Morne Veer

Hi Hilton - entries (pre), but you can still do a late entry at the venue on Friday morning / day, during registration. Please see time table share above to other hubber.

Here you go......Event Schedule - Durbanville.pdf

SA XCO Cup Bloemendal - Entry List.pdf Hey Hubbers ! Here is the entry list, but expect a number of late entries to be done on Friday morning as well. Thus far we are sitting on 530 confirmed entries. Yes, a host of super stars and world champions in the elites, however, a huge number of entries in all other categories, starting from nipper and sprogs, right up to the talented teens, and then the well matured boys and girls in the vets to masters. This event promises to provide action of the highest quality and we invite you to come and be part of this wonderful day – spectator access is free ! The voluntary WP MTB Commission has worked around the clock, and us (Tygerberg MTB Club) being another voluntary body, know just how much work goes into running these ships - we are proud to be supporting and sponsoring WP MTB'ing again this year, and can not wait for racing season to kick off this weekend ! Be sure to take position along the various vantage points, to support the young and old from the club, and of course the big guns who will be going for glory and those valuable UCI points ! Bring your best supporting-vibes, cow bells and vuvuzelas along.....this is gonna be Epic !!

Morning. My earlier reply.... ("Afternoon. That corridor carries traffic up and down yes, and normal sound advise, will be for the slower rider (the one climbing), giving way to the one coming down at speed, with a greater risk of the one coming down at speed, getting into trouble if he loses his way, vs the one going up.") .....has reference : This was merely based on that specific corridor, which is about the only single-track corridor / trail, with elevation, on our current trail network. The trail was only opened about three weeks back, and the soil requires some good water and lots of wheels to properly compact to be fully enjoyed. In its current state it is quite powdery and loose, hence it clearly poses more of a risk for a descending rider with speed / momentum vs an ascending rider at snails pace. Those who have ridden the corridor down will agree, should you be leaving the single-track coming down at a bit of speed, for whatever reason, and push the eject button in the process, it will not be a nice tumble and roll down that steep hillside. With reference to IMBA, specifically with their "policy" of ascending riders have "right of way" so to speak. We align ourselves herewith, for the greater part and where possible, but in saying that, we have extremely little dual carriage single-track, and as said, only one basically (this new corridor) which has elevation. For the above reasons, we opt to rather see the rider coming down, as the one who requires "right of way" although perhaps not quite the correct word, as some might see this as an excuse to ride there like most Taxi drivers in SA We are waiting for our signage for the new Conties to Meerendal Corridor, which will point out that riders need to be aware and respect descending riders on that specific corridor. Trust everyone is enjoying the trails, and just on a side note, we have started maintenance already, after a few weeks lay-off for the trail team. See you guys out there !

Afternoon. That corridor carries traffic up and down yes, and normal sound advise, will be for the slower rider (the one climbing), giving way to the one coming down at speed, with a greater risk of the one coming down at speed, getting into trouble if he loses his way, vs the one going up.

We replaced that lock twice in so many weeks - within a day or so of replacement, the lock is broken off - we have no idea who will do such thing and what the reasons will be, other than having malicious intentions. We recently actually got some more heavy duty locks onto our gates, in an effort to curb the continues challenge of people purposefully breaking the locks. Will try and get a new lock fitted there for some time in next week - 3rd time lucky I hope !!

Sadly, not my Bergamont, nor my Xmas suite, nor my current skill level - got that pic last year on a Xmas mailer, not sure who it is or from where, otherwise I would have given a photo cred. Agree though, that is a sweet looking machine and are a lot more common overseas (spelling error fixed now - lol) - they have a huge variety of bikes, and recently also got their E-bike category properly juiced up with some proper long travel stallions.

