DCM Set For Illovo Eston

Press Release : DCM Chrome

Instead of watching the progress of their large fields of sugar cane, the farmers of Eston in KwaZulu-Natal will have an interesting and very different pastime this weekend.

Once a year they down their tools and interrupt the burning of sugar cane fields to focus on luring the best of South Africa’s mountain bikers to their part of the valley.

Statistics of race entries for the past four years, show that the farmers of the Beaumont Eston Club have been remarkably successful in persuading bikers to participate in this event.  The Illovo Eston Mountain Bike Marathon has grown to the biggest one-day classic in South Africa.  It is expected that more than 4 000 riders from all over the country will be participating this year.

With Kevin Evans and David George (both MTN) just back from competing in the Trans-Alps and Burry Stander (Specialized) still in Canada where he will compete in another World Cup cross-country event, the big duel to have the first rider across the finishing line, will again be between the teams of DCM Chrome and Garmin adidas.

It will be a fair contest with both teams fielding three riders.  Max Knox, Brandon Stewart and Rourke Croeser are the three riders representing DCM Chrome, while Marc Bassingthwaighte, Philip Buys and Francois Theron will do their utmost to defend the honour of the Garmin adidas team.

According to Stewart, the fact that the farmers have decided to change the route, has made it difficult to predict the outcome.

“I only know that we will be racing through the Tala Game Reserve and that will be an awesome experience.  Unfortunately, the route has been shortened to 60km which is rather short and does not suit us.  But I think it will still be fun.”

Knox remembers a steep hill after just 4 kilometres of racing.  If that hill is still on the route, that is where the men will be separated from the boys.

“In the past, almost every single year, the race was decided during the first four kilometres when we got to that bugger of a hill.  This was also where the ‘King of the Mountain’ prime was decided.

“Usually, on this climb, two or three riders manage to get away and they stay in front right to the finish.

“To sum up, to do well at Eston you really have to ride smart.  You can’t miss any splits in the bunch early on because then you will have to use excessive energy in an effort to catch up again, at a time when you also need to keep some energy in reserve for the end of the race.”