Attakwas 2022

[W@nted]

The women's race was blown apart early on already by the @visitoudtshoorn local @YolandeDV7. With @amymacmtb's withdrawal and @MariskeStrauss' mystery struggles the closest completion is offered by @Yolandi_duToit & @Se_Hill, but they were over 10 minutes back at the QOM Point.

[karma]

Waiting on war stories...

[warick_wrx]

2 minutes ago, karma said:

Waiting on war stories...

Apparently might be quite a few ! 

[karma]

Just now, warick_wrx said:

Apparently might be quite a few ! 

I know...throwing bait...

[babse]

Respect to the finishers... Conditions looked absolutely brutal. 

 

[Nick]

Race report from the organiser's press team 👇

 

[nathrix]

The eerie silence in here is deafening after todays atta...riders got fried out there 🥵

[Spafsack]

Beers said he felt like he was dying, that's scary. 

[Spafsack]

Everyone said it was the toughest Atta ever 😳

['Dale]

Average 35; Max 47

That’s some reports I’m getting

 

 

 

[LuckyLuke]

Yup, we didn't finish,  stopped at bonniedale, it was just too hot to continue,  it was 30 in the starting pen, max 48 in the kloof, no wind. People were laying next to the road not able to continue,  lots pulled out at waterpoint 1 and 2 and bonniedale was about 60, congrats to the finishers,  don't know how you did it

[Skubarra]

Was easily my toughest day on the bike ever. Started the day with plans of a sub-7. Was roughly on track till halfway through Attakwaskloof but started cramping on the steep climbs in the extreme heat then I knew there was trouble.

Leaving Bonnievale at 70km I literally had no energy or power in my legs. Every single climb I start off with a spin in granny gear, cramp then walk (apologies to the person earlier in the thread when i scoffed at the idea of training to walk climbs - Skubarra walked many miles today.) A number of times I parked myself under a tree for a few minutes just to feel human again, the strange thing is that in that 5 minutes maybe 3 or 4 riders would pass you, most others were doing the same thing.

Downed tons of fluids, but struggled to eat - later on I was even cramping on flat sections. Then its stop, wait for the cramps to pass then go again.

Eventually finished 1h30 slower than my previous time. Word at the finish was that around 50% of riders finished (I think cut-off was extended). If I had an easy opportunity I would have stopped my race and get into a sweeper bakkie.

Last tidbit-at one point spectators were handing out Coke, I declined because they were standing on a hill and I was worried I would not be able to get going again on the climb with my cramps 🙈. Just as I started feeling sorry for myself for not taking the Coke I saw a half drinked one lying on the ground. Stopped, picked it up and emptied it - thats how desperate my afternoon was.

[milky4130]

Eish the finish times of the Pro's are telling, the predicted time of 4:38 by Matthys Buekes didn't materialize as well as for that tailwind that was forecast.

For me personally when racing I've vowed to never touch coke again after experiencing the worse cramps I've ever endured in a race. Water or what ever electrolyte drink is being sponsored on the day.

[babse]

Yoh sounds rof ekse...

 

Covid 3weeks ago now seems like a blessing 🤭

['Dale]

Sounds like the You See Eye's Extreme Weather Protocol could've been applied. 

Take of your health and rest up well, Julle.

@Skubarrataking drinks from half empty cups about defines the Hell.

[Blokman]

In Afrikaans there's a saying "Hy het sy Moses teegekom."  Attempt no 5 ended at WP 2. I went about a km up the climb and knew that I was going to get stuck in no man's land. I turned around. 

My only consolation was that I waited for my lift with some multiple Epic finishers and guys who completed the Atta in August and were fit and ready for this one.

A friend joked that his palmares will one day say 4 Epics and no Atta.

All who finished yesterday deserves the biggest respect . Well done.