I don't eat oysters but the annual Knysna Oyster Festival has ample more to offer drawing me back year after year, in particular the cycling races...
The mountain bike race is one of those races similar to the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay mountain bike race (2010 and 2011) in which I don't have a very good track record. I had a decent race back in 2009 when I was new to mountain biking, then in 2010 I punctured a few times to put me out of contention and then missed out last year due to my injury. Never the less I'm always game for setting the record straight.
The weather seemed to be holding out for us much to everyone's delight especially Jayde who was taking part in the 50km event. I was taking part in the 75km marathon event that takes one on a magnificent route deep into the indigenous Knysna forest incorporating some decent climbing and descending, cold temperatures and muddy tracks.
Only about 5km into the race we head up the infamous Simola climb. It is a tar road in which the combination of a steep gradient and Darren Lill (Team Bonitas) setting the pace on the front results in some serious suffering and splintering of the bunch. From here you drop down for a brief period at speeds in excess of 50km/hr on a winding forest gravel road into the valley before crossing a river and coming up face to face with a "wall-of-a-climb" to head back out the valley. I say this because immediately the gradient kicks up so steep at the base of the climb that you almost come to a complete stand-still from a speed of 50km/hr within the space of about 2 seconds and looking ahead you see the other riders only a few meters not in front of you but on top of you!
I started to get into a good rhythm and felt quite strong as the race then started to take shape. We had formed a solid chase group consisting of 5 riders (my team mate Ruan du Toit and I from Blend Property, Renay Goustra of RSA-web, Kevin Evans of 360Life and Louis-Bresler Knipe of Contego Giant) and we had the leading 4 riders (Waylon Woolcock and Niel Macdonald of RECM, Darren Lill of Bonitas and James Reid of 360Life) in sight. I thought if we work hard together we'll be able to catch them, however, this was not to be. Darren Lill managed to power away from the leading group to take the win. Our group split up a few times on some of the climbs but came back together each time. With about 5km to go to the finish just about where the race was initially decided going up the Simola hill it was once again where the race was finally decided between our group. Differing from previous years where we simply descended the tar road from Simola we were directed off to the side of the road onto a grassy track. We hit this at great speed and I almost lost control over the bumpy grass. After regaining my composure I was left behind by the other 3 riders from our group. Known for his downhill skills, Louis managed to open up a gap once at the bottom and we were all split up and left to individual time trail over the remaining 3km into Knysna. This meant I ended up coming 8th in the end (2hr52min) with only a few seconds separating us from 5th to 8th place.
In the end I was happy with a top 10 position with a rather strong field of riders present and I felt good in comparison to the last 2 weeks. I'm beginning to regain a bit of form after some time off and getting back into solid training again, so things look like they are on track as I build up towards the second half of the years races. Nothing better than racing your way back into shape...
I must mention how Jayde managed to come 11th out of 153 ladies in the 50km event! An awesome result which seems like all the mountain biking is definitely beginning to show. Next year bring on the 75km race...
The mountain bike race is one of those races similar to the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay mountain bike race (2010 and 2011) in which I don't have a very good track record. I had a decent race back in 2009 when I was new to mountain biking, then in 2010 I punctured a few times to put me out of contention and then missed out last year due to my injury. Never the less I'm always game for setting the record straight.
The weather seemed to be holding out for us much to everyone's delight especially Jayde who was taking part in the 50km event. I was taking part in the 75km marathon event that takes one on a magnificent route deep into the indigenous Knysna forest incorporating some decent climbing and descending, cold temperatures and muddy tracks.
Only about 5km into the race we head up the infamous Simola climb. It is a tar road in which the combination of a steep gradient and Darren Lill (Team Bonitas) setting the pace on the front results in some serious suffering and splintering of the bunch. From here you drop down for a brief period at speeds in excess of 50km/hr on a winding forest gravel road into the valley before crossing a river and coming up face to face with a "wall-of-a-climb" to head back out the valley. I say this because immediately the gradient kicks up so steep at the base of the climb that you almost come to a complete stand-still from a speed of 50km/hr within the space of about 2 seconds and looking ahead you see the other riders only a few meters not in front of you but on top of you!
I started to get into a good rhythm and felt quite strong as the race then started to take shape. We had formed a solid chase group consisting of 5 riders (my team mate Ruan du Toit and I from Blend Property, Renay Goustra of RSA-web, Kevin Evans of 360Life and Louis-Bresler Knipe of Contego Giant) and we had the leading 4 riders (Waylon Woolcock and Niel Macdonald of RECM, Darren Lill of Bonitas and James Reid of 360Life) in sight. I thought if we work hard together we'll be able to catch them, however, this was not to be. Darren Lill managed to power away from the leading group to take the win. Our group split up a few times on some of the climbs but came back together each time. With about 5km to go to the finish just about where the race was initially decided going up the Simola hill it was once again where the race was finally decided between our group. Differing from previous years where we simply descended the tar road from Simola we were directed off to the side of the road onto a grassy track. We hit this at great speed and I almost lost control over the bumpy grass. After regaining my composure I was left behind by the other 3 riders from our group. Known for his downhill skills, Louis managed to open up a gap once at the bottom and we were all split up and left to individual time trail over the remaining 3km into Knysna. This meant I ended up coming 8th in the end (2hr52min) with only a few seconds separating us from 5th to 8th place.
In the end I was happy with a top 10 position with a rather strong field of riders present and I felt good in comparison to the last 2 weeks. I'm beginning to regain a bit of form after some time off and getting back into solid training again, so things look like they are on track as I build up towards the second half of the years races. Nothing better than racing your way back into shape...
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