Big changes for MTB Dash

NICK Floros, the man who has designed routes for mountain bike events at the Rio Olympic Games and the World Championships in Pietermaritzburg, has come up with another challenge for tomorrow’s Mandela Day MTB Dash.

It starts and finishes at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site outside Howick in the KZN Midlands, about 90kms from Durban.

Floros has been hard at work making sure all the riders will have their skills tested to the full and it seems like only the fittest and savvy competitors will post the fastest times.

The Nelson Mandela Capture Site is a cultural and historical exhibition that is situated at the place where Nelson Mandela was apprehended in August 1952.

Floros said the 42km, 21km and 10km MTB Dash routes had undergone some big changes.

“I am confident the riders will have a route that is fitting for an event that honours Nelson Mandela,” said Floros, who lives in Pietermaritzburg.

“On the 42km route, we are no longer going through to the Howick trails sections as in the past. So we will no longer be going across to that side but we are going further into the forests on the western side of the route.

“On the 20km we have also made some changes. The trick with the 20km route is to try and keep it as flat as possible but also keep it as interesting as possible. Unfortunately, there are one or two hills that we have had to put in.

“The 10km is pretty much as we had it last year.”

Floros did, however, add a friendly warning to the riders to make sure they pace themselves, particularly for the riders in the longer event.

“I would say my advice to the riders of the 42km is to not go out too fast. There is a bit of uphill single track near the beginning and that is always pretty tough.”