Langeberg Link MTB route has never before been cycled on by any race before 2017, and will once again take place on the same route, situated mostly on private land, not open to the public – thus ensuring the uniqueness of the event. The track, where access is limited, is purposely designed that cyclists can enjoy the overwhelming beauty of fauna and flora in the area and experience some breathtaking views of waterfalls. The race is open to all mountain bike enthusiasts. Riders can choose between a long route, or a short route. The event also offers Solo and Team entries in all three days, or single days. A reason for having a 3-day MTB event in the area was to identify and establish an event that will benefit and involve the local community, whilst also ensuring the longevity and sustainability of such a mountain bike race. This year, the finish-line for all three days will be inside the large barn. This will enable riders to feel part of the hospitality of the local people, who will be on hand to provide refreshments to tired riders. For more information contact 074 457 6777 or visit www.langeberglinkmtb.com

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GENERAL

TOUR DE BRAAI RIDES WITH SPECIALIZED

South Africa’s leading gravel bike tour and event, The Tour de Braai, brainchild of Jan Braai took place from 6 - 12 May 2018 and saw cyclists riding on a weeklong tour from George to Swellendam via gravel and district roads, over beautiful mountain passes and through the idyllic Klein Karoo towns of Oudtshoorn, Calitzdorp, and Riversdale. Fine wine, dining and an unrivalled ride experience are the hallmarks of the Tour de Braai, with the fun and relaxation the main aim of the riding. It’s the ultimate cycling holiday. This year Specialized joined the Tour de Braai as the official bicycle and technical sponsor and the participants of the Tour de Braai had the option of test riding a Specialized Diverge gravel bike at the event should they wish to do so. A mechanic also looked after participants along the route, as well as provided evening bike services. Jan rode the new Specialized Diverge, a bike perfect for the occasion. With the Tour de Braai solely aimed at people who ride for fun and love the experience of riding, we can say all participants of the event are world champions at having fun on a bicycle. That is why we chose the Diverge; it’s a purpose built bike for fun riding on gravel roads,” says Braai.

With the gravel bike market growing in South Africa, Specialized views the Tour de Braai as the ideal way to showcase their range of Diverge gravel bikes, and to allow riders to test them in a fun and friendly environment. Jan Braai distributes Qhubeka Bicycles in Calitzdorp On 9 May, 60 Qhubeka Bicycles were distributed to learners at Calitzdorp High School. The bicycle distribution was a combined effort between Jan Braai, Investec Asset Management and the Qhubeka Charity. The high school learners were among the first in South Africa to receive the brand new South African-built “Qhubeka Bicycle”. The bicycles will help the children get to and from school, allowing them also to have freedom of movement around the small Klein Karoo town. Calitzdorp is a town close to Jan Braai’s heart, while cycling is a passion of his too. He’s managed to combine the two by using Calitzdorp as an overnight stop for his Tour de Braai. Investec Asset Management were thrilled to be involved in the bike distribution. “The Tour de Braai distribution is such a lovely event because it brings together people who are celebrating the beauty of South Africa’s landscapes and food, the joy of riding a bicycle and the potential we all have to make a difference in the lives of others,” said Tsatsi Phaweni, Qhubeka Executive Director.

