Durbie Dash 2021

[bleedToWin]

1 hour ago, Pure Savage said:

Having not ridden a race in a while, at some point I heard some moron in a souped up car behind group the shifting down a few gears and reving the arse off the black lexus and hooting. I had flashbacks to being run over by a car, turns out it was the CSA commissionaire. 

Then there was the support cars trying to pass groups on the final climb when it was splitting up, what were you going to do if your rider gets a puncture in the last 2km? 

Anyway, besides that, was lekker riding again.

You guys had decent numbers in $... ????

[Sid the Sloth]

28 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

You guys had decent numbers in $... ????

You can count me in the numbers too because I had the casquette... Right @Pure Savage??

[Pure Savage]

29 minutes ago, Sid the Sloth said:

You can count me in the numbers too because I had the casquette... Right @Pure Savage??

Depends if you are getting kakked out or not...

[Pure Savage]

59 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

You guys had decent numbers in $... ????

Time to start racing again and time to start getting a little fitter.

[bleedToWin]

Team VanDM Music race report:
JB, Louis and Wilco set out with a plan. We wanted a guy in the break of the day. And we wanted to make the break!

Louis started early, followed 3 or 4 attacks that came back. Then he went solo! JB set false tempo and Louis got out hoping that someone would bridge. If the front group grew in size, Wilco would jump the bridge and we would have 2 guys in the break. The peloton brought Louis close and the bridge attempt that went would not get separation and simply brought Louis back.

Wilco launched solo after some trying crosswinds just after the halfway mark. The bunch was tiring, and he stayed out there for 13min. This time Louis jumped on the bridge attempts and offered no help. Eventually the peloton brought Wilco back too.

JB followed some huge moves too! But it seemed like the peloton just wasn’t going to let a break get out and away for the day. The combination was just not right unfortunately.

The peloton settled and a very late move went the distance. We ticked 8/10 boxes. Breakaways are not predictable, we cannot decide who goes and when. This is what makes racing so epic! We tried, it didn’t work. We cannot control how other people race. Decisions get made in the moment.

Massive congrats to Hatherly, Trotzky and Van der Bank for rounding out the podium. Great race!

We rolled in 22nd position, matches burned, fires lit and happy with a great race!

Killarney next, and then the 100miler next weekend ????????

Cheers everyone

[ChrisF]

Question to those with more experience of this event -

 

Why did the distances of the MTB route get "fuzzy" ?  Were the turns badly marked ?  Marchalls ?

[Skubarra]

59 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

Question to those with more experience of this event -

 

Why did the distances of the MTB route get "fuzzy" ?  Were the turns badly marked ?  Marchalls ?

It appears that the marshal at the route split was not briefed properly, not sure about the signage. Very unfortunate mistake from the organisers (expected more outrage on social media... ), type of thing that can really hurt an events reputation. I hope they make the effort to improve next year.

Also thought the 25km route was far too difficult for the distance (basically did the Hillcrest mast climb twice, once from each side). Maybe the traverse and a bit of Bloemendal or Hillcrest would be a better option, although I understand that the organisers are at the mercy of what trails Tygerberg club allow them on for the day.

[ChrisF]

54 minutes ago, Skubarra said:

It appears that the marshal at the route split was not briefed properly, not sure about the signage. Very unfortunate mistake from the organisers (expected more outrage on social media... ), type of thing that can really hurt an events reputation. I hope they make the effort to improve next year.

Also thought the 25km route was far too difficult for the distance (basically did the Hillcrest mast climb twice, once from each side). Maybe the traverse and a bit of Bloemendal or Hillcrest would be a better option, although I understand that the organisers are at the mercy of what trails Tygerberg club allow them on for the day.

Thank you.

 

Jip, sadly marchalls do get sometimes get it wrong.  And sometimes just a missing board ..... Clearer boards at "route splits" could possibly be something to consider.

 

I recall the WHOLE shortroute group getting horribly lost in Elgin in 2018 ..... We were 7km into a 13km ride when I realised we were still heading out, and have not turned back.  Couple of families with small kids in the group .... some turned back, we forged on and did a longer route with a lot of climbing.  A year earlier and Maritz would have come unstuck with all the extras (he actually did walk a couple of the climbs, but was a sport about it)

 

Noting how many families often do the 20 km type routes, it helps if it is a bit easier for the younger ones - or advertised like the Fine Breede 30km as having LOTS of climbing.

 

 

That said, sounds like a LEKKA day out, and we certainly will try to enter for 2022.

[Spike Milligan]

On 10/16/2021 at 6:47 PM, Rapunzel said:

Msrshal on 60km mtb sent front half of the field in wrong direction and ended up going up the finishing climb and were stopped by Patrick and race organiser at Bloemendal restaurant (was wondering why the drastic route change). Rejoined race via Hillcrest ending up on 73km with serios mojo issues going up the mast a 2nd time.

I reached out to the organisers last week to ask about the coordinates. Was told that they cannot share as it is on private land. Thought it a bit strange, but could understand the logic. Saturday morning, about 12 of us broke away early and within first 5kms, guys that were behind us all of a sudden appeared in front so there was some confusion about the route from the get go. Front two guys sped away, and the rest stuck together until about 20kms when we realised we going to head down into Bloemendaler which was completely opposite way as initial route description. As Sidmouth pointed out, we were suppose to have continued straight at WP2. The Marshall however without a whim of doubt directed us the opposite way. We realised its a lost cause and headed down towards Tygervalley road only to then run into the 45kms riders heading up. What a mess. Took Tygervalley Road back to the school for a cool 27km ride. 

Human error happens so not a train smash. Situation was however a bit disappointing - it was the first race in a while, was an official seeding event, cost R310. Race Office was very nice about it (not their fault), but Racetec officials were their unfriendly self when asked how the situation will be handled as we did not want to compromise seeding. Race Office said that maybe they should have shared the coordinates. Organisers posted results later on Saturday without any word about mix-up. Sadly, this is not the first time there has been confusion on the route for this event. Beautiful ride, stunning trails, but organisation can improve.  

[Spike Milligan]

1 hour ago, Skubarra said:

It appears that the marshal at the route split was not briefed properly, not sure about the signage. Very unfortunate mistake from the organisers (expected more outrage on social media... ), type of thing that can really hurt an events reputation. I hope they make the effort to improve next year.

Also thought the 25km route was far too difficult for the distance (basically did the Hillcrest mast climb twice, once from each side). Maybe the traverse and a bit of Bloemendal or Hillcrest would be a better option, although I understand that the organisers are at the mercy of what trails Tygerberg club allow them on for the day.

Skubarra, think that is what dissapointed me most - that many who was frustrated about mix-up did not comment on FB as we expected organisers to maybe just own up and say look sorry our bad. But nothing. Another element that also contributes is the use of parents and volunteers as marhsalls. Selfless dedication and kudos to them, but they dont know the routes so they just stand and wave the flag like a good EPWP worker should. 

[ChrisF]

35 minutes ago, Spike Milligan said:

..... Sadly, this is not the first time there has been confusion on the route for this event. Beautiful ride, stunning trails, but organisation can improve.