Fire

Thanks guys yes I will be doing most of the big road races and some up country racing if budget allows It's been incredibly overwhelming winning this race and I would hope to work on becoming a better road cyclist for more of this type of results.

Hehe Thanks guys!! Much appreciated! All your support means so much to me! Very blessed. This African Continental Championships was really something special, not only to us as South Africans - more importantly to the continent! There is some change happening in Africa, and I'm very happy that track cycling can be part of that change!

Hey guys!! Trust you all are keeping fit, and not fat ... hehe Here's my latest blog insert http://www.maroesjka.co.za/BlogAug2014.html Have a read, I hope you enjoy it. If any of you know someone on the inside of a big/small/willing company, please let me know. Please come support us this weekend on the track! Unfortunately not a lot of Ladies entered, but I'll give my best entertainment for the crowd. Cheers guys Fire

Thanks for the concers guys. It was myself and Bianca. It happened so flippen fast.! We were aware of the muggings going on there, so tried to be on the look out. It was just so fast. It was the most awful feeling not stopping immediately with Bianca, but new that if I'd stop they will just grab me, so went into the road and stopped a car. Luckily Bianca had such a cool head on her and offer her phone when they grabbed her. At that time they probably saw the car that stopped and just took the phone and ran away. We can be very grateful, but at the same time, WHY should we be victims to this!! What if there is a life lost??? Then the media would be quick to put it on the front page of newspapers. Why should it only be then? We have to stop this!!!

We are slowly but surely getting some exposre... Please tune in/record/rewind/ffw.. whatever the case to Chanel 263 (CTV) this evening at 21:00. Myself, Carl Bonthuys, Theuns van der Bank and Evan Carstens were interviewed for the sports show that they broadcast. Vuurtjie

Hey guys. Check out some footage on Super Cycling this week. They are showing some of the racing at the recent SA Track Champs held in Durban. Wonder what we can do to get some more tv time for track?? Sponsors won't get involved if they don't get broadcasted! Track racing is exciting to watch, and we sure do have some big races throughout the year in SA which can be broadcasted. Your thoughts? Lately you only see MTB on super cycling(not that I have anything against it) Was just wondering if the "viewers" would be interested to see track racing on there? (mmmm, I smell a thread opening up...) Fire

I'll never forget! My feet firmly on the ground .. but in saying that, how does that saying go.. "daar moet nog baie water onderdeur die brug vloei" (too late to translate that to Engleeeesh)

Thanks guys! Only saw this posting today. It was an extremely good trip! The trip got sprung on us very suddenly. While we were competing at Track nationals, the CSA selectors came up to some of us and asked if we would be avaible to go to Malaysia that following week. Most of said yes, but really actually forgot about it. I mean, no offence...it's CSA... haha! Anyway.. so we got the call Monday morning after Champs and we departed that Wednesday moring. We had to pay a small amount and get ourselves to JHB airport, but all worth it! Please have a look at my latest blog. Some stories on there about Nationals and Malaysia. Hope you enjoy it!! http://www.maroesjka...ogJune2014.html

Hey guys!! Hope you all doing well! If you in Cape Town, please come and support the interprovincial this evening and Grand Prix tomorrow! Racing starts at 7pm tonight and 9am tomorrow morning. I am down with a slight flu, I will see how I feel through the day but doubt I'll be racing tonight. Hopefully tomorrow I can be fighting fit again. Please have a listen to a interview I had with Brad Brown from cycletalksa. http://www.cycletalksa.co.za/13/ Share it, like it, post it... Ciao ciao

Hey guys... please if you know of anyone wanting to buy a carbon frame, let me know https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/64783-apex-flare-carbon-road-frame-r5000/

Yes I would be For sure!!

