[Event] Momentum Health Attakwas MTB, Presented By Biogen

[Skubarra]

always heard of the "technical climbs" of this race... are they early on? 

 

would starting in a lower seeding group make a massive difference to your ride?

 

The first nasty technical climb is just after 30km (and 99% of people walk at least half of it anyway) but it only gets more technical about 50km in after the second waterpoint.

 

Re the starting group for some reason I always get terrible Atta seedings and spend the first 3 hours of the race passing slowing riders until I get to people that are more or less my pace which is always frustrating but on the jeep track/ district roads of the first 50km there are always opportunities to pass.

 

imo the most common mistake made by most riders (myself included every.single.time) is that we start too fast and then crash & burn on the last 30km - so maybe a slower group might help for that if you are patient enough 

[Blokman]

From a not too skilled rider right at the back.

After WP 2 , you get the KOM gazebo and then a few rocky sections and some loose rocks on the descents.

Somewhere in this section a path of smallish round rocks that suddenly curves left. Can overdo it on the turn.

Just before WP 3 a steep downhill rocky section. The better okes just barrel down. I go slow choose my rocks choose my line. (That's what I tell myself anyway.)

Just after WP 4 . A section of cattle path , steep down and narrow .

Just before WP 5 a steep downhill with turns. Some ruts from rain running at angles across. I'm careful here.

Right at the end, a short steep downhill before you turn into Pine Creek. You've kept it together for 120.50 kms. Don't lose it here.

Overall  It's not too technical. But the climbs, oh the climbs . After WP 3, it never ends.

 

This is more of a talk to myself . The sections that worry me. Don't you worry too much , you will be all right.

 

Edit: Babse ,read your post again. The climbs up to WP 3 are gnarly and hard , but not really technical. Backmarkers push up them anyway. From WP 3 onwards they are on good roads but steep.

Edited January 10, 2019 by Blokman

[babse]

Exactly what I wanted to hear @skubarra and @copperhead

 

Lower seeding sounds like a winner then

????????????

[milky4130]

Exactly what I wanted to hear @skubarra and @copperhead

 

Lower seeding sounds like a winner then

 

Not necessarily, you are a racing snake so how are you going to stop yourself from racing from the back & blow up later. My advise is Start in A & use the bunch in the open roads in the beginning but let them go on the climbs, this you could actually do for the entire race. It also gives you more guys to latch on to as they catch you as oppose to starting at the back & having less guys to draft with in the latter half the race where you'll need them for that nasty headwind home.

[Blokman]

Eish . Advice to myself . Don't try to give advice to racing snakes.

May you all have a good , safe , lekker race.

Edited January 10, 2019 by Blokman

[Meezo]

Not necessarily, you are a racing snake so how are you going to stop yourself from racing from the back & blow up later. My advise is Start in A & use the bunch in the open roads in the beginning but let them go on the climbs, this you could actually do for the entire race. It also gives you more guys to latch on to as they catch you as oppose to starting at the back & having less guys to draft with in the latter half the race where you'll need them for that nasty headwind home.

 

wheelsuck

[milky4130]

wheelsuck

 

[Meezo]

 

your inner roadie is hard to hide

[milky4130]

your inner roadie is hard to hide

there is no "inner roadie" I ride Road & MTB = Equally 

[JJBoth]

My 1st as well, scared as hell, just hope to finish, gonna be a looong day on the bike. #SurviveAttakwas

[babse]

Not necessarily, you are a racing snake so how are you going to stop yourself from racing from the back & blow up later. My advise is Start in A & use the bunch in the open roads in the beginning but let them go on the climbs, this you could actually do for the entire race. It also gives you more guys to latch on to as they catch you as oppose to starting at the back & having less guys to draft with in the latter half the race where you'll need them for that nasty headwind home.

Seeded C, I'm sure there'll be many a faster folk to enjoy the ride with.

[Zatopek]

Eish . Advice to myself . Don't try to give advice to racing snakes.

May you all have a good , safe , lekker race.

We are not all racing snakes... sounds like perfectly fine advice 

 

See you @ the start Blokman

[Hilton.]

Also my first, also C. Just really want to finish, and enjoy the route. Planning to take a few mins breaks at the waterpoints, help others where I can. But the hardest part will be repeating to myself and believing that this isn't a race, its survival.

[milky4130]

Seeded C, I'm sure there'll be many a faster folk to enjoy the ride with.

Ok then there should be no problem then, I'm surprised you are seeded C though, should be in A.

SAS has been known to get things wrongs though? Or its just because its your 1st attempt.

[Skubarra]

Ok then there should be no problem then, I'm surprised you are seeded C though, should be in A.

SAS has been known to get things wrongs though? Or its just because its your 1st attempt.

 

It's because SAS is useless. Very inconsistent in how they calculate their seedings

[Carmichael]

Getting to the Spur waterpoint is ok - DO NOT EAT A SPUR BURGER - ( you will give it back again a few km later) The gravel road home after spur point is a total different animal, no matter what I do i always suffer there. I only get my 2nd breath about 10km from the end.