Photo Credit's: Guillaume Bosch

SA ATHLETES HEAD TO 2018 GRAND PRIX PRIESSNITZ SPA UCI U23 NATIONS’ CUP Five aspiring U23 South African road cyclists head to Czech Republic to tackle over 449km of racing and more than 9 400 metres of climbing in the 2018 Grand Prix Priessnitz Spa UCI U23 Nations’ Cup. TeamSA will compete against twenty two other countries, ahead of travelling onto Spain and Belgium to continue their international racing expeditions. The 4-day stage event consists of a 1.9km Prologue, followed by three stages. The U23 National Team consisting of riders Gustav Basson and Mitch Eliot (Team Pro Touch), Ryan Harris (Office Guru U23), Andrew Edwards (Luso Cycling) and Devin Shortt (Team Gregnano, Italy) was announced by Cycling South Africa. Gustav Basson, who rides for Team ProTouch, represented the National Team at the Africa Continental Championships in March 2018, he won the Tour Durban Classic and Tour de Limpopo. Following the Nations Cup, he will be flying to Spain. He is joined by team mate, Mitch Eliot, who at the end of 2017 won the Best Young Rider Competition at Clover Tour, Tour de Maurice and Tour de Windhoek. Young Andrew Edwards from the Luso Cycling Team recently won the Queen’s Stage at the Tour de Limpopo following his third U23 placing in the 2018 Mpumalanga Tour. Ryan Harris (Office Guru U23) recently finished 2nd in the Points Classification at the Tour de Limpopo and 3rd overall in UCI 100 Cycle Challenge. Ryan participated as part of TeamSA at the Tour of Sharjah, UAE earlier this year. Devin Shortt, who has been based in Italy since February with Gregnano Sporting Team, will bring with him some international racing experience.

Photo L-R: Andrew Edwards, Gustav Basson, Hein Badenhorst, Ryan Harris and Mitch Eliot

Team Manager, Hein Badenhorst commented, “I am privileged to be supporting this National Team. We have a talented group of U23 athletes and, having spent two years in Europe with Team Dimension Data, I understand that the level of racing in Europe is much higher than what our youngsters are used to. We are going there to compete, it is essential that we further develop our riders for the international stage”.

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CAPE CYCLE ROUTES

LAUNCH OF CYCLE TOUR 364 Minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde launched the second in a series of cycle routes, Cycle Tour 364 aimed at growing cycle tourism in the province. Minister Winde and a group of riders set off on the inaugural ride recently. The route has been named Cycle Tour 364, because cyclists are able to ride it 364 days of the year. The 365th day of the year is reserved for riders of the Cape Town Cycle Tour. The 123km route starts and ends at the V&A Waterfront, taking in the Atlantic Seaboard, Hout Bay and Chapman’s peak and the iconic Suikerbossie hill. The route also takes riders through Hout Bay, Simon’s Town and past Masiphumelele, and Ocean View. Riders doing the route are encouraged to stop along the way, take in the sights and enjoy some of Cape Town’s hospitality. The Cape Cycle Routes have been designed to put the Western Cape on the map, not just as a premier tourist destination, but as Africa’s top cycling destination.

“It also presents an opportunity to develop skills such as bicycle mechanics and guides”, Minister Winde said. “Whereas the Cross Cape is a multi-day, gravel ride which allows riders to experience a large section of our province and visit small towns along the way, the Cycle Tour 364 is a one day ride that lets riders explore various parts of the city of Cape Town,” he said. Wesgro CEO, Tim Harris said: “Wesgro is excited about the launch of the new Cycle Tour 364 route and the possibilities that this will bring – it will not only boost our economy and facilitate job creation but it will also assist in strengthening our reputation as a top cycling province. We warmly welcome guests to enjoy the breath-taking scenery the route promises, and we encourage them be water-wise when doing so.” David Green, CEO of the V&A Waterfront said, “When we were approached with this idea, we didn’t even hesitate for a nano-second before accepting because it ticks all the boxes.” He said the pin, designed by artist Pork Hefer, who also designed the yellow photo frames at some of the city’s landmarks, was a “whimsical” addition to the Waterfront. Cape Town Bicyle Mayor Lebogang Mokwena, who promotes the use of bicycles for commuting in every day life said the route would allow riders to “see more, feel more and engage more with the environment we’re in” and would help to “get more bums on bicycles.”

