BMC Swiss racer cup #1

9 o'clock, 3 degrees celsius and race time... I pretty much didn't expect it to be this cold or different to normal winter riding. My warm up went well, but on the day I had made lots of rookie errors. Short a finger gloves, no under vest, leg warmers or arm warmers. I am also glad I made these mistakes early in my Junior year and overseas, now i know what to do at my next winter races in RSA.

However the experience was great in the race. I was seeded far back and as the gun goes I waited about 3 seconds before I could actually start moving and clip in. Off we went, 5 laps in the cold. Up the first climb I was about last in the big field of about 67 guys. As I heard Kyle Dorkin's voice shouting at me to go I knew it was time, kicked into a harder gear and started making my way through the pack. Into the first single track we went, I couldn't feel my toes or fingers, but on I went and kept on trying to pas the guys. The riding js a lot different to back at home, when you are on that track you ride like you own it and you make sure everyone knows that by pushing and elbowing the other guys trying to come past. I dodged quite a few of those at this race going up the first climb.

I had no idea where I was laying going into my 3rd lap but kept on battling it up with 2 other guys. The one dropped on the 3rd lap but the other one held on for the whole lap. Lap 4 was the time to get rid of him, after a little cat and mouse game he fell back.

Last lap of the race was very lonely, except for the Vets whose race started and they all passed and made me confused. I thought I was getting lapped and tried to keep with some of the vets, but when I finished I realized that they were vets(30+).
I finished the race in 42nd..

I thank Guy (Mechanic) from BMC MTB Team for the service before the race and for support!

Kamptal-Klassik Uci Cat. 1 race

The after race report... Since my bad race i had at World Cup in Pietermaritzburg, I had lots of time to think. I decided that I want to be inside the top first half of the total riders in the field at the race in Austria. There was 50 riders entered for the race and that meant that i needed to finish in 25th or higher to set my goal.

It was different on the start line, because they had to repeat everything in English, otherwise Kyle and i would have probably not started the race. As the gun went a rider next to me snapped his chain and swerved right into my derailleur and bent it a little. Off i still went and kept on catching time on the guys. After my 2nd lap i was laying in 30th.

In the end i had a sprint for the finish line, but couldn't get that 21st position! After i saw that i had finished in 22nd i was so happy, it's a great moral boost for this next weekends race in Switzerland. BMC Swiss Racer cup is my next race.

Bye for now, wird im nächsten beitrag in Kürze.

Europe trip so far..

First night was in Germany in a little hotel. The next morning I saw how people used their bikes for everything, going to school/work, kids doing shopping and just being so young and able to be out there on there bicycles. It really is very beautiful here. One thing I, as a bike rider noted immediately is how much respect cars have for cyclists. From the coaches mouth I have heard so many tips and learnt a lot.

The next day we went for some "shopping on the bicycle" and also went and checked out the xco track we would race on... That was about a week in Austria and racing report will follow after my race.

On Friday I had a litlle bit of a fall on my head on the track, but nothing was to serious. I just had a megraine, but on Saturday I was ready and went for a nice ride.

See you after the race

UCI Mountain Bike World Cup experience

The time has come, I have wanted to race in a mountain bike world cup since I started with my cycling career. To top it off I was also asked by Cycling SA to represent SA in the Junior race at the world cup. I knew that it was going to be a very hard and World class event. After injury at a Karkloof race I decided not to ride in the Uci cat2 internationals race at Cascades MTB Park the weekend before the World cup. It gave me a chance to take some pictures and see who my competition would be for the race the next weekend.

The world cup weekend arrived and so did most of the internationals. The week leading up to the weekend was very busy, I rode the track for the first time on the Wednesday and must say, it was and is a really hard course but also very fun at the same time. On Saturday I watched the Elite women and u23 men's race before I went home and rested(well tried)... As the afternoon came closer and closer the weather also turn a lot and fast. By the time I had my dinner and head to bed it was pouring with rain. I knew only one thing...MUD tires.

Race day was here, the day I have been dreaming for for so long! Warm up was a very professional one with Richart, Kyle and me, all on our trainers loosening our legs and warming up for the race. Onto the Start line with 28 other keen mtbers! To be honest I felt strong, but during the race my body and mind disappointed me. I gave my best! Next thing I knew I was lapped and pulled off of the track. It was a tough day out there for me. I finished in 22nd, not really what I had hoped for. But lessons were learnt and I will take all the experiences into my next few races overseas in Europe.

Thanks again BMC SA for a good weekend, sorry I couldn't repay in position..

I also thank BMC Mountain Bike team from Suisse for all their supported tips!

Momentum Health XCO International #2 - Karkloof

When I woke up without my alarm having gone off, I was quite surprised that it was the exact time for me to get up. I prepared my race drinks and ate a wholesome breakfast. It was the second time this year that I had a race close to home which meant that it was easier to prepare breakfast and I enjoyed taking my time to do it. What is also nice about racing in my valley is that my body is used to the temperature and that I know the forests in the area.

We headed off to Karkloof Falls, the venue of the race. By the time we got there, I immediately had to get onto my bike to warm up. The road was perfect and I could do all my little sprints. I saw Alex Baker-(Team OMC) and Kyle Dorkin-(Ellsworth-SA Team) and knew it was going to be a tough race out on the fantastic track set out by Nick Floros!

Video of the day's racing.(click)

I got a second row start and was really happy with that. The whistle went and off we went! I caught up with Kyle, Alex and Richardt up the first hill. Going into the first section of single track I was lying 3rd with Richardt just behind me. I managed to stay there for half a lap before Richardt overtook me. Down the single track before the feed zone I passed Richardt. I went underneath the start finish banner in 2nd place, surprised that Kyle had stopped for a mechanical. However, it wasn't long before Kyle was ahead of us all again. Richardt, Patrick and I formed a chasing group on the 2nd lap, but halfway through things went bad. I went over the handlebar and Patrick and Richart passed me. Not long after this I had a massive crash about 700 metres further in some single track.

Unfortunately the race was over for me... If it wasn't for other riders, such as Evan van der Spuy, telling the medics that I had wiped out, I would probably not be writing this post. After some x-rays and bandages the results came, nothing broken! I was so happy and knew that it was by the grace of God that there were no broken bones- only some bruised ribs, a forearm with some deep cuts and a physically drained body.

It felt as if I had done a Cape Epic in one day (well, what I think it would feel like after 9 days), but in reality I had only done 1,5laps of a XC race.

A big thank you to the paramedics and my team for their support and helping me!

Till next time.
BMCkid