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[Event] 2020 Imbuko Big Five MTB Challenge


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Thought it would be a good idea to test the climbing legs on Saturday past, and took my sorry ass just just to 2000m of elevation gain on the Tygerberg MTB trails, in 70 kms (which included a lovely 10 km road ride to and from the trails, which sadly will not be the case come next month)......

 

Boy of boy, did I suffer, felt okay'ish for two thirds of the ride, but the unease and discomort in the legs rapidly got momentum, and I was cramping over the last climb at Bloemendal.

 

Nothing like a little bomb-shock to the system to get you fired up, so still looking forward to Imbuko, but will handle it with care this time around. 

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Thought it would be a good idea to test the climbing legs on Saturday past, and took my sorry ass just just to 2000m of elevation gain on the Tygerberg MTB trails, in 70 kms (which included a lovely 10 km road ride to and from the trails, which sadly will not be the case come next month)......

 

Boy of boy, did I suffer, felt okay'ish for two thirds of the ride, but the unease and discomort in the legs rapidly got momentum, and I was cramping over the last climb at Bloemendal.

 

Nothing like a little bomb-shock to the system to get you fired up, so still looking forward to Imbuko, but will handle it with care this time around. 

Kudos, at least you can mentally prepare yourself for what is to come. Word on the street is since this is practically 80-90% of the Stage we can expect lots of local Cape Epic Riders to add the final touches to their preparations.

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I did more or less the first half of the race route on Saturday with some of the guys from Team First Move and Team MadMacs.. Damn those guys are fit! I can't keep up and we only did like 15-16kmh average! Also, I think my 36T up front is the wrong choice, in some steep spots I couldn't even turn the pedals. In the 30km I covered with them we had two big climbs with 1200m of vert ascend, and two lekker single track descends. Was quite a wake up call that I'm not nearly fit enough yet to race on this route!!

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I did more or less the first half of the race route on Saturday with some of the guys from Team First Move and Team MadMacs.. Damn those guys are fit! I can't keep up and we only did like 15-16kmh average! Also, I think my 36T up front is the wrong choice, in some steep spots I couldn't even turn the pedals. In the 30km I covered with them we had two big climbs with 1200m of vert ascend, and two lekker single track descends. Was quite a wake up call that I'm not nearly fit enough yet to race on this route!!

Nice we were out there on Sunday, also only rode 40kms. Yeah 30t or 32t would be better suited. You will have a massive sense of humor failure at 60kms-70kms with the climbs that you'll find there if you dont change that chainring for the day.

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Looks like we are going to have a Proper Pro Ladies field this year to match what we had last year where the entire Centurion Vaude Mens team took a clean sweep of the podium spots.

 

post-3951-0-61424000-1580374583_thumb.jpg

 

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Last year I crashed just before this climb (on previous descent) and I was not in a good place but tar climb helped me gather my thoughts at least. Aap D'huez is such an iconic section and for some reason the switchbacks just gets you into a leka rythm. Angles Tears is at least also in shade, later on in the race you do not have that luxury. 

"Ek al vergeet daar was n stukkie teerpad in die event. Ek was omtrent in n toestand toe ek daar kom maar ek moes maar aanhou trap want het so 20m gap gehad op Morne. Gelukkig het ek uitgehou tot die singletrack waar ek toe n lekker groot groep van so 10-15 ouens kon ophou op die hele Aap du hez klim" ~ Author Unknown  :ph34r:

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"Ek al vergeet daar was n stukkie teerpad in die event. Ek was omtrent in n toestand toe ek daar kom maar ek moes maar aanhou trap want het so 20m gap gehad op Morne. Gelukkig het ek uitgehou tot die singletrack waar ek toe n lekker groot groep van so 10-15 ouens kon ophou op die hele Aap du hez klim" ~ Author Unknown  :ph34r:

 

 I know who that is  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

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Not for a mountain goat like you. You'll excel in a race like this.

says he who will most likely be out of sight after the first descend  ;)

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Entered, I'll see you guys there... Going to be a big big day.

 

So Donny, are you gonna tell the okes here, how you kept me back on Lombards Tera last Sunday ? 

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