Afternoon to all hubbers, who include members, non members, those who love us one heck of a lot, and those who love us just a lot. 2018 has gone past faster than that E-bike passing me up the (in)famous cement climb to Conties-Towers just the other morning.... We wish you all a joyful festive season, and trust it will be a special time with your family and friends. For those traveling, PLEASE be safe on the roads - for those not, ride your bike as much as you can and make awesome memories ! Thanks for the support this year and allowing us to make a difference in so many lives, areas, ventures, projects and the sport itself - together we can achieve so much. Look forward to rolling with all of you in 2019. Kind Regards Morné Veer Tygerberg MTB Club – Committee Member

Okay, I was perhaps too optimistic thinking I'll be let off the hook that easy with thinking I'll make a 2nd and hopefully last comment. Just want to point out that "pressing the mute button" was used in a figurative context. I mentioned that debate and conversations has its place. In my post I made, I was not asking for the thread to be deleted, as I have given it much thought and have spoken to fairly high ranking official in the world of online media, and there is positives to be taken from threads / topic discussions. As for not seeing why the request was made - I have given the reasons why, and again confirm I was asking just for folk to "chill" for a while, again, for the reasons I mentioned. Okay, here is hoping that this was in fact now my last post

Evening to all who participate in this thread. I feel like I am about to come out of the closet, but I have caught up on all the comments here, and feel the need to.....I am on the executive committee of the Tygerberg MTB club, and go by the name of Morné Veer (you can imagine what nicknames I had to endure in my school years with this surname). As if confirming my personal details on the hub is not enough, I shall also admit that I ride a Spezialized Epic (with no dropper......yip, I know, the struggle is real !!) I can confirm that to my knowledge, the only person from the executive committee that made a comment on this thread during the last week, is myself, and that was this afternoon, where I confirmed to one hubber that Welvenpas will again be included in our membership offering for 2019. Unless one of my fellow committee members are operating from a Hub-name other than what I would know / recognize, but for now I can with confidence say I am the only one from the committee / leadership to have made a post, this post now being my 2nd and hopefully last. In hindsight, perhaps as one alluded to earlier, it would have been best to share more information with the announcement of our fees. Then again, it was felt that it would be be quite clear that our trail offering has caught up with us, and that any member and user will be well aware of how our trails increased of late, forcing some change in our membership / fee structure. So lessons learnt here, and noted for the future (hopefully we can keep our trail increase lower for 2020, if all of you take out new memberships come next month Although there has been some comments that was undoubtedly made towards the club and its leadership with a harsh undertone, there is surely also merit in some others, and these were duly noted. I would like to thank each and every passionate member of our club, and visitor to our trail network, who have shared views here - it has not gone unnoticed. I especially liked the comments about the new XCO trail, as that was a project myself and Patrick worked on for at least three years, and I was actively involved in the trail's planning, design and would you believe it, building as well - I could share photos with you of some really bad sunburn, from one day (from at least the 10 I spent on that koppie), where I forgot my sunscreen - believe me, your LCD displays do not have the pixel quality to do it justice - I am actually Afrikaans, but for a week after that regretful day, I was a proper "rooi-nek". It is the end of the year, and believe you me, it has been a very very very long year for us (leadership), with so many projects, and success stories, but we are all human, did I mention voluntary-humans , and yikes, we can do with some rest now (accept Patrick, as he is already starting his new build on Monday....I kid you not !!). Folks, in closing, this message is intended as a peace-offering to those who are perhaps a little upset, irritated or simply seeing things in a different way : let's put the pitch forks down for a while (except you Patrick, you gotta work my man !!). We know in particular of one of our existing landowners following this thread, who is really disappointed to see the "fighting" among members, or let's just say cyclists here - think you would agree that is has serious risk for all MTB lovers and users, if a landowner gets unhappy / disappointed. It is also saddening to an extent, for the leadership, who I promise you are all doing their best and really committed to the club's members. I am not saying debates on The Hub is not on, but just asking that we press the mute button on this thread for now, for the reasons mentioned. Okay, I think that is me for the night, I have three kids who have seen very little of their dad this week with no less than two committee meetings, a night ride, and a full morning at our club office today :-) .......think a McFlurry at McD's should do the trick though !! Yours in dirt !

Indeed it is.

