Reuben back in the saddle for an Epic ride
WHEN Reuben van Niekerk lost the lower part of his right leg in a motorbike accident in 2008, he got right back in the saddle.
Not on a motorised hell raiser, but he took up cycling. Seriously.
Last year he became the first lower-limb amputee to finish the torturous Cape Epic and today he and race partner Dagmar Huhlbauer are among 1 200 starters.
The race starts at the Uni- versity of Cape Town with a “gentle” prologue along the slopes of a scarred mountain. Not that there is time to take in the view. Unlike last year, in his category Van Niekerk has company.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how I race against someone else in my category,” said the 31-year-old.
“I think he is the German champion in his category. This will be the first time I can judge myself against someone else in a stage race,” the Jozi cyclist said determinedly before leaving for the mother of all bike rides.
This is his third attempt and his experience in the eight-day 739km course will stand him in good stead.
“In the first year I missed the cut off by three minutes. Last year I was the first lower limb amputee to finish. The fact that I was the first guy is something no one can take away from me.”
The sport has set him on a path he didn’t quite anticipate in those dark motionless days of 2008.
“I did cycle, but not at this level. It’s strange because after the accident you see what you can do. I started training with a proper programme.
“I found out that you can race SA Champs in your dis- ability. I won SA Champs (time trial as well as the road race) in 2010,” he said before modestly adding: “There wasn’t much competition.”
The Epic blipped on his radar after a friend who had an arm amputated completed the race. “I was keen to try it as well,” he enthused.
At just under R60 000 per entry for next year’s event, the race isn’t exactly within the reach of the masses who annually snake their way around the Peninsula.
Van Niekerk, however, worked as a volunteer at the 2012 Epic in order to secure a spot in the race the following year before a sponsor stepped in.
“I think for all mountain bikers it is like a bucket list thing. If you’re serious, you dream about doing the Epic. It wasn’t because I wanted to prove a point, but because it happens to be a race I wanted to do. Along the way I happened to make history.”
After failing to finish in 2013 he simply had to return.
“We rode for 57 hours over the seven days between eight and 10 hours a day. Your back gets sore. As well as your arms, hands, feet. Everything is sore. It hurts.”
In preparation for the race Van Niekerk averaged about 1 000km in the saddle a month. “In December, however, you do about 1 500km. On average you do 12 hours a week in the six months before the Epic,” he explained.
“Initially I did a lot of Pilates and core strengthening exercises but for this year it’s been all cycle training. You adapt your prosthesis to be cycling specific but you also have to be able to walk with it because there are a lot of portage sections.”
Van Niekerk is race ready. Now if he can just identify that German.
If you’re serious, you dream about doing the Epic Your back gets sore . . . Everything is sore. It hurts