Swift01

Dirt fest turns drink fest :-)

Anyone planning to do this? 22-24th Nov. looks like it could be a lot of fun. Lots of different types of riding

Well VG race done and dusted, last training ride on Sat, then it's taper for a week with beach and beer, back for 3 days at work then TOWERS..... I have a feeling it's going to be quite a party this year with fun riding

Best i was was my xco brother in law take off like a rabbit possessed only to loose his only water bottle in the first 50m. Problem was he stopped one side of the track bottle the other side. Had to wait for the last man to pass before he could cross.....

we had a few of those in the past, great recovery

When you posting your video on how not to ride your bike at VG race. And it was not even on a technical bit :-)

Rooiberg 26 DNF's out of 352 finishers in the 70km (last race i did) which comes to 7.3% so pretty much the same. Remember DNF's are not just crashes, they are people being tired, mechanicals, sick (I spoke to one guy that had a stomach bug) and then crashes. It's those stats that would be the answer to closing this thread

I think you were looking at the prelim results that didn't have everyone uploaded. Marathon there was approx 53 DNF's 5 DQ's and 672 finished on the latest results (7.8% DNF's) then in the half there was approx 45 DNF's and 6 DQ's with 1037 finishers (4.33% DNF's) I would say thats not a bad result considering how hard the Marathon track was.

Mountain biking is evolving not only in bike technology but in the way the tracks are built and training.. Go watch DH racing from 10 yrs back and watch it now. Do you see GM complaining the jumps are too high? Same with marathons. In 2000 when I started over the same distance my times now I would have put the Pro's of those days to shame. Training has changed 10 fold and those Pro's have evolved and are still klapping me yet my times are way faster than they used to be. Same goes for course building. Bikes came in leaps and bounds, you are getting people that have grown up with a bike attached to them from birth and can ramp higher than a house (I am still an expert at just crashing over things with no style and just hang on for dear life, seems to work). The point being if courses did not get more challenging and evolve and stayed the same as in 2000 the sport may not have become so popular. We all like a challenge. All ages and types of riders are taken care of in the different distances and each distance as they get longer get more technical. Just because you come from road riding (just an example) and can klap a 100km road race does not mean you are instantly ready for a proper marathon race like VG. Do a few technical 40km ones first then jump to the 70-80km races. No longer is it just the legs talking but the whole body got a serious workout (or was I the only one with sore arms afterwards, all I could hold was a beer bottle after). For the record I don't think just cause I can do good at marathons that I will instantly be good at road riding. Both have 2 wheels but it kind of stops there. So many different variables. May be as a small solution to the problem is warning signs. I have seen 3 arrows pointing down and when i get there it's nothing wild, then you get the 3 arrows pointing down at VG race and yes sometimes they should ahve had 5 arrows. It could be a great way to grade some danger sections and warn new people that are crossing over from 40 to 70km that they should walk if they see 5 arrows in red with DANGER.... If they try ride it and fall, then may be they can't read.

No less rocks more climbing and way more beer at towers :-)

I passed a guy when going up the hill by te concrete strips. He must have started A batch. Old looking bike and white takkies on. Looked like he was doing just fine going up

While waiting for the GF to arrive at he epic sports water table so i could fix her brakes i twice met Eric out on the route. So much planning and sorting goes on behind the scenes. He was running around like a mad man trying to sort every little problem out. Real legend. Only when you hang around for a few hours on the route do you find out what really happens. Oh and huge big up to those back markers. Man you guys know how to suffer hard, but still have time to chat and smile

May be some if the other dirt roadie type races should NOT use 3 down arrow boards, so when a real MTB race uses them, people know they are going down hard and rough......

The Rae website even describes it as tough and technical. The 40km is designed to help you brush up the skills. Way less technical than the 70km but still had a few good sections. Rather do a season of that before going large.... Oh and loved your photo yesterday, mackie bails down a hill leaving his bike at the top but still takes a photo from where he stopped rolling of his bike at the top...... We never stop learning. Part of the game :-)

I think after the beers on Sat and Sunday I am very prepped for towers....... At least riding and racing towers is more like Red apples vs green apples......... a lot closer than pears...... and the beers are cheaper although only R15 at VG on Sat was a good price compared to a lot of places

I think it was 37th ha ha

Did she have a 3 towers shirt on and a blue intense spider bike. My GF handed out water near the end. I think she knew i had a cold beer waiting for her at the end :-)

Sorry i also don't agree. If people are not comfortable they can always walk. Every race does how ever have accidents. I myself almost saw my ring piece a few times but i kept saying i know i should have walked that part so would have been my own fault. VG is a very well known place for rocks steep downs and very technical. I don't like to see people in the medic tents but there was nothing wrong with the route. Thats how we roll and sometimes we have to tuck n roll :-) Ps i fell off 3 times but blame myself for not concentrating

Great race, tough. As I said at the end, massive difference between riding VG and racing it. At least the beers were cold :-)

If you finished VG you will do the next find. About same climbing but way less rocks

I see your one and raise you another :-)

Time for some race prep

Don't worry we made up for you. Was the last at in the carpark when i left

Last year i had a pack. Didn't stop once so would not know :-) The SS bike didn't want to stop, it knew there was beer at the end

I saw 2 guys lying on the ground 1km from the end. Asked them what's up and they reckon they couldn't go anymore too hot and exhausted. Even when i told them they are 1km away they just lay there.