MTN Clarens - The Jewel
In The MTN National Mountainbike Series
Press Release : Advendurance Media
One of the indisputable highlights on the international sporting calendar, even in South Africa, is the Tour de France.
The Tour is the one cycling event that everybody in South Africa watches. Even the brandy-and-coke contingent who can spell ‘Bulls’ backwards in their sleep, can’t resist watching the heroics of cyclists such as Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck, especially when it comes to the mountain stages in the Alps and the Pyrenees.
The one question that any passionate cyclist, professional or amateur, must have asked himself, is how tough are those climbs in The Tour really?
Well, thanks to the organizers of the MTN National Mountain Bike Series, everybody who owns a mountain bike and loves a true challenge, can find out for himself what those climbs in The Tour are really about. All he has to do is to enter the Clarence Marathon which will take place on Saturday, 3 October.
It is the 6th event in the series but, beware, it is by far the toughest.
Wessel van der Walt, who is a member Advendurance the MTN organizing team, gets lyrical when he starts talking about the monster climb that awaits everybody who has entered for either the 80 kilometers or 110 kilometers competition.
According to Van der Walt the climb starts roughly at the 42km-marker and finishes at 57km.
“It is a true beauty. At some places there is a 10 percent gradient. People who have followed ‘The Tour’ will know that a 10 percent gradient is considered to be an out-of-category climb. So this climb will give riders an idea of what Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck and others have to endure to win The Tour.
“The surface of the road leading up to the climb is unique. It is very similar to the mountain bike trail in the Moab desert in Utah, United States, which consists mostly of slick rock.
“The word ‘slick rock’ was coined by the early American settlers whose metal-shod horses found the expanses of barren rock slick to cross. However, mountain bikers experience exactly the opposite, because the naked sandstone is as ‘slick’ as coarse sandpaper, which allows a mountain bike to be ridden to its fullest capacity.
“The traction between stone and tyres can hold a bike at gravity-defying angles. This can be intimidating at first but, once mastered, the ‘slick rock’ might well provide exhilarating fun to the riders.
“Another part of the race which I find very special, is where the route follows the contour line of the mountain for about six kilometers. On the one side there are cliffs, but on the other side there is absolutely nothing. It is a very narrow road with some tough technical sections where you have to keep your wits about.
“I can honestly say that there are many mountain bike races in South Africa where the route goes through forests and challenging climbs, but nothing, and I really mean nothing, compares with what the riders will experience during the MTN Clarence event. It is definitely the favorite race of the organizer, Fritz Pienaar, as well as my own.
“In short, we are extremely excited about this event. The route is probably the most visually appealing and varied one that we have ever put together, but it is also challenging,.
“It follows sand road, jeep track, huge rock trails and single track over some of the most incredible rock landscapes in this country. This is all virgin land for mountain bikers as most of it is private land. So don't miss this opportunity. A large part of the area is home to various wildlife species and you are guaranteed to see some of them. Part of the route goes through the Golden Gate National Park.”
When asked who he thought might win the ultra-marathon, Van der Walt said it was not an easy question to answer.
“The race starts out easily enough, with the first 35 kilometers being mostly flat dirt roads. So there might be some riders who would attack and try to get away early, but it might be to no avail because of the big climb later on.
“I will bet my money on it that the race will be won or lost on the climb, because it is a true mountain-biking climb. It will not be just a test of endurance but also of technical skills.
“Therefore, if it is true that Max Knox (DCM) won’t be riding, I think Brandon Stewart (DCM) could be a favorite to win. The climb will suit Kevin Evans (MTN-Energade) very well so he would also be a hot favorite.
“Philip Buys (Garmin adidas) is my wildcard. Personally I think the climb might just be too technical for Philip, but then Kevin has never been one to shy away from a challenge.”
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