Rapunzel

Spectrum sport has results super fast: http://www.spectrumsport.co.za/Portals/17/ResultDoc/LiquiFruit%20Vineyard_Mtb_20140330.pdf Also thoroughly enjoyed the race and route - love the gnarly climbs and rocky singletrack. Bridges were as slippery as ice so took them easy.

I love the stand - she must be a practical lass!

would be interesting to know how many meters and seconds were saved in the shortcut because Sauser also took a shortcut through the s-bends before mineshaft at the prologue.

That is an innocuous jeep track on the Meerendal trail. If you're looking for something steep in the area then try hillcrest red (http://www.strava.com/segments/2289519) or the track to the mast at the top of contermanskloof (http://www.strava.com/segments/2407858) both of which are over 20% at it's steepest. Both are jeep track climbs with challenging surfaces.

pm for location (about 2 hours drive from cpt): 2.3km at 15% gradient (and there's a 5km 7% climb to get to the start point) There's also the Tokai mast climb (first half dirt, rest is tar): 10.2km at 8% gradient which strava classifies as HC

also check that your tire pressure is high enough and the roller length set so that the front wheel is centred above the front barrel. Iit also helps to not have dogs under your pedals or kids hanging on your handlebars or earthing you when you least expect it )

What an amazing event - well done Songo and crowd (a spirited mass of locals). It really is worth making a plan to come and see this event next time around. Security is good and the 2km lap format leaves no dull moments.

Thanks Iwan Kemp I'm in no way "blaming" the cyclists, but it is our responsibility to keep ourselves alive and there are times where the risk is unecessary.

The past couple of months there have been signs on polkadraai road indicating that no cycling is allowed due to the road works and I'm not sure if this is still the case. I'm in no way taking the side of the motorist who should have stayed behind the cyclist if not safe to pass, but the last time I went on the road, it wasn't cycling safe for cycling unless riding on the roadworks side of the cones. Craig and Jevandre, have a speedy recovery and hope to see you on your bikes again soon.

Maybe if testing is not limited to podium finishers then run of the mill riders will be a bit more careful about what they're putting in their systems. As for intentionally taking performance enhancers: if you're doping for a top 3 finish or a top 300 finish - it still makes you a cheat.

Only a few small crashes in our bunch so eternally grateful for getting home in one piece. Feel for the guys out on the route with the wind. Had to hold onto a traffic light on the way back to the car to stop myself from being blown away and there were some patches on chappies where the wind from the side was strong enough to blow me well off my line.

I was on your wheel over the finish line Rob. Great race report and stunning pictures. Meurant and team, stunning route and excellent venue. Left me with a big smile on my face :-)

Also loved it - awesome route. Started at the front so no hold ups but the limited technical skills further back in the pack probably caused some inevitable bottle necks.

Don't be so cynical, there are still a few of us around who obey the rules of the road.Just think - the next motorist that nearly mows you down may have been the guy stuck at a red traffic light while you cruised through as if the laws of the road were merely suggestions. At some point we need to lead by example.

Found an awesome date ball recipe (will see how they handle a few hours in the back pocket): 250g block dates roughly pulled apart 2 tablespoons cocoa 1/4 cup almonds 1/4 cup coconut 1 teaspoon water 1 tablespoon honey Put nuts in blender and then add the rest of the ingredients (makes a heck of a noise) and then roll spoon fulls into balls and put in the fridge. The recipe suggested adding orange rind too - may try this when they're in season again.

Depends on the intensity of your training ride. Lower intensity allows you to use fat as a fuel source whereas high intensity uses mostly glycogen (which will give you roughly 1.5 hours of quality riding before you need to consume carbs).

"Dear everybody in South Africa. Please treat others the way you'd like them to treat you". there, problem solved

Songo - do you folks have some eyes on the ground? With an expensive sport like mountain biking being encouraged in impoverished communities like Kayamandi then I'm not surprised that this is happening.

Absolutely shocking!! People reported littering should be automatically disqualified and be liable for a fine to assist covering the costs of cleaning up post event.

I understand that the gravel was a contentious issue and I would probably have felt different if I'd come down. Regarding the route - van schoorsdrif is the only other suitable route to the finish and that road is in such a bad state of repair that it couldn't be used (whole road surface has disintigrated over a far longer distance than the 2km gravel of malanshoogte).Regarding the gravel - it would probably have been wise for the organisers to have briefed riders on the start line to a: keep a suitable gap between yourselves an other riders on the gravel b: keep your speed under control to reduce the need to brake c: keep your weight back to reduce the risk of your front wheel getting bogged down in loose sand. That said, we shouldn't be scared of improving our bike handling skills as it reduces the risk of crashing in a host of circumstances.

how ironic - I was also in the A and % combined bunch and there was so much space on the left hand side!

A and % also had a few people hitting the deck on the gravel but an amazingly organised event.

I was riding bottelary road direction stellenbosch around 8:45am and didn't have any problems but will keep eyes peeled next time.

I see on the ppa newsletter that entries after 27 January are unseeded - I don't recall seeing that anywhere in the entry process R285 for an unseeded road ride???

first few hundred meters are as smooth as a baby's bottom. I rode the rest on my road bike and it is fine albeit a touch bumpy. Vissershok however appears to have grown longer and steeper since I last went up