Cycling action at Gauteng Spur School MTB League final

[News bot]

Following an action packed 2014 season, fierce competition and exciting racing is expected at the Gauteng finals of the Anatomic Spur MTB Series to be hosted at FH Odendaal High School in Pretoria this Saturday, 20 September.

 

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[Mylolylo]

All three school boys in the foreground of the pic are on 100k Epics....wish my dad had bought me one of those in school! haha

[Hilton.]

I had the same thought looking at that picture. Wonder if competitiveness is taken too far in this school context? That's a lot of moolah for that age.

[LONE TWO]

The fact all 3 are wearing the same spez shoes and socks and have spez helmets, maybe a LBS gave them a deal haha

[TDK]

Sjoe, was going to say the same thing, a lot of pricey kit for that age

[Gandalf]

I think spez have sponsored a few young guys. I have seen a bunch of young blokes at races with head to toe spez clothing and bikes. 

[Swift01]

Those 3 guys are part of the LCB Racing Team, not Spez sponsored. All young guys at school. The guy in the blue/yellow chatting instead of racing my nephew started 22nd in that race and was already up to the front after the first corner. And NO uncle did not buy the bike for him... I can't even afford those shoe laces :-( Those guys train damn hard. way more dedicated than me.

[Gandalf]

Its good to see them putting in an effort with the younger guys and build them up. Creating a future for SA MTB'ing.

[WrightJnr]

Don't get distracted by the shiny equipment. There will always be parents trying to live their dreams through their kids. It never lasts, you cannot buy talent. I'm not saying every kid on a 100k bike doesn't work hard but most come crashing to earth pretty hard, then you find the bikes in the classifieds and the kid hates the sport, that's sad. Unfortunately there is no way to control it. In so many sports I have seen them come, factory looking and bling' ed out. Unfortunately I also saw them go.

[Dirkitech]

wow, talk about overkill. should be in school learning about metals not riding on a bike so expensive that the kid doesn't have any comprehension of how it got from point a, atoms to point b, a 100k epic. whatever

[Swift01]

These kids work hard at school, but instead of doing sports like rugby or soccer at school they train for MTB (Lucky the school sees it as a sport). LCB racing works like a normal Pro team. It is not parents buying their kids fancy bikes/gear. You have to earn your place in the team and keep earning it to stay in the team. No results and your out. They get the bikes on race weekends and hand them back afterwards. They belong to the team owner. LCB Racing was created to help young guys/girls develop and grow in the sport. For a change it is to see a private company sponsoring the youth. They train damn hard, and there is some extremely talented kids in the team.  Instead of my nephew hitting the pubs (yes he is just legal) he is training on weekends or racing. Same goes for the rest of the team members. Just keep an eye out on the podiums at races in NW and Gauteng mostly (marathon and XCO) and I bet you will start seeing a lot more LCB guys/girls. PS I don't own the team and even if my nephew was not in it I would support it.

[rouxtjie]

These kids work hard at school, but instead of doing sports like rugby or soccer at school they train for MTB (Lucky the school sees it as a sport). LCB racing works like a normal Pro team. It is not parents buying their kids fancy bikes/gear. You have to earn your place in the team and keep earning it to stay in the team. No results and your out. They get the bikes on race weekends and hand them back afterwards. They belong to the team owner. LCB Racing was created to help young guys/girls develop and grow in the sport. For a change it is to see a private company sponsoring the youth. They train damn hard, and there is some extremely talented kids in the team.  Instead of my nephew hitting the pubs (yes he is just legal) he is training on weekends or racing. Same goes for the rest of the team members. Just keep an eye out on the podiums at races in NW and Gauteng mostly (marathon and XCO) and I bet you will start seeing a lot more LCB guys/girls. PS I don't own the team and even if my nephew was not in it I would support it.

Good post gords...and totally agree. I say screw the local pro scene and lets chuck all the money behind the young guns.

[Swift01]

Yeah just don't ride with the young guns. Make you look like 90yrs old the way they ride their bikes.....

[rouxtjie]

Yeah just don't ride with the young guns. Make you look like 90yrs old the way they ride their bikes.....

You forgot...on one wheel. Hell those laaities are pocket rockets

 

If I was a potential sponsor, I would chuck all my money behind these laaities. Give them the best kit / training tools / coaches / nutrition / race exposure I can. That will set them up to get some proper international contracts and become proper mtb superstars ie podium contenders at XCO / XCM / DH worldcup events

[Hennie VR]

These kids work hard at school, but instead of doing sports like rugby or soccer at school they train for MTB (Lucky the school sees it as a sport). LCB racing works like a normal Pro team. It is not parents buying their kids fancy bikes/gear. You have to earn your place in the team and keep earning it to stay in the team. No results and your out. They get the bikes on race weekends and hand them back afterwards. They belong to the team owner. LCB Racing was created to help young guys/girls develop and grow in the sport. For a change it is to see a private company sponsoring the youth. They train damn hard, and there is some extremely talented kids in the team.  Instead of my nephew hitting the pubs (yes he is just legal) he is training on weekends or racing. Same goes for the rest of the team members. Just keep an eye out on the podiums at races in NW and Gauteng mostly (marathon and XCO) and I bet you will start seeing a lot more LCB guys/girls. PS I don't own the team and even if my nephew was not in it I would support it.

 

Jealousy makes us nasty!

Damm I'm even jealous of their cool baggy pants

 

Many great opportunities for young riders these days......great to see people recognise talent and are willing to spend money on developing it.

Edited September 19, 2014 by Hennie VR

[Swift01]

I know a lot of the sponsors won't even look at the kids while they are still at school, so this is a great chance for them. In order to get some sort of recognition they ride things like the SA Champs, African Champs etc. Cost a lot of money to travel around the country.

If they are not out training on weekends they are down at the jump bike park they built themselves in Harties. You would be shocked what they built. table tops and all. Beats play station for sure, although some of the video's posted by my nephew must give his parents grey hairs..... Jump bikes are tough machines that's all I can say.