Top riders for Zuurberg Trek

SOME of South Africa’s top mountain bikers are preparing to do battle deep in the mountains of the Eastern Cape during the three-day PwC Great Zuurberg Trek, which starts near Addo tomorrow.

Leading the charge for overall honours in the 200km stage race, and a share of R100 000 worth of prizes, will be KwaZulu-Natal’s defending champion Andrew Hill, with new partner Chris Wolhuter, of Wynberg.

The TIB-Altech Autopage duo will have work to do as they fend off challenges from the likes of six-time national marathon champion Kevin Evans.

Plettenberg Bay’s Evans teams up (Biogen-Volcan) with an on-song Pieter Seyffert (Altech Autopage), who claimed the runner-up spot at the nine-day Old Mutual joBerg2c alongside Hanco Kachelhoffer earlier this month.

Hill believes he will have a strong ally in Liberty Cape Winelands MTB Encounter winner Wolhuter, with whom he finished sixth overall at the sani2c earlier this month.

Hill said Wolhuter’s technical riding skills would be put to good use on the challenging Zuurberg route, which also traverses the Addo Elephant National Park’s northern section and the Sundays River Valley.

In the mixed category, multiple national road and Cape Town Cycle Tour champion Anriette Schoeman (Africa Silks) will be teaming up with coach John Wakefield for their first joint outing at the race.

In the women’s race, reigning winners SanMari Woithe and Andrea Shirley, of Merrell Ladies, will also be back to defend their title.

Visit www.greatzuurbergtrek.co.za . Follow @zuurbergtrekker or find the race on Facebook.