The first of these, the Cross Cape route, a 742 km ride through the breath-taking Garden Route, was launched last year. Minister Winde said “this new route allows visitors and locals alike to see Cape Town from the absolute best vantage point- their bicycle seat.” He encouraged riders to take the route on in stages, stop over at coffee shops or B&Bs, or even just do part of the route. The Western Cape, which is home to major cycle races like the Cape Town Cycle Tour and the Absa Cape Epic, is already a top destination for competitive cyclists from around the world. The Cape Cycle Routes initiative, established by the Western Cape government as part of its Project Khulisa strategy to grow the tourism sector, aims to show off the natural beauty of the province to leisure riders, and create new jobs at the same time. Research conducted by Wesgro last year, estimates the value of the leisure cycling market in the province to be around R4.4 billion. Minister Alan Winde, together with some other riders, prepare to start the inaugural ride of the Cycle Tour 364 route. “Establishing the cycling economy in our province creates a number of opportunities as riders make use of tourism and hospitality services, as well as bike shops, health practitioners and a host of other small businesses.”

Photo Top Left: Minister Alan Winde, together with David Green and Lebogang Mokwena cut the ribbon, opening the pin for the Cycle Tour 364 route. Photo Right: Riders, prepare to start the inaugural ride of the Cycle Tour 364 route.

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YOUTH CYCLING YOUTH CYCLING FESTIVAL - BREEDING GROUND FOR YOUNG CYCLISTS The Cycling Youth Festival has become synonymous with the town of Oudtshoorn and will celebrate its 8th year of existence from Monday, 25 June to Thursday, 28 June 2018. It all started as the Eric van Enter – a road cycling event with a road race, a hill climb and a criterium race for junior cyclists to compete against each other. This event continued until 2010 and was then replaced by the Cycling Youth Festival, awarded by Cycling SA to Eden Cycling in 2011. The Youth Cycling Festival started with two events in 2011, the Oudtshoorn Festival during the June school holiday and the Ghariep Youth Festival during the September/October school holiday at the Ghariep Dam. Unfortunately the Free State was not able to host the event in 2016 and Oudtshoorn hosted two Youth Festivals in that year, in June and October whereafter Oudtshoorn became the only town to host this event. Over the past 8 years the Oudtshoorn Youth Cycling Festival’s focus was to develop skills with the emphasis on team and mass participation. Skills development takes place on every level and not necessarily implies that it has to be a specific discipline. Over the years different MTB disciplines have been incorporated, such as the oval track events that take place on an oval stock-car track, and is run in a similar way as a track event at a velodrome. During the Youth Cycling Festival in 2016 Eden Cycling was the first to introduce this format of racing, and this event will be back on the programme for 2018 as well as the MTB XCO race. One of the most important aspects of the Youth Cycling Festival is that it provides the youth with the opportunity to race in their respective age categories and also creates a cross pollination of events exposure to different cycling environments for the riders. Many riders have come to realise that other cycling disciplines is something they enjoy and is also beneficial to their preferred event. An example is Gert Heyns who performed brilliant in the road races at the Youth Cycling Festival and who became a very successful professional MTB racer. When looking back in history two names of riders competing in the Eric Van Enter competitions comes to mind. The first is John Lee Augestyn who had a very successful career riding for Team Sky, but unfortunately he was forced to retire due to an injury.

The second is Louis Meintjes currently riding for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka. Heidi Dalton also raced in the Eric van Enter, and later became a successful road cyclist. Many people do not realise what a long road these riders have travelled to rise to the top, and even more important, where did it all start. In recent years Nicolas Dlamini and Louis Visser riding as pro’s in Europe were both participants in the Youth Cycling Festival. There are many others riders on the local circuit who also took part in the Youth Cycling Festival such as Clint Hendricks, Jade Julius, Marchal Hendriks, Alex Parsons, Morne van Niekerk and many more. “We cannot deny that the Youth Festival is the breeding ground for young cyclists. Our young cyclists needs to race against their own age riders, not in races where the outcome is determined by adult or older riders in the same races.” Corné Bence, President of Eden Cycling, and organizer of the event is very proud of the progress that has been made through the years and hope to see many more youngsters rise to the top.

