MEURANT BOTHA, TRAILBUILDER AND FOUNDER OF DIRTOPIA ( WHICH FOCUSES ON MOUNTAIN- BIKE EVENTS), RESPONDS:

YOUR PERSPECTIVE

IS SPOT- ON. I have 40 000 riders on my database, and they’re still connected, and still involved in riding – but they aren’t at the events, that’s for sure.

About two years ago I noticed that the sport was maturing, and riders were moving on from events. They want something new, and are looking for more rewarding, quality riding, on trails that aren’t congested.

Sure, the PPA Fun Rider guy likes the social environment and still participates in races, but a lot of people are doing their own stuff; planning weekends away, where they can ride trails and take their families. It’s cost- effective compared to the price of some of the stage races – not that it’s a cost issue for some.

The Epic is an aspirational event; people ride it a few times, and then move on to the next big thing. I suspect a lot of corporates buy Wines2Whales and Sani2C entries for their clients. These are great events, but if the corporates start pulling out, riders individually will be a lot more selective.

But ultimately, I think the major dip at events is because a whole lot of trails have reopened – and that’s a good thing. People are realising they don’t have to take part in a fun ride when they have three to four hours of quality riding on their doorstep. They don’t need a medal to prove they’re a rider.

And there may be a dip at events, but there’s certainly an increase in youth riding; the school leagues have gone berserk. The competitive spirit among young riders is very strong.