Man, what a rad weekend - again ! ....it just keeps getting better at Esels. Trails remain some of the purest and proper trails around keeps one honest more so than not. Route marking is exceptional and with at least 6 motorbikes roaming the field each day (night), one get the sense that the organisers have got the riders best interest at heart. The ablution / toilets are continuously being cleaned, and as noted, security measures at camp and a designated secure bike park, allows one to enjoy the festivities, without have to worry about safety. Lekker vibe, awesome trails, beautiful scenery, great grub, Seattle Coffees (who knew me by first name, halfway through the weekend) - nee wat, put this event on repeat, it remains a highlight on the calendar ! Thanks to the organisers and all their partners for hosting another stunning Esels Festival, and taking such good care of us.

Flip, now I really want to go do it all over again !!! https://www.pinkbike.com/news/enduro-western-cape--ewc-1-hoogekraal.html

Entered and excited to see what this Enduro business is all about - felt obliged to go for full monty route option. Still not sure about which Assos bib shorts to wear though.....Just how much ridicule must I expect, when I pitch up on my Epic, (NO DROPPER), without any protective clothing, except for a Giro helmet, seen used more by road cyclists than trail riders ?....or are the the Goggle-Crew perhaps not like this ??

Great day out with friends and families alike. An eye opener for me personally, thinking you can pitch up and ride the 75km lekker hard, without proper miles in the legs - ouch ! Cramped up badly on the bike, and even worst off it after the finish. Well marked (if the front front guys listened to the announcer on the start line before we got going in the A batch, they would have heard clearly, follow the BLACK and RED directional boards, and not have been influenced by a lone hitchhiker (blue arrow on small yellow board if I remember correctly) - lol, but jokes aside, we know we are all sheep out there, so when the first guy turns, we all follow.....luckily for me I found myself with two other riders leading the race over the first big climb of the day, and then some....my claim to fame !! lol Do agree though that it is critical that the top 3 in all the distances (men and ladies) get due recognition - even if there are no prize money, a mere podium with handshake will do. Sorting out the top three is very easy, and even when there was riders in the 75 km who decided to take the "chicken run" rather and follow the 56 km route, it could have been sorted out chop-chop.....let's face it, the top 3 would have known they were the top 3 (actually, it happens often that guys opt to go shorter during the race, and must never be used as an excuse not to recognize the efforts and achievements of the men and ladies who had the afterburners going. ps: I was merely fighting for a top 50 (if that) so the above is not remotely aimed at myself, but I do feel for all the men, ladies, (including boys and girls in the shorter distances).

Top 10 you said - somme klapping a 2nd place is different to a top ten in my book - well done, you monster you !

