Some serious pedalling action will kick into high gear tomorrow when the Daily Dispatch Mountain Bike Challenge is battled out at Wings Park.
Some of the best mountain bikers from around the province will be going all-out for top honours, with plenty extreme racing expected.
“I am expecting a really good race on Sunday,” said race organiser Antoinette Harding.
“I think this course is going to separate the men from the boys.
“It is going to be rough and tough and a massive challenge for the main competitors.
“They are going to have a really nice mix of Jeep track, single track and district gravel road, so there is everything that a mountain biker enjoys,” she said.
On the men’s side, one of the Eastern Cape’s best mountain bikers, Jason Meaton will be taking on the Dispatch race for the first time.
The Grahamstown-based rider will be looking to pick up more silverware.
Last year’s champ, Jonty Rosenstrauch will also be one of the main challengers, should he decide to take part.
He admitted that he was keen to defend his title.
On the women’s front, a fascinating race could be on the cards with Port Elizabeth’s Anriette Schoeman and local star Lara-Anne Everts-van de Venter set to battle it out for glory.
Schoeman is a five-time winner of the Dispatch road race event and will want to add the mountain bike gong to her collection.
Everts-van de Venter, as the defending champ, will be eager to keep her title. “It is great to have some top mountain bikers from outside of the area coming and taking part and supporting our event and it is an honour to have them here,” admitted Harding.
“But we are also going to have some fantastic local battles going on during the race, as most of our best mountain bikers will be here.”
The main prizes on the day will be in the 66km race, where R5000 goes to the winner, R3000 to the runner-up and R2000 to the third-placed man and woman, while R750 for the king and queen of the mountains will all be up for grabs, and this should add great excitement to the race.
This year’s finish is set to be a real challenge for the riders and it could come down to who can tackle it the best in the end.
“We are finishing on a fairly long grassy area. It will be a bit of an incline to the finish and it will be very interesting to see how the legs cope for the 66km finishers,” said Harding.
However, it is not just serious mountain bikers who will take part, with five distances to be held from the 5km ride up to the 66km main event
“We have something for everybody, so even those just looking to have a good time will thoroughly enjoy themselves,” claimed Harding.
“Even the guys in the middle and the back markers are going to enjoy the scenery as it’s a beautiful course and I think that most of the competitors will be blown away.”
The action is set to get underway from 7am tomorrow.
In gear for Dispatch challenge
Some of the best mountain bikers from around the province will be going all-out for top honours, with plenty extreme racing expected.
“I am expecting a really good race on Sunday,” said race organiser Antoinette Harding.
“I think this course is going to separate the men from the boys.
“It is going to be rough and tough and a massive challenge for the main competitors.
“They are going to have a really nice mix of Jeep track, single track and district gravel road, so there is everything that a mountain biker enjoys,” she said.
On the men’s side, one of the Eastern Cape’s best mountain bikers, Jason Meaton will be taking on the Dispatch race for the first time.
The Grahamstown-based rider will be looking to pick up more silverware.
Last year’s champ, Jonty Rosenstrauch will also be one of the main challengers, should he decide to take part.
He admitted that he was keen to defend his title.
On the women’s front, a fascinating race could be on the cards with Port Elizabeth’s Anriette Schoeman and local star Lara-Anne Everts-van de Venter set to battle it out for glory.
Schoeman is a five-time winner of the Dispatch road race event and will want to add the mountain bike gong to her collection.
Everts-van de Venter, as the defending champ, will be eager to keep her title. “It is great to have some top mountain bikers from outside of the area coming and taking part and supporting our event and it is an honour to have them here,” admitted Harding.
“But we are also going to have some fantastic local battles going on during the race, as most of our best mountain bikers will be here.”
The main prizes on the day will be in the 66km race, where R5000 goes to the winner, R3000 to the runner-up and R2000 to the third-placed man and woman, while R750 for the king and queen of the mountains will all be up for grabs, and this should add great excitement to the race.
This year’s finish is set to be a real challenge for the riders and it could come down to who can tackle it the best in the end.
“We are finishing on a fairly long grassy area. It will be a bit of an incline to the finish and it will be very interesting to see how the legs cope for the 66km finishers,” said Harding.
However, it is not just serious mountain bikers who will take part, with five distances to be held from the 5km ride up to the 66km main event
“We have something for everybody, so even those just looking to have a good time will thoroughly enjoy themselves,” claimed Harding.
“Even the guys in the middle and the back markers are going to enjoy the scenery as it’s a beautiful course and I think that most of the competitors will be blown away.”
The action is set to get underway from 7am tomorrow.
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