De Groot masters ‘De Evil’
Local cycling great Robyn de Groot last week not only took part in her first race since she retired from professional cycling in May last year, but she also won it in true style. This is no mean feat - showing that form may be temporary, but class is permanent.
The 2023 Dr Evil Classic showcased Plettenberg Bay's mountain biking at it very best from Thursday to Saturday, 21 to 23 September. The routes of the three-day stage race provided exceptional riding throughout.
In the solo women's competition De Groot was virtually unchallenged. In fact, the multiple South African mountain bike marathon champion was comfortably inside the top ten on all three days. "I haven’t ridden a mountain bike race since I retired from elite racing in May last year. My participation in the Dr Evil Classic doesn't mean I'm back in pro cycling. I just miss the vibe and the atmosphere at the races," De Groot said.
"It was great to get back to taking part, even though I wasn't focused on racing again. The trails here in Plett are truly spectacular and living in the Garden Route we're very spoilt by riding here."
Another legend in the making, the 19-year-old Aaron Pietersen from Pretoria, claimed the general classification victory, while Marnus Steyn won a brand-new Scott Strike eRide in the lucky draw.
Pietersen also won the prize for the fastest ascent of the
Alp d'Joe trail, to his haul of three stage victories. The talented young rider's final general classification margin of victory was 16 minutes over Stephen du Preez, with Conway Oliver a further three minutes back.
"You can see that the trails are incredibly well built," Pietersen said. "Even on Friday, when the roads were very wet, slippery and muddy, the singletracks were draining perfectly."
With the claps, cheers and singing of learners ringing in their ears, the Dr Evil Classic competitors took to the trails from the start at Wittedrift High School on Thursday.
Day one saw a mix of dual track, through pastures and into the depths of the Knysna Forest, before the route took on the Petrus-se-Brand singletrack. After classic indigenous forest racing, it snaked up Bracken Ridge and into pine plantations.
The final kilometres of the stage, to Cairnbrogie, teased with a section of MTO's incredible trails, which would provide much of the playground for the following two days.
Stage 2 and 3 began and finished at Cairnbrogie and boasted singletracks aplenty.
However, after overnight rain persisted into the morning, a wet and muddy start greeted cyclists on Friday.
Dr Evil Classic has brought mountain bikers from across the country to Plettenberg Bay since 2012 and is now also eBike friendly.
"Nearly half the field were on eBikes this year," said Joggie Prinsloo of Scott
Sports Africa.