Wow. Kit looks stunning! I remember the kit we had waaaaaay back when. and the wirst bands...still have mine hehe

Thanks Wannabe. Just want to say thanks to the hubbers again for making it possible to go to America and getting the UCI points to qualify for the world cup. CSA has selected a team to represent South Africa. I'm the only lady in the team and because I can't do team events with fellow saffas I had to qualify to ride the races. With South Africa getting an entry, the guys can ride the Team Pursuit and Team Sprint. The riders that qualified for individual events is myself, Nolan Hoffman and Bernard Esterhuizen. I can't thank you guys enough! I still have R3,500 left over from what you guys gave me for America and would go towards this World Cup trip. I want to invite the guys that are in Cape Town on the 11th of October to come watch some track racing. In my attempt to get the funds I will be selling jaffels and pancakes. and doing handstands and juggling with my feet. Please come support. You would be entertained with some hot racing through the night. Please do check out my website and follow me on twitter... maroesjka555 maroesjka.co.za Vuurtjie

Thank you so much Michael! The website will really help so much regarding sponsors and putting myself out there. Mmm lets see... Oh yes Tuesday's evening of racing was so good! For once I felt I had my kick that I know I have. I was pleased to win 2 of my races. I messed up in the points race but hey thats what im here for, to learn! Friday evening was tough and didn't feel so strong. Riding against Kim Geist that's ranked 10th in the world is not easy! And I know if I attemp riding world cups there will be 20x Kim's out there! Im excited and nervous at the same time. I know all these girls have been exposed to so much international racing and I know its just the first time for me. With the grace of God I'm doing good and feel so blessed to have thisopportunity. In the same breath, I know its going to take a lot to reach the level of world cup, world champs, Common wealth and Olympics. Thanks again for all your support. Greatly appreciated! Fire

Hi Guys! Thanks for the support! Bernard is a world class cyclist and is respected by all the athletes here in t-town. With getting the opportunity to live and train by the best coaches in the world at the uci cycling centre 4years ago and going to London Olympics, he has been showing class. It was great having a fellow saffa racing as well. Or well...winning...hehe! I managed to go through to the final of the keirin. In the final it was pretty much fighting for survival. I tried to do a early attack but sheeez this is not SA racing. The speed gets picked up on the front if they even get a hint of you coming across. That then continue's on to a flat out 60kph sprint. I wish I knew that 6th place gets a lot more uci points than 7th. (15 point difference) I would have just pulled something out! Just shows you, never give up untill you cross the line! In the scratch race it was prettu clear that Missy would have biggest chance of winning it. She won thw keirin and is ranked (I think) 2nd fastest in the states at the moment. She also needs the uci points to qualify for a world cup the end of the year. The race started out with me giving the first attack. Trying to get the speed as high for as long as possible. The race quickly turned negative with girls just following riders up the banking. I gave some more attacks, but the longest break away attempt was 2 laps. It was clear... it is going to come down to a bunch sprint! With 3laps to go I positioned myself to the front. 2laps to go the sprint has already started. It was just case of who to follow in which line. In the end I got 3rd behind Missy and Elizabeth Steel. Both very good riders. I was very happy with my 3rd place. I was struggling a lot with my injury in the week so I basically told myself if you finish with the bunch it will be good enough. I got some valuable uci points towards qualifying for the world cups in November and December. 2 more Friday night races! The last one is again a uci point event. With regards to my injury. It is feeling a bit better. Not under control but not out of control. :-) Follow me on twitter maroesjka555 for updates and tweets! Fire

Hey guys. Wow... first word! First week is over, and boy was it hard! Raced Tuesday and Friday. Not only the racing but kind of everything went wrong. My big chain ring got a knock onthe flight and bent. Day 2 went out riding... and my front shifter decided to stop working. I went straight to the bike shop and they said It got a knock and all the parts inside are broken. Now I'm thinking I have to have a big blade to race crits....! So still waiting on the bike shop for a quote on only one shifter, if they can do it that way. It just went from bad to worse... I was eating cashews on Saturday and there must have been a hard piece of nut or something... but ended up breaking almost half of my tooth. Now this is not cool! I look very good after my teeth brushing it twice daily etc etc. So it is really terrible! Ok so enough about the sob stories. The racing here is hard, wait no rephrase.... it is fast! Thinking back at the couple weeks I lost in speed work with my injury, it would have come in handy! Best place so far was 6th. Here's hoping I get faster as the weeks continue. Thanks for the support and following guys. Appreciated! Fire