Corné Bence, The man behind Western Cape Cycling Cycling Administration is very demanding and time consuming. This does however not scare Corné Bence. He is passionate about cycling and will not be discouraged. Corné’s first love is track cycling and he has been a National track selector for 8 years. His passion started in Oudtshoorn where his father was involved in track cycling. He started to compete on the track in Oudtshoorn - those years a popular venue for many events. Unfortunately the track was demolished in the late 1980s. Corné received Springbok Colours for track in 1982 and in 1983 for both Road and Track Cycling. In 1983 he was also awarded the State President’s award for the best junior at the SA Track Championships, as everyone in those years younger than 19 was classified as a junior. Corné engaged in cycling administration when he became the chairperson of the Oudtshoorn Cycling club, a position he held for 10 years. In 2005 he became the President of Eden Cycling, a position he presently holds. When Cycling SA changed their Constitution in 2013, Corné was the one who started Western Cape Cycling, setting up the structures and Constitution, bringing it in line with the Cycling SA Constitution and the SASCOC Policy. He presently holds the position of Chairperson of Western Cape Cycling, and also serves on the Eden Sport Council as the Federation representative for the past 8 years. Over and above these positions he has also been serving on Cycling SA’s Board for the past 9 years as Track and Recreation representative. Furthermore, Corné is also a qualified UCI Level 2 coach which accreditation he acquired in 2015, and at that stage one of only two coaches in South Africa who had the qualification. Besides being a coach, he is also a Cycling SA Manager who manages South African riders at the highest level. In 2010 he was the Manager for the Elite Track team that participated in Italy, manager for Louis Meintjes at the Road World Championships when he was still a junior, and also managing the Para-cyclists in 2015, 2016 and 2017 World Cups for Track and Road cycling. Eden Cycling has been awarded the Federation of the year Award three times at the Western Cape Sports awards, and in 2017 Corné received an award for Administrator of the year. Western Cape Cycling was the Host of the South African Road and Time Trial Championships in 2017 and 2018 where Corné played a major role with regard to the successes of both events. In 2018 the event took place in Oudtshoorn with the Local Organising Committee under his guidance. Eden Cycling under his leadership has also been hosting the Oudtshoorn Youth Cycling Festival since 2011, a very important event for the growth of our future cycling stars. Over the last few years we have seen a lot of cycling administrators come and go. To persevere for such a long period in time under challenging circumstances is commendable and something the Western Cape can be proud of - to find a more accomplished and knowledgeable administrator would be a big task.

eden cycling

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ROAD

Joining the PPA Brings Many Beneﬁts The Pedal Power Association (PPA) is the largest recreational cycling organisation in South Africa with some 16 000 paid-up members - the largest component being in the Western Cape where the Association has its headquarters with the main purpose and object to promote cycling and the interests of cyclists. Joining the Pedal Power Association brings many benefits, including discounted entries to many events, a seeded funride number (Road and MTB) to start in front of non-seeded cyclists, weekly newsletters to stay up to date with cycling events and the world of cycling, preferential entry to the Cape Town Cycle Tour, several discounts and membership benefits from PPA external partners. The membership year runs from 1 July to 30 June and membership fees are due annually on 1 July, irrespective of when during the year you join the Association. Annually as of January 2018, pro rata fees apply. New membership fees are effective from 1 July 2018 – 30 June 2019. The PPA wants to keep the annual increase of membership fees to a minimum, despite the increase in VAT. This year, the PPA added the Family membership option and would like to see more junior cyclists joining and having fun at the fun rides. Whether you’re mom and dad with one or more children (under the age of 18 years) that cycle, or a single parent with one or more children (under the age of 18 years) that cycle, the PPA is offering a 20% membership discount when everyone is signed up at the same time and reside at the same address.

To encourage the whole family to enter one of the PPA’s own fun rides (list of events below) all PPA members up to the age of 13 qualify for a 50% entry fee discount from July 2018. (Cyclosportif Series, Tour de PPA, Enjoy One Tonner, PPA Tread Lightly women’s MTB, Heels on Wheels, Tiletoria Elgin Valley MTB, Twilight Family MTB). Office hours are 08h30-16h30 Mondays to Thursdays, and 08h3016h00 on Fridays. For more information and membership fees visit www.pedalpower.org.za/become-a-ppa-member/

