Jbr

I did multiple times. just make your calculations if you import here, you're going to have to pay duties, vat, and extra pocket money for the transporter that you thought you already paid for. But usually it's still cheaper than local (although I usually just order there because we have ******* stock here)

I keep hearing about that carbon monoxyde thing, but aside what we know for sure (the test to assess the adaptations from altitude), it's seems like a whole lot of hearsay. What I find weird is according to these people : breathing some super toxic product produces adaptations that makes you stronger. So why would drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes not make you faster as well 🤣 (It would sure make me more fun at parties)

Thoughts?

Tbh, I think it's cool that current road and ITT champs wore their national kits for this race, even if it is a TTT. Some guy from a very well known joburg team tends to ride his ITT title kit on gravel, road or even XCM, which isn't cool as there are "real" champions in those disciplines. But in this occasion, no big deal. Also if you can wear your ITT kit then, you pretty much can't ever wear it 😜

Having you with us would've definitely helped in the chase for podium bro 🤗

No cheating in the top4 bud 😜

🤣

like I said earlier, my only reference is 2019, then it was covid year and fastest started first. There was a lot less ***, we did get a little bit because we were in top20 so obviously seeding wasn't perfect. This format is better for the 5 teams racing, but sucks big time for the 300 remaining teams that will start at 8am and finish a 6pm especially on a hot day. Oh well, still a lekker day out with many many bicycles out on the road and not a lot of assholes in cars/trucks. That's enough to make it a perfect day.

You must have been in a pretty dark place buddy 🤣 They didn't cheat for a small part of the race

They clearly said podium contenders would be watched. If a podium contender is going quick enough to close down a minute on another, surely the pace should be enough that there should be a clean pass. The problem is some teams go bezerk on the descents to close down the gap that opens on every climb, because they know they'll be able to rest for the next 40km in the draft afterwards. The problem now for the team that is giving the draft that they have to decide if they want to up the pace on the climb to lose the followers or not, at the risk of losing riders. My prev DC was in 2019, I think we did a 5:25 time for 19th place, and the entire time we had a motorbike yelling at us when there was drafting (more often than not yelling on the wrong team, but at least they were there). I don't understand the difference between then and now.

Yeah that Asap Eurosteel Mother train would’ve been nice if the latter took a few pulls (kidding, yellow and blue was all we needed). I regretted not having my phone with when I saw a group of purple okes waiting for us at the exit of WP1. One would’ve thought bringing them back what they had lost on Tradouws would be enough, but apparently not. Not saying it cost us podium at all, but it did get to our heads a little.

There was a trackie world champ as well (or maybe ex wc), that team passed us before we even finished warming up 😜😜🚝

No that's usually how it goes, the faster people beat the slower people 🤣 Not that it's a A race for me, but going all the way to swellendam to ride in a paceline for 5 hours straight and get 8th or worse would really suck, so I guess yeah I worry a bit about some of the teams seeded better than us actually beating us 😂 You can tell I'm a TTT lover right 😜

oh ok, I think in our team only two guys have really been doing DC the last few years (and they're eurosteel), so in the end I guess our seeding is pretty good and could've been much worse 😅 But in the end, isn't it actually better to be badly seeded ? Not that starting 10mins earlier will really help you with heat/wind, but maybe having more teams to pass helps? Anyways, the earlier we start, the earlier I'm done with it and back in my car, so I'm happy 😅

yeah I think our seeding is vastly due to the fact that none of us on Eurosteel side has raced any of the road events since CTCT 🤣 But I do wonder how 7 teams are seeded in front of us still... guess we'll find out on the day who's where and why

if only we could ride there safely.. Wish TBMC had tried to defend access from the N7 through Vissershoek. I know some that still manage to go through there, when I try the guy at the gate doesn't seem too happy to see me, he let me through on the way there but not on the way back the last couple of times... Looking forward to that new access by Zone7. Everywhere else I ride to seems pretty safe (as long as you leave table mountain behind you) at the moment, I guess the less cyclists the less prone to attacks...

Thanks, I was wondering if going for the new sram red shifters would mean I'd need shorter stem, looks like it's a yes !

I've noticed people do this sometimes, I usually just pin it on the n1 all the way instead of taking the ramps off and back on the N1 again

Yeah, Jonas looks like a bone sack as we say in french 😅 Alan doesn't look thick but he looks like a mountain biker

He definitely looks shorter and heavier than those numbers Edit : mmmh no it looks like the 1.80 is actually legit, the 62kg though, he doesn't look THAT skinny

I remember chatting to Finn last year after he had a go at Chappies KOM, "mmmh I did only 7w/kg" I was like "wait what ??? 🤯" 🤣

Yeah I was having that chat with friends, from the few road races I had the chance to ride alongside him (mostly behind 😅, sometimes pretty far) he did not show the dominance I would've expected from any WT / TdF level rider. He did good a our local world champs but I mean, so did a few other riders he was in the break with and they're not even Conti. Seeing how Gibbons easily dropped Nortje from the breakaway to then win SA Champs seems more like what you can expect from a good WT/TdF domestique. I really really hope for him that he gets to fullfill a dream by taking part at Tour de France and maybe then progresses on the road and who knows, find success. But right now I think XCO/XCC is a way better fit for his skillset/power profile and he won't be anywhere near winning at international level on the road. Just hoping he doesn't throw away a great career in MTB. Nino proved you can have a long successful career in the sport, whereas if you're just another helmet in the peleton, who knows how long you can make a living from it (not to mention all the sacrifices to be there and stay there when home is so far away).

I was hoping you guys would come to the country side for a change !

yeah **** it it's not worth it, I'll just be riding towards malmesbury from now on

nah man, how many times you, or me and you have been dropped on the climb and made it back to the bunch shortly after. Hell last CTCT the cars were slowing me down when I was chasing back in Chappies descent to catch the bunch. Sometimes I just wish the road racing this side was just a little bit more even for everyone, no cars, no assistance, just you, your bike, whatever water you decide to start the race with, and there you go. We already have to fight against teams of 10 on our own. If people took better care of their bikes they wouldn't need a car. In all the races that I've done only once I would've needed a car after I slashed a tyre beyond repair.