5days and a couple of hours to go..... :-) Injury not lifting, but manageable. Was really hoping to train for this the hardest I've ever trained for something, but couldn't. Hoping and praying that it wont affect me over there. I want to give my best that I know I can give. I feel my power come through in some training sessions, really frustrating that you know you can go faster, but at this moment you can't. Still giving it my absolute best I will be flying from CPT to JHB, from JHB to London and then from London to JFK. From JFK I get a taxi to port authority and from there I get a bus to Kutztown, PA. It will be a loooong journey. I will try and update once I get to Pennsylvania. Thanks so much for all your support. Much appreciated Fire

Hey guys Apologies for the reeeeeally late reply. Had quite a eventful trip to Durban which I could write a book about. Racing went very well though. As in all sports, there is always a risk of injury and as luck had it, it was my turn. I have been really struggling to do my sessions that I needed to, and in the end had to skip a solid block of training in order to recover. Keeping on my bike, but no intensity. I was stressing sooooo much. The first thing on my mind every day "I don't want to disappoint the hubbers" they have done so much for me. Durban was my first intensity session (race) in a about 5weeks. The racing went very well winning almost every event the Saturday. (7events) The Sunday I tried my best and won 2 out of 4 events. I'm relieved to say the injury is lifting and I'm giving it horns again. I was stressing a lot, and don't want to disappoint you guys when I'm racing in the big leagues. I have 2 and half weeks of solid training left and then I jet I want to thank each and every one of you who made a contribution. I still can't believe it and I'm really proud to call myself a hubber. Total funding received from the hub: R24,200 From my visa right through to my travelling insurance etc, etc is covered.... EVERYTHING is covered. THANK YOU GUYS SOOOOO MUCH

Hey guys! Just a mini update... My internet was down for this week, tried to sort it out but no luck. I'm on my way to Durban for some track racing I have not calculated all the donations from the hub, I will do so once I'm in Durban. Sorry for the delay guys

I started multi quoting and then I realised I am out of practice haha! (it was like second nature couple years back) Thank you guys so so much! It has really been so incredible to see everyone responding. Where I was at a tighty tight budget I can now see more light. I wanted to answer tubehunter... jip I'll keep you guys up to date. Regarding trip, I leave on the 28th July and returning when the racing season ends there. I return on the 3rd of September. I wanted to go longer but no use as there won't be any racing. Being away from work for 6weeks is already piling on the bills at home. Hopefully I will improve and get another chance later in the year for another international race or 2. I can't thank you guys enough. Really rock stars!! All of you

2 words THANK YOU

WOW!!! Thank you so much Wayne! Really at a lost for words! Blessings!!!!! Thank you, thank yo,u thank you! :)

Thanks. I really appreciate what you guys have done. If this post was started just to give me well wishes and support, that also would have been really awesome. Thanks you guys. Hi Wayne, my entire trip cost R40,000 that is flights, staying there, eating and racing for the entire period. I have R25,000 which I paid my ticket and some of the stuff in America. I was still looking for R15,000. With the donations from hubbers I now need R12,500

Hi guys. First of all, thank you Wannabe for thinking of this and starting this post. It is really a stressfull thing having to worry about the funding and it really helps to think that there is people out there that care and support the racing cyclists. THANK YOU SO MUCH Maroesjka

wednesday bump and if you missed it, here's a link to the other thread... https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/73686-massage-sessions-western-cape/page__p__1056872__hl__massage__fromsearch__1#entry1056872