TOP RIDERS GEAR UP
No safe bets on MTB event winners
WITH there being so many contenders for the win in The Herald Continental Cycle Tour Mountain Bike event on Sunday, it will be hard to predict a winner. Port Elizabeth’s Anriette Schoeman, of Team Africa Silks, will look to make it two out of two after winning last year’s 80km Extreme in Addo and Andrew Hill, of Team TIB Insurance, is keen to retain his title in the men’s race.
To give them a run for their money is a lineup of elite riders, including Gert Heyns of Team DSV, Dylan Rebello of Team Imbuko Wines, Siska van der Bijl, Yolande de Villiers of Team Silverback, Jason Meaton, and Nicol Carstens of Team Giant South Africa.
It was always his priority to be on the podium at such a well-known race but that was not a certainty – and that was always the case with mountain biking, Hill said.
He would like to be on the top step, but being up front with the top contenders is Hill’s goal. He is coming off the back of last weekend’s Tankwa Trek, so he will have to see how his legs recover.
“I really enjoy racing in the Eastern Cape, the trails and riding conditions are tough but rewarding,” Hill said.
“It’s going to be a tough battle up front, I’m sure, and I’ll be in the mix to make a good go at another title.”
Riding for Team Giant South Africa, Carstens will be taking part in the Ultimate Challenge and competing for the bragging rights of best time overall in both the 80km MTB and the 106km Classic.
He was preparing for next month’s Absa Cape Epic, so the Cycle Tour was a good race for him to test himself and see what he needed to work on, he said.
Carstens’s goal is to win, but he said looking at his rivals, it would be a tough task.
“I’m definitely looking forward to racing on all those amazing trails. I last raced there as a junior on the Hayterdale cross-country course, so it will bring back good memories racing there again.”
The primary goal for Team Imbuko’s Rebello, who has been working hard to up his game, is to make sure he is in good form for the Absa Cape Epic.
Apart from that, he wants to have fun and a podium finish.
“This will be my first Herald [Continental] Cycle Tour, so I am very excited to see what the event is all about,” Rebello said.
“I believe there is some great single track through Hayterdale where I used to race XCO a while ago, so it will be reminiscent of that. I am looking forward to it.”
Riding for Team DSV, Heyns has had some good results in Addo in the past and is eyeing the top of the podium on Sunday.
With his training going well and Heyns satisfied with his early season form, he will be one of the contenders to watch out for.
“I am especially looking forward to the Hayterdale trails as that’s probably the most fun part of the route,” he said.
“I also always enjoy the climb up Zuurberg Pass as it’s such a beautiful area to ride in.”
The Mountain Bike 80km Extreme starts at 6am at the Addo Polo Club, with the 60km Adventure and 30km Leisure events taking place at 6.15am and 6.30am respectively.