Western Province Cycling Road League Season Update The Ottery circuit was a perfect opportunity for the young cyclist to learn about positioning in the bunch, smoother corning, surfing wheels and modulating accelerations and decelerations without applying their brakes. After a few events WP Cycling decided to provide all ladies with their own race going forward in the season, which means that ladies will not start with Category 3, but on their own. “We do require a minimum of at least 6 ladies to justify such a decision. If less than 6 ladies arrive on the morning, by default ladies will start with Category 3 like they did in the past.” A 2-Day Stage Race scheduled for 28 - 29 April 2018, with Stage 1 being a 30km Individual Time Trial on the Saturday, and Stage 2 being a 90 km road Race on Sunday took place at Slent Road, Klipheuwel,. Theuns Van Der Bank was the overall winner by 1 minute 50 seconds, followed by Craig Boyes in second and Bernard Esterhuizen in third! The Grabouw Valley made its debut on the WP Road Racing League calendar on 20 May 2018. The new race on the Appletizer Road with its hilly terrain, outside Grabouw, caused some strain among the riders. In some categories less than half of the riders completed all the laps. “A lot of competitors went away from the event vowing to brush up on their descending skills.” Photo Credit: Robert Ward

The Western Province Cycling Association (WPCA) and the 2018 WP Cycling Road League has since March 2018 witnessed exceptional racing in all categories. During March riders took part in the 30km WP Individual and Team Time Trial event held at Slent Road, Klipheuwel which was followed by a road race later in the same month that took place around a 25 kilometre circuit at Windmeul, Paardeberg with cyclists in the senior categories challenged to race the 100 km distance. The WPCA hosted three events in April, the first being the Paarl de Ville Road race around a 57km circuit, and the second the Ottery Circuit Race where cyclists tested their biking handling skills around a 1.5km circuit.

Temesgen Buru and Redwan Ebrahim, riders from the UCI World Cycling Centre showed their class in the Mens Category 1 by taking the top two spots on the podium with Nicol Carstens in third. The women did well, each completing all the laps without being lapped. Carla Steyn won the race with Hayley Preen in second position and Courtney Webb rounding off the podium in third. On 27 May the WP Cycling Road League race was incorporated into the Kelfords Family Cycling Festival, hosted by Cyclopaths Cycling Club at Killarney International Raceway - an event dedicated to raise funds for Youth Cycling in the greater Cape Town area.

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PAGE 13

THROWBACK

Linton Park plays host to 2018 Gravel Travel MTB

The 2018 Gravel Travel MTB was the 10th edition of the race, first held at Diemersfontein, then Kleinevalleij, Doolhof and this year at a new venue - Linton Park Wine Estate with the majestic Groenberg Mountain presiding over the historic Estate, which is minutes away from the charming and rustic town of Wellington.

The race showcased the fantastic flowing single tracks around the Wellington area, which are regularly used on the Cape Epic and other national cycling events as the Nissan Trailseeker. Although the race previously had 3-4 different distances, the regular options were the 25km and the 50km distances. Nicol Carstens came back to defend his title on the 50km race and did that very successfully. In the women’s category Leorine de Wet won the 50km race. The event organiser is planning some new additions to the 2019 event to make it more accessible and attractive for different levels of riders. Linton Park Wines were excited to welcome supporters and participants to the estate with loads of food stalls, beer and amazing wines available.

Klein Karoo hospitality and great racing at Redstone MTB

The very popular Redstone MTB & Trail Running Weekend celebrated its 12th year in the beautiful surroundings of Buffelskloof, Kruisrivier near Calitzdorp on the weekend of 11-12 May 2018 with perfect weather and the Redstone Hills as a backdrop - you could hardly ask for more. Although many participants who entered are based in the Eden area, many riders and runners from Cape Town, and as far as Pretoria made their way to the event. The Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport from the Western Cape Government, Annroux Marais also attended.

