Ok let's hear it vangaalens,laps experiences,gossip??

[Thug]

Anybody know if the guy that went down on the the first river crossing is ok?

 

He was pretty badly in shock and bleeding quite a bit when we passed the scene.

 

Big up to the riders helping him as for the paramedics that did their best to get to him quickly.

 

From what I gather, the guy will need some dental work as he lost a tooth or two.

[DIPSLICK]

 

 

From what I gather, the guy will need some dental work as he lost a tooth or two.

I heard broken jaw, missing lots of skin, on his front ( chest and arms.) that's what I heard

[MONS]

We had 2 Singlespeed teams entered. The one did 39 laps (the race snakes) and our team managed 37 laps.

 

An awesome course that suited our bikes perfectly.

 

Well done to those Hubbers that rode solo; Mons, Sir M and Slick! (Apologies if I left anyone out)

 

2 major complaints which we viewed in a serious light and which could impact on our entering next year, viz

 

- Very little catering.We were told that there would be plenty of food so we only brought snacks. There was 1 guy there making boerewors rolls and he wasn't aware that he had to be there for 24 hours. What about someone selling bacon and egg rolls in the morning? Someone would have made a fortune. Plenty of riders went into town to go and buy supper.

 

- No coffee station at all! Seriously, it's a 24hr race for heavens sake!

 

It seems to me that the organisers are only in it to make money and not look after the riders at all!!

The catering was definitely an issue - also only brought some snax as was expecting food (and even the possiblity of a nice serving of potjie or something - would have gladly have bought a dinner ticket.) to be available. NO coffee? Eish. -There went one fix. You SS guys ROCKED! WELL done! PS - did the naked race actually happen?

[DIPSLICK]

We had 2 Singlespeed teams entered. The one did 39 laps (the race snakes) and our team managed 37 laps.

 

An awesome course that suited our bikes perfectly.

 

Well done to those Hubbers that rode solo; Mons, Sir M and Slick! (Apologies if I left anyone out)

 

2 major complaints which we viewed in a serious light and which could impact on our entering next year, viz

The catering issue was very weird to me,, you got a full coffee shop with staff and beer and coffee and you decide!! Let's not make buckets of cash let's close??

We were booked into a b + b but decided we would stay there rather last min, thinking well we would get food ice coffee there......

 

 

 

- Very little catering.We were told that there would be plenty of food so we only brought snacks. There was 1 guy there making boerewors rolls and he wasn't aware that he had to be there for 24 hours. What about someone selling bacon and egg rolls in the morning? Someone would have made a fortune. Plenty of riders went into town to go and buy supper.

 

- No coffee station at all! Seriously, it's a 24hr race for heavens sake!

 

It seems to me that the organisers are only in it to make money and not look after the riders at all!!

[DIPSLICK]

So apparently my twenty hours of hard work was allll for nothing, cause it's my babas birthday and I left at nine so I " did not finish" funny my ass feels finished

[Pieter1]

The catering was definitely an issue - also only brought some snax as was expecting food (and even the possiblity of a nice serving of potjie or something - would have gladly have bought a dinner ticket.) to be available. NO coffee? Eish. -There went one fix. You SS guys ROCKED! WELL done! PS - did the naked race actually happen?

And mabey some more ablusions for ladies around the camp sites. We braaied and scottled so food was cool. They never anounced it, we were planing to do it but we were totally spent.

[MONS]

So apparently my twenty hours of hard work was allll for nothing, cause it's my babas birthday and I left at nine so I " did not finish" funny my ass feels finished

Also left early - that qualifies as a DNF?

[DIPSLICK]

Also left early - that qualifies as a DNF?

I got 20 laps and a DNF the rules say you must do the first and last lap,,oh well I know I done my twenty, and spent the day with my little monster

[Thug]

I heard broken jaw, missing lots of skin, on his front ( chest and arms.) that's what I heard

 

One of guys we had lunch with on our way home is mates with the dude that used that bridge as a cheese grater and only mentioned the teeth, not the jaw.

[MONS]

I got 20 laps and a DNF the rules say you must do the first and last lap,,oh well I know I done my twenty, and spent the day with my little monster

Well... then it does not matter! Well done for the 20!!

[DIPSLICK]

Ja the cheese grater is what I heard from the people sitting at the bottom of the bridge

[DIPSLICK]

Also saw another wasted dude fall and get some stitches on the chin apparently first time on bike (at about 11) brandewyn het nie brieke

[wild west mounties]

Everyone knows van Gaalens is a hard, break your bike type of route! But our families came to enjoy have fun with kids (great play areas) as we have many times in the past, and to compete! But unfortunately it came down to an announcer who swore the whole time, and didnt have time of day for kids . A beer competition was held, and bottels broken, and left on grass, which we had to cover by night to get to the toilet facilities. Someone could have gotten seriously hurt. As being competitive, the prize money for a team of 5-8 was a mere R1000, where entry was more than R2000 per team? Only the first of a category was acknowledged (which i think was about 5 categories). The second open team (8) was only high school kids riding their hearts out for no acknowledgement! This type of races hurts the spirits of our youth! And where did the entries fee's go to? Understand if stated (for charity from the beginning) but letting kids ride there hearts out for nothing? Is that the way to go? We did appreciate all the work of the undercover people, and organizing and Van Gaalens though!

[DIPSLICK]

Well... then it does not matter! Well done for the 20!!

Thanks

[DR ◣◢]

Great race and even greater course. Eric did a fantastic job patching up the course as we went along.

 

I finished 150km down as planned. Managed to cut my left arm from elbow to wrist landing on a concrete block after losing some talent in the switchback about 100m from the finish. Also cut by left calve about 10cm long landing a bit off line after the wooden table top on the course. 3 crashes in total.

 

Spend the first 5 laps on the SS. Rigid forks are not for me. Ouch. Arms are killing me today. Rest was done on the trail bike.

 

Took enough food with so the catering didnt bother me. However the organizers did promise to have lots on sale which is not cool. Coffee was supplied by Skandalis' lovely girlfriend. Thanks again for that.

 

My one complaint was the guy with his torch trying to help guys cross the last bridge over the river. He manages to get me right in the eyes going down. Not cool. Made sure the next lap he kept his light in check.

 

Big thanks to all the marshals on the course doing their best despite the cold and wet night. The words of encouragement and friendly faces made for great motivation to keep going.

 

Great job to everybody who came out to enjoy the best form or racing you could possibly do.

[Nettie R]

. As being competitive, the prize money for a team of 5-8 was a mere R1000, where entry was more than R2000 per team? Only the first of a category was acknowledged (which i think was about 5 categories). The second open team (8) was only high school kids riding their hearts out for no acknowledgement! This type of races hurts the spirits of our youth! And where did the entries fee's go to?

Same organiser and his small prizes, different year. The lack of a coffee station is a deal breaker.

Apparently they also removed the complimentary drinks for riders halfway through the event.

Kind of makes the choice of which 24 hour event to support, so easy.

Edited December 2, 2012 by Fester