Maybe this will contain some more clarity - as per the organising body's recent post on social media : "uestions and Answers on Entries, Cycling SA membership, Racing Licences, Late Entries and Day Licences When do on-line pre-entries close? On-line Pre-entries close on Tuesday, 30th January 2018. How much is the entry fee when I enter online – www.cyclingsa.com: Nippers and Sprogs: R180 All other Categories: R350 Do I need a Cycling SA Membership to enter online? Yes. Do I need a Cycling SA Racing Licence to enter online? Junior, U23 and Elite participants need Cycling SA Membership and Racing Licences. How much is a Cycling SA membership? R275 How much is a Cycling SA Racing Licence? R450 Can I do a late entry? Late entries will only be allowed on Friday at the registration, 2 February 2018, from 9am to 4pm. There will be NO late entries at all on the race day, 3 February 2018. How can I pay for my late entry on Friday, 2 February 2018? Cash or with the Zapper App. How much is the late entry? Nippers and Sprogs: R230 (R180 + R50 late entry fee) All other Categories: R400 (R350 + R50 late entry fee) How does the ranking work for the first race of the series? Once the online pre-entries close, a list is generated. The number allocations are done as per the rider rankings at the end of last season. Is there an U23 category at the race on 3 February 2018? No, the U23 participants are included in the category: Pro-Elite 19+ Can I enter with a Day Licence if I am a Junior, U23 or Elite Participant? No, definitely not. Who can do a late entry with a Day Licence? All categories, other than the Juniors, U23 and Elites, and all nationalities, may take out a Day Licence on 2 February 2018 between 09:00 and 16:00 Do I need to produce my Licence card at registration if I entered online? No, all entries on the online entry list have already had their Licences checked so they don’t need to produce Licence cards. Do Junior, U23 and Elite participants need to produce Licence cards if they do late entries on Friday, 2 February 2018? Yes, Junior, U23 and Elite late entries need to produce their Racing Licences or Digi Card on their phone. Do Junior, U23 and Elite Participants need their UCI ID number? Yes. Come prepared with your UCI ID number. The international riders have the UCI ID on their Licence cards. If I am a Junior, U23 or Elite participant, will I be able to do a late entry without a Racing Licence? No, if you don’t have a physical Racing Licence or Digi Card on your phone to show, then you cannot enter. How do I get a racing Licence? You can go online and buy a racing Licence through the Cycling SA website but the cut-off time for late entries is 16:00 on 2 February 2018 - www.cyclingsa.com How do I get a racing Licence if I am a foreign participant? Foreign participants have to get their Racing Licences through their own country’s cycling federation. Do foreign participants have UCI ID numbers? Yes, the foreign participants’ UCI ID numbers are on their Licence cards and it must be entered on the late entry form. Can I enter after 16:00 on Friday, 2 February 2018? No, registration closes strictly at 16:00, and we don’t accept any late entries, whatsoever, after 16:00. Can I enter on 3 February 2018? No, not at all. When is the rider briefing? The compulsory rider briefing is at 16:00 on 2 February 2018, and then we post the seeded start lists at the venue between 16:30 and 16:45."

03 February

I spent the last three days gathering my thoughts and made a list of the things I did not enjoy this weekend, and what should be done differently next year.....see attached The things I did like : Great vibeGreat food (at reasonable prices)Great vibeConstantly clean mobile toilets and working showers - can't remember standing in a queue once.Great vibeClearly marked trails, with awesome water points, with a variety offering, better than most events on the calendar, manned by some very special local folk - how about that auntie with the bottel of Jagermeister and other Oros options ? #yakesDid I mention GREAT VIBE ?Nee kyk, hierdie was 'n special naweek ! The kuiers and social element makes this weekend a joy, whilst the routes were not overly taxing (but no walk in the park neither) - I guess it helps when you bring along some kind of fitness. Entries open for 2018 yet ?

Unfortunately, due to CSA's financial position, the federation was not able to make any contributions towards the riders' expenses - most riders started their own campaigns for funding, but the expenses for each rider is VERY high. The Tygerberg MTB Club is extremely proud of our SA mountainbikers, and even more so, our Western Cape athletes, who are regularly seen on our trails, and being such good ambassadors for the sport, and our children in particular. As a result, we, the Tygerberg MTB Club, decided to also make a financial contribution of R30 000 towards the athletes' budget, and together with Western Province Mountain Biking Commission, who also made a R30 000 contribution, are happy to be making a difference. We would like to encourage all our club members, and the general public, to also pledge towards this cause, by visiting the Facebook page of Western Province Mountain Biking Commission, where you can buy a raffle ticket @R100, and stand a chance to win a Sram Upgrade kit. Wishing the athletes all the very best for this wonderful experience.

"LATE ENTRIES Available at Venue during Registration on Wednesday 26 April from 4pm - 6pm"

Latest weather forecast for tomorrow, is showing some rain for Rhebokskloof, and max temperatures for Thursday, of 25 degrees. Now that is a combo worth smiling about !!

.....ons het almal vir oom Brian baie lief, maar nie op die klimme nie ! (veral nie op laaste twee rondtes nie)

Think it would be quite similar, but as in the past with double-headers at the same venue, they do try and tweak it, if they can. Uncle Brian (father to Mariska Strauss) is in charge of the courses / routes, etc and is very well respected in this capacity, and will go out of his way, as he always does, to try and offer the best possible options on the day.

ENTRIES ARE NOW OPEN !