Photo Credit: Margott Terblanche

8 Hour challenge wrap The second annual 8 Hour Trial, MTB and Duathlon Challenge took place on 5-6 May 2018 on the farm of Schalk Burger and Sons, Welbedacht Estate in Wellington in perfect weather conditions throughout the weekend. This event catered for all fitness and endurance levels, as well as all ages. Children took part in the school challenge in which 4 team members ran a 5km non-technical jeep-track loop or cycle a easy 10km route that safely meanders through the vineyards amongst breath-taking views. Children as young as 9 years took part, with 13-year-old Jayden Dass jogging 30kms with his friends. He commented afterwards that he wanted to make sure that all the other children were safe, and ended up just continuing to do more and more loops. Day Trippers provided mountain bikes for the children from Moreesburg and Durbanville Children’s Home to enable them to participate in the event. The School’s Challenge was won by Mikro Primary School. The endurance athletes tackled the solo event with the goal to outlast and complete the most trail run, or MTB loops within 8 hours. The solo events attracted top runners, cyclists and duathletes with great cash prizes for the winners. Gold medalist comrades runner, Danette Smith joined Nic de Beer for a 60km training run. The top finisher Andrea Biffi in the trail run managed to complete 78.75km/15loops, while the cyclist Hein Bingle completed 170km/17 loops.

The event’s location is quite remote, it being situated on the slopes of the Swartberg Mountains between Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn. This remoteness and rural atmosphere is probably the attraction to this event. What started as a local-ward project became a parish project of the Dutch Reformed Church in Calitzdorp, evolved into a community project under the auspices of the Redstone Hills Trust, achieving amazing work in the community. Although the main attraction of Redstone is to spend quality time with your family in a spectacular setting, it also offers a chance to do some competitive riding and running. Through the years there were some serious battles for the honours. some of the two time 60km winners through the years were Matthys Beukes, Ischen Stopforth, Yolande de Villiers, Fienie Barnard and Aiden van Niekerk. Hannelie Booyens, Louis Visser and Robyn de Groot are also some of the Redstone alumni. This weekend was all about families and there were events for everyone. There were 4 MTB distances to choose from were 60, 43, 17, and 11km. The 17km accommodated more riders from younger ages. Friday night hosted an 11km Night Run and 11km Night Ride with a medal for those who finished the race with participants treated to a potjieskos at the race village afterwards. The racing on Saturday was highly contested with good competition in all the distances. An Oudtshoorn local, Yolande de Villiers won the women’s 60km title for the third time, while Jan Paul Gerber from George won the men’s race the third consecutive time. Second women’s finisher, Fienie Barnard along with her husband Kobus have 13 Redstone Hills finishes to their name of which Fienie was on the podium 6 times and Kobus 7 times. Kobus was also one of the founders of the Redstone Hills event. Robert Du Preez also competed in all 13 Redstone Hills events.

The duathlon was fast, fun and furious. The duathletes started with a 10km run, followed by a 30km cycle and ended with a 5km run. Liezel Malan, who won the ladies Duathlon, continued on her MTB and went on to also win the solo MTB event. Everyone who took part in the event commented with one common theme: “much more than I expected”, “next year, I want to see all my friends take part in this awesome event,” and “thank you for so much care and love, here where each child can ride in the wind, can grow on his/her own time. So much to be thankful for.”

Some of the young riders that made an impression at this year’s event include: Alissa Coetzer, Charlisa Schultz, Zenedine De Nil, Linelle Engelbregt, Reece Wheeler, Nelis Du Plessis, and Cronje Beukes. Most of these riders al participated in the Southern Cape Spur School MTB series that took place on 19 May at Klipheuwel Trail Park, Klein Brak River. In 2017 Jakhals Events took over the race organizing duties from Dryland Event Management, and again showed their ability to keep up the high standard. The combination of Klein Karoo hospitality and great racing contributed to a fun filled family weekend.

PAGE 14

The 8 Hour Challenge supports Magda’s Food Kitchen and was able to contribute 800 nappies towards her charity drive. “Even though there were so many highlights, we were humbled by Gavin Kilpatrick and David Jones, blind athletes, who ran the trail run with their guides,” Ferdinand Rabie said.

CYCLING EVENTS

EVENTS TO LOOK FORWARD TO FROM JUNE - AUGUST 2018

EVENT

DATE