[Event] Cape Town Cycle Tour MTB Challenge 2016

[HenryS]

Loved it. Much slower than yesterday but still a great ride. Glad I got my 42t cassette fitted because I suffered with my 36t last year.

I wished for a 42 today. I've got a 1x10 setup 32x40/11. Sheesh, but I suffered! Still, I beat my previous time by 19 minutes.

[Nick]

I really enjoyed this race. Nice vibe amongst the riders and an enjoyable route.

 

Dirtopia's trail crew appear to have put in some elbow grease to get the trails up and running for this and the Fairtree event after the fires. Not much they could do about the dust though.

[HenryS]

It was a real pity to see the bush tunnel destroyed. My PR there seems a bit unfair because I could see the whole trail.

[Rouxenator]

I wished for a 42 today. I've got a 1x10 setup 32x40/11. Sheesh, but I suffered! Still, I beat my previous time by 19 minutes.

I rode with 32x42/11 instead of last years 32x36/11 and improved 32 minutes. The fact that I had a flat last year (non-tubeless back then) does make a difference.

 

Pics are up for Saturday on Jetline's site. 

[Wannabe]

Results are up.

[Bernard Horn]

Respect to all involved, had a tough time but enjoyed.Note to myself -ride more single track!!!!!!!!!!!

[Oufy MTB (Roadie)]

dust battered me,almost rode into a tree stump in the middle of single track, luckily I saw it in time.

 

but what a great race, nice vibe, thorns in the end, lovely tracks and the watermelon was yummy.

 

well done to the organisers, will be back again next year. But I will put in some training next time to get it under the 3hr mark.

[Aaron_B]

Well marked. Great route. Despite the plethora of timing mats there was still some cheating ( or perhaps general confusion but I think it's more a case of the former as it was well marked). People I passed on climbs somehow finished in front of me. That said I'm happy with a top 50.

[Wannabe]

Not much to complain about, the route was as good as can be expected after the recent fires. Meurant and his team did their utmost to make it a fairly pleasureable experience.

Did see three guy tumble off the trail and down the mountainside on that long winding climb that was complete devout of any trees, only the ash and burned stumps remaining. Hope they are OK, there was people helping them up the mountainside, so I just carried on past, did not want to become part of the bottleneck. 

 

Only one minor gripe / rant.

Only water / coke at the first two waterpoints, nothing to eat. Thereafter it was only Watermelon (and it was nice and cold) and Bananas, nothing else. There was however plenty coke and water, no problem with that.

Reason I'm complaining about this is that I never take food with for this kind of Mtb race. There is just no time to eat on the bike, and I deem it too dangerous to even try. As a result I rely on the waterpoints to stock up on the energy levels. Almost all Mtb races do have solids to eat at the waterpoints, and a person would think for a race of this stature the waterpoints would provide food as well.

 

I also tend to agree with Aaron-B about some guys possible cheating / taking shortcuts, if you look at some of the posted times from the later bunches.

 

Other than that, a really good experience

[Thermophage]

Wow...route was nice but man there needs to be WAY WAY WAY better level of technical riding out there. 

It seems like most people are used to riding flat hard-packed gravel road. It gets to the ST and people were generally pretty damn useless...Up on the dusty part and down

Overall it was a nice ride though, especially the super dusty berm just before crossing the tar at Delheim

Well done to the organisers/etc all seemed smooth...except the lack of a goodie bag of course 

[Epic Rookie]

To the guy that shouted something along the lines of "We're all suffering You BITCH" to my Wife as she went passed you on one of the climbs, I sincerely hope you were joking and perhaps hadn't had enough training and too many hamburgers and should have also perhaps opted for the shorter distance races.

She was doing the 40km on a Merida 26er and happens to be able to climb really well, I don't see the need to swear at her, even if you were joking perhaps use a better choice of words in future.

You are lucky I was stuck further back after helping a lady rider who crashed in front of me, would have liked to have a word with you personally.

Other than that, it was great fun.

Can't comment on the waterpoints, didn't use them and carried my own food.

[Carmichael]

How the hell did Pierre Ribbens do so good??

[raptor-22]

Short cut?

[raptor-22]

To the guy that shouted something along the lines of "We're all suffering You BITCH" to my Wife as she went passed you on one of the climbs, I sincerely hope you were joking and perhaps hadn't had enough training and too many hamburgers and should have also perhaps opted for the shorter distance races.

She was doing the 40km on a Merida 26er and happens to be able to climb really well, I don't see the need to swear at her, even if you were joking perhaps use a better choice of words in future.

You are lucky I was stuck further back after helping a lady rider who crashed in front of me, would have liked to have a word with you personally.

Other than that, it was great fun.

Can't comment on the waterpoints, didn't use them and carried my own food.

 

Ask your wife to post a description. Seems there's a few riders out there who need some lessons in addressing people respectfully

[Wannabe]

I was at a stage quite thankfull for the slower riders in the ST, gave me time to relax and recover a bit after starting with cramps from about the 35km mark. Could take it easier in the ST, and then gun it again on the open stretches and climbs. Made it home without too much of drama.   

[Lone_Ranger]

Great day out. Loved the high % of ST. My only problem was that my legs weren't strong enough. Time to upgrade, either 30t ring to replace 34, or wide range cassette. 11-36 ok for shorter tech stuff I normally do, not ok for longer rides. Or upgrade legs????.