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Megavalanche / Mountain of hell


FUKNUK

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Good day Peeps

 

Don't know if this will be a new topic or not but I've always fancied the thought of doing 1 or both of these races. Anybody here ever attempted anyone of them. 

 

I did some downhill 9 years ago and had a injury at Groenkloof where i actually torn the muscles in my neck with my xc bike. Vary close call and i'm so happy i didn't break it.

I'm 35 now and started again with some enduro,trail riding and hopefully i can build myself up to do one of these.

 

Any advice on training, Tracks i can go to that's not so flat? If you had done one of these races please share your experience,costs,etc with us.

 

Cheers

 

PTA - Centurion

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The Go pro videos don't do justice to how steep that stuff is.

 

Go spend a few weeks in a EURO bike park and then go the next year. That's my advice.

yeah i'm fully aware of that but i still want to do it. Thanks for the advice.

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Good day Peeps

 

Don't know if this will be a new topic or not but I've always fancied the thought of doing 1 or both of these races. Anybody here ever attempted anyone of them. 

 

I did some downhill 9 years ago and had a injury at Groenkloof where i actually torn the muscles in my neck with my xc bike. Vary close call and i'm so happy i didn't break it.

I'm 35 now and started again with some enduro,trail riding and hopefully i can build myself up to do one of these.

 

Any advice on training, Tracks i can go to that's not so flat? If you had done one of these races please share your experience,costs,etc with us.

 

Cheers

 

PTA - Centurion

Training....pppffffttt...ain't nothing gonna prepare you for that run...my advice, if you don't qualify for the front row and just pedal down that ice like a mad man possessed, then break out the sarmies when the race starts, let the medics clear the mid-pack carnage at the bottom of the first hill and wait till they clear away the broken bikes, then get on yer bike and enjoy the day! At least this way you will have a good chance of finishing!

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Training....pppffffttt...ain't nothing gonna prepare you for that run...my advice, if you don't qualify for the front row and just pedal down that ice like a mad man possessed, then break out the sarmies when the race starts, let the medics clear the mid-pack carnage at the bottom of the first hill and wait till they clear away the broken bikes, then get on yer bike and enjoy the day! At least this way you will have a good chance of finishing!

Lol, that's also good advice. I don't want to win it, i only want to Finish it.

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Those Reunion trails are nuts... some of them go from 2700m to sea level through all sorts of terrain. From bare volcanic rock to indigenous forest to pine plantations to sugar cane fields then BLAM you're at the sea...

 

Unfortunately 90% of the sea is closed due to massive sharks and a spate of attacks, but we got a wave at st leu and the resort side has a few km of open sea behind a reef, much like Mauritius.

 

The Hiking is spectacular. I mean truly spectacular. Having raced/hiked/explored all over the world, I would suggest it is up there with the best.

 

It's got amazing versatility for such a small island.

 

But ja, the riding is fantastic.

 

Speak to Darol Howes, one of the Lesotho Sky directors. He has done Megavalanche a few times

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@ the OP.

 

In all seriousness. I know there are companies that will sort everything out for you. Entry, accommodation, etc. I did do a little reaserch into it a while ago.

 

The event itself is a culmination of a whole week. There's a qualifying race that takes place the day before which defines which pen you start in.

 

And even if you don't qualify you still get to ride the event. You just don't do the mass start mayhem.

 

I'd go to a bike park close by for a week before to get your eye in and get accustomed to the type of riding. Then hook onto one of the sort everything out companies.

 

That's not the cheapest way of doing it but probably the most effective.

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Thanks for the reply. I did check the one out on reunion island and i think thats a awesome start before doing the one in the Alpe d'Huez. I am calculating also what this will cost me and i think ill definitely be able to do the one next year. I saw on the ucc website they have accommodation packages with flights incl. I never knew there was other ones, ive always thought the one in france is the only one. Wonder were i can get info on enduro, dh races in gauteng or in South Africa.

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Thanks for the reply. I did check the one out on reunion island and i think thats a awesome start before doing the one in the Alpe d'Huez. I am calculating also what this will cost me and i think ill definitely be able to do the one next year. I saw on the ucc website they have accommodation packages with flights incl. I never knew there was other ones, ive always thought the one in france is the only one. Wonder were i can get info on enduro, dh races in gauteng or in South Africa.

Best part of Reunion...free shots of local Rum at every bar you visit...

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Those Reunion trails are nuts... some of them go from 2700m to sea level through all sorts of terrain. From bare volcanic rock to indigenous forest to pine plantations to sugar cane fields then BLAM you're at the sea...

 

Unfortunately 90% of the sea is closed due to massive sharks and a spate of attacks, but we got a wave at st leu and the resort side has a few km of open sea behind a reef, much like Mauritius.

 

The Hiking is spectacular. I mean truly spectacular. Having raced/hiked/explored all over the world, I would suggest it is up there with the best.

 

It's got amazing versatility for such a small island.

 

But ja, the riding is fantastic.

 

Speak to Darol Howes, one of the Lesotho Sky directors. He has done Megavalanche a few times

You're like an enigma dude, are you Kingsley Holgate's rad grandson or something? Who are you and how old are you that you've done so much?

 

Not being funny at all, just seems like you've done a shitton and must evidently be a pretty interesting guy.

 

@OP I somehow doubt any place in GP or surrounding provinces will have anything even remotely similar to train on i.t.o. gnar, variety and technicality (disregarding the obvious massive elevation shortage). If you do find anything like this please share.

Edited by TyronLab
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You're like an enigma dude, are you Kingsley Holgate's rad grandson or something? Who are you and how old are you that you've done so much?

 

Not being funny at all, just seems like you've done a shitton and must evidently be a pretty interesting guy.

 

@OP I somehow doubt any place in GP or surrounding provinces will have anything even remotely similar to train on i.t.o. gnar, variety and technicality (disregarding the obvious massive elevation shortage). If you do find anything like this please share.

hahahahaha 

 

I'm not that old! I was in Reunion in 2018 for Adventure Racing world champs and we stayed on a bit.

 

I have made a point of doing rad stuff and my old job had me travelling all over the globe which allowed me to adventure and do rad stuffs.

 

I have toned it down with the arrival of dependents but still get out to do as much as I can. 

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