09 May 2012 Van Wyk thrilled with victory at African Continental Championships, Mauritius
The 2012 African Continental Championships was held on the lovely island of Mauritius on the 5th of May. Team bizhub-FCF’s Junior Linda Van Wyk participated in the ...
Jade Roberts
(January 2010, Clarence Training Camp)
RIDE Crater Cruise MTN National Marathon #8 Ride Crater Cruise 2011
106km; Parys, Free State
So the final showdown of the 2011 MTN Marathon MTB series arrived this weekend with one of the biggest MTB races in SA; the MTN Ride Crater Cruise. This race of 106km starts at the small Free State town Parys, on the Vaal River and is well supported by roadies as well due to the course consisting of mainly big gravel roads.
I have never had the opportunity to race here before…or I should say I have always had some other valid reason to miss the race ? From what I have heard before this flat course, with bunch riding and corrugated roads didn’t really appeal to me and definitely does not really suit me as a rider. But this year I had to race it; and pressure was on: Yolande Speedy was leading the series and I was lying second, Ariane Kleynhans was in 3rd but good race for her could push me off 2nd to 3rd…a win for me and bad result for the other 2 could still put me in the lead!
I knew Ariane was back in good form after her injury and Yolandes also getting stronger by the day; the lack of real long climbs would count against me. Then all the roadies would also be there, USN with a full team: Cherise Tayolr, Karien van Jaarsveld and Merissa van der Merwe; my team mates from bizhub also keen for a win – Yolandi du Toit has won this race the last two years consecutively and was definitely going to battle for a3rd win. Two other Bizhub girls, Catherine Williamson and Leana de Jager lined up with me and would be willing to work for me for a win.
It was great having a big classy ladies field for once, but we started off with the Elite men and I knew the bunch start would be nerve-wrecking and pace fierce after the neutral zone. Once we turned onto the gravel road the words “partially corrugated district road” got a whole new meaning… dust in your eyes, bottles flying off bikes, stones shooting up all around us, the sound of wheels touching, the nudge of handlebars in your butt, all becoming a blur as my body felt like I was doing balancing exercises on a powerplate gone crazy!
The girls tried to hang with the main front men as long as possible. Once we dropped off the pace slowed down considereably. It was hard to look around but I did a quick head-count and could see Yolandes, Ariane, Cherise, Yolandi du Toit, Leana de Jager and Karien still with me. As we turned off into the jeeptrack, it was Raiane leading, followed by Yolandes and Yolandi. Around a sharp turn left next to a game fence, Ariane unclipped, Yolandi got off her bike and a bottleneck followed. By the time I was on my bike and on course again there was a 50 m gap between me and Yolandes ahead, with Ariane & Yolandi leading.
I wasn’t panicking as it was nice open jeep track and the 29er had stopped shaking and flowing through the sandy sections. Cherise on my wheel, then suddenly a herd of game started running from the right, across the route and cut in between the leading three girls and me & Cherise. I guess quite a special sight with hartebeest, blouwilde beest and some more around us, but not at that time! I immediately had to think of Yolandi du Toits’ encounter with a buck in a race and we patiently waited for a safe gap.
By that time the leading 3 were just about aproaching the climb up Suikerbossie. I could see Ariane walking, off her bike; then Yolandes and then Yolandi. It didn’t look that steep, but once I started climbing I found the surface was so loose and rocky that I also slipped out twice, having to get off the bike. I was making up some time on the leading three and open a gap on Cherise. I guess I took some risks on the rocky descent that followed; my chain hopped off and as I looked down I suddenly came down. I was up quick, got the chain back on just as Cherise passed me. From here Cherise and I were riding together with the leading trio making more time on us and the other girls behind us nowhere in sight. Once we entered the sandy single track next to the Vaalriver, Cherise took a soft tumble in the sand and I was quite happy to chase further on my own.
At the next tech zone I got some time splits from our manager and back-up (with a lovely cold bottle thanx!) – 2min30 to Yolandi, almost 5 to the leaders. I believed I could make up some time on the last section, my legs were feeling good and I wasn’t giving up yet! I cursed my choice of bike: opting for the 29er hardtail over the 26er dual suspension, bouncing and coming to a standstill on the tufty grassy jeep track sections. I just kept on telling myself “power, power, pedal, don’t stop, it’s not that bad, keep up the cadence…” the 29er definitely had its’ advantages on some sections of the route though, but I think I would have preferred a dually!
As we came out of the last section of single track with the finishing ramp in sight, I could see Yolandi just ahead of me. The first girls were already in, Yolandi rolled on the ramp and down, and I followed in 4th. Ariane Kleynhans put in a fantastic strong ride fighting off Yolandes and taking the win, Yolandes in 2nd position. Cherise Taylor finished in 5th position.
I was really happy that the race was over, but actually enjoyed it far more than I had expected. The corrugation was infinitely worse than i had imagined, but there was more single track and the sections through game farms and the Vaal River were really special.
With her win Ariane had still not gained enough points over Yolandes to take the series, but she did manage to demote me to 3rd position. So at the end of so 8 races and changes between top 3 positions, the final results are Yolande Speedy in 1st, Ariane Kleynhans in 2nd and me in 3rd position.
I am really happy for Yolandi du Toit to make it in the top 3, this really is her race.Ariane got the big prize cheque as a birthday present, making her win even more special and we had two more girls, Catherine Williamson & Leana e Jager, in the top 10 ladies.What an exciting finish to the 2011 MTN National MTB series. I have to admit, in spite of not particularly looking forward to the Crater Cruise, I might be back again next year
As we came out of the last section of single track with the finishing ramp in sight, I could see Yolandi just ahead of me. The first girls were already in, Yolandi rolled on the ramp and down, and I followed in 4th. Ariane Kleynhans put in a fantastic strong ride fighting off Yolandes and taking the win, Yolandes in 2nd position. Cherise Taylor finished in 5th position.
I was really happy that the race was over, but actually enjoyed it far more than I had expected. The corrugation was infinitely worse than i had imagined, but there was more single track and the sections through game farms and the Vaal River were really special.
With her win Ariane had still not gained enough points over Yolandes to take the series, but she did manage to demote me to 3rd position. So at the end of so 8 races and changes between top 3 positions, the final results are Yolande Speedy in 1st, Ariane Kleynhans in 2nd and me in 3rd position.
I am really happy for Yolandi du Toit to make it in the top 3, this really is her race.Ariane got the big prize cheque as a birthday present, making her win even more special and we had two more girls, Catherine Williamson & Leana e Jager, in the top 10 ladies.What an exciting finish to the 2011 MTN National MTB series. I have to admit, in spite of not particularly looking forward to the Crater Cruise, I might be back again next year
