KZN To Host Four UCI Cross-Country Events

[Matt]

KZN To Host Four UCI Cross-Country Events

Press Release - Cycling South Africa

 

25 November 2011 – KwaZulu-Natal will be home to no fewer than four UCI Cross-Country events in February and March next year, leading the way locally by raising the bar to international standard in this form of the sport, which is an Olympic mountain biking discipline.

 

Serving as a prelude to the opening round of the UCI MTB World Cup to be held at Cascades in Pietermaritzburg on 17th and 18th March, the first three of these events, presented by Momentum Health, will be held on courses designed by Nic Floros from KZN, who already designs many of the country’s top marathon and cross-country tracks. Competitors are guaranteed challenging trails to test the technical aspect of the race, whilst providing the enjoyment factor on Nic’s signature flowing trails.

 

KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA - 23 April 2011 - South African National Champion Burry Stander during the Elite men's XCO race at the UCI MTB World Cup at Cascades in Pietermaritzburg, RSA © Mylene Loumeau

 

Given the UCI status of these events, KZN is bound to attract a number of riders from other provinces, as well as an international field, especially since UCI points will be on offer for the Junior, U23 and Elite racing categories. Many international mountain bikers will be in South Africa in preparation for the Absa Cape Epic, while others will want to come out early and get a taste of local conditions in preparation for the first 2012 UCI MTB World Cup event.

 

The KZN events will be held at Giba Gorge Mountain Bike Park on 18th February, Karkloof on 3rd March and the Cascades track on 10th March 2012. All of these events are within 100km of each other so visitors wanting to stay would do well to look for accommodation in Pietermaritzburg, which is more or less the central location.

 

KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA - 23 April 2011 - Andrew Watson of the Canadian National MTB Team has a clear line after exiting the rock garden during the Elite men's XCO race at the UCI MTB World Cup at Cascades in Pietermaritzburg, RSA © Mylene Loumeau

 

The events will be organised and managed by KZN MTB Commission and all details will be published shortly on their website: www.kznmtb.co.za.

 

Online entries will open on ROAG (www.roag.co.za) on 5th December 2011. For more information, please email info@kznmtb.co.za.

 

KZN UCI-Cat 2 events – 2012 (as per the UCI Calendar)

• 19.02 KZN XCO Provincial #1 Presented by Momentum Health – Giba Gorge
• 04.03 KZN XCO Provincial #2 Presented by Momentum Health – Karkloof
• 11.03 KZN XCO Provincial #3 Presented by Momentum Health – Cascades
• 18.03 UCI MTB World Cup XCO/DH - Cascades (shown for relevance here)