Mountain Bike World Cup
Text: Ben Melt Swanepoel. Photos: Darren Goddard – cycho.co.za. Article from the June/July 2012 of DO IT NOW Magazine.
In this issue’s column there could only be one topic to write about, yip you guessed it – opening round of the Rocky Road 2012 Mountain Bike World Cup, hosted in our very own Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu-Natal.
It is the third time a World Cup event has graced our shores, our past successes prompting the UCI to nominate South Africa as the venue for the Mountain Bike World Championships in 2013 – an event second in stature only to the Olympics.
With our new standing as 2013 World Championship hosts, provision had to be made for both cross country and downhill events. This might sound easy enough, but finding a locale that can cater for both the endurance (XC – Cross Country) and gravity (DH – Downhill) races, as well as host the expected massive crowds and all the required amenities is a considerable challenge. Pietermaritzburg has always been one of the few stops on the World Cup circuit with the capacity to host both events, and having once again witnessed what the organisers are capable of, I’m confident that next year’s World Champs will be a huge success.
In many ways the World Cup started a week earlier than advertised, as the Momentum Health Cross Country International XC Series Race was staged on the same course at Cascades Park one week before the main event was set to take place. This offered riders an opportunity to test their legs and skills on the very course they would be racing on for World Cup glory a week later. This dress rehearsal was too good an opportunity to miss and many international riders arrived in Pietermaritzburg early, to make use of it. No doubt the perfect South African weather also influenced their decision as it made training a lot easier than it would be back in an early Northern Hemisphere spring.
For Marc Bassingthwaighte the World Cup represented ‘THE’ early season goal and a chance to compare his progress to an elite international field. His training had been specifically geared around these two weeks and he was determined to make the most of it. Despite a head cold and some sinus issues in the weeks leading up to the event, he was raring to go when the crucial period finally arrived.
The Momentum race, held on the same course the previous weekend, had proved to Marc that he was back to full strength and his technical skills were more than adequate to handle the challenges presented by the Cascades course. That was saying a lot as the course is rated as one of the most technical tracks on the World Cup circuit. Several riders crashed badly in the week leading up to the race resulting in some broken bones, a few trips to hospital and some much divided opinion about the technical nature of the course. None of this seemed to bother Marc and all he needed now was a good start!
Personally, the 2012 World Cup would be the final chapter for me in experiencing this event from all angles. In 2009 broke my elbow, which meant I could only be a spectator at the first-ever running of a World Cup event on African soil. And spectate I did! I had a great time watching the world’s best duel it out on a home-grown course I knew well and had raced on several times.
Last year I was fit and ready to race and even though I started at the back and got lapped (despite giving it 200%), I had an absolute ball racing at world-class level in front of a fiercely partisan local crowd. I think I rode with a smile for the whole hour and 15 minutes that my race lasted.
This year I was to be back up crew for Marc, handing him bottles in the feed zone and having some spares ready should he require technical assistance during the race. In all honesty it was probably the least amount of fun you could have at a race, as you have the same (or probably more!) nerves as the athletes you are supporting, but none of the action to get rid of your nervous energy. What made it worthwhile though was supporting a good friend in his quest for a stellar result. Knowing how much it meant to Marc and that I had a role to play in his success was extremely gratifying and intimidating at the same time.
Nino Schurter of the Scott Swisspower Team won the Men’s race a few seconds ahead of local lad Burry Stander (Specialized), who had the home crowd in a frenzy with his hard-fought second place. Marc had a pretty decent start and moved up a few positions by the time he flew past the feed zone for the first time. Unfortunately his body didn’t play along and in his own words his glutes (gluteus maximus muscles) locked up and left him at half power – not something you can afford when racing the cream of the crop. He didn’t give up though and kept on racing for a valiant 91st place. To put it into perspective, there were 117 starters on the line, which included 21 national champions and the current World Cup and World Champions. He was obviously disappointed because he wanted to do better and knew he didn’t race to his full potential, but that’s racing. Unfortunately if you have a bad day on race day, there is nowhere to hide. True to character and with typical Namibian practicality, Marc soon put it behind him and started to focus on his next goal – what else can you do?
Anyway back to the race
Staight after the Men’s race a torrential rainstorm blew in and made for some miserable conditions in which the Junior and Under 23 Ladies had to race. Local lass Hayley Smith was undeterred and took a brilliant win in the Junior Ladies race. With James Reid’s (Nedbank 360 Life) fourth place in the Under 23 Men’s race earlier in the day, the South African athletes top and tailed the day’s cross country racing with some spectacular results.
On Sunday the downhillers had their turn to race and after qualifying in first place ahead of 133 other competitors, South African Greg Minnaar had a stunning run to take victory in front of the enthusiastic crowd. Greg is actually from Pietermaritzburg so you can imagine the finish line celebrations, as his run was a mere hundredth of a second faster than that of American Aaron Gwin. Put it this way – the crowd barriers didn’t last!
The other side of the coin is the pressure Greg handled to achieve the victory. Having qualified in first position, he was the last man off the mountain and knew what he had to do in front of a home crowd that expected nothing less than a victory. Greg was more than up to it and once again showed his (world) class. Straight after the podium presentation Greg rushed to hospital to visit his ailing father – I’m sure the smell of champagne and sweat was just what the doctor ordered to lift Mr Minnaar’s spirits.
Ending the weekend on such an extreme high bodes well for next year’s World Championships. Not only does it prove that South Africa can host an event of this magnitude, but we also have athletes who can compete at the required level to attain success.
Once again, South Africa awaits the World … •
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