Attakwas Extreme MTB race
Hi There Here is my bit about the latest race. Hope all is good with you.
The Attakwas Extreme MTB race is said to be the Comrades of Mountain biking It is a 121km 2900m challenge not to be attempted by the unprepared.
The race is from Oudshoorn to Groot Brak Rivier and travels over the Attekwas Kloof. A record number of people entered the race which is organised by Dryland Events.
On race morning we all arrived at the start a little nervous for what was to come and I spotted my fellow Hansgrohe team mate Livio as well as a few other familiars faces. We all got into the schute and in no time the gun was fired and A group was off at a steady pace. Almost immediately there was a pile up as one guy fell but I managed to avoid it. After that it was plain sailing along district roads until we hit water point one at 24km and then our first decent climb of the day at which a couple of people dismounted and started the trek up the hill. Being a lady rider I had to show up the men and stayed on my bike all the way up! The attakwas itself just after water point 2 was quite a challenge and at last I had to admit defeat and get off my bike and push. Then came the tricky descent down the other side of the Attakwas that everyone had warned me about. I saw 2 people fall off their bikes in front of me and after seeing the second guy fall sense prevailed and I walked down the last nasty rocky bit. It was a really challenging and technical descent but I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed every moment.
Then we reached water point 3 for a quick refill of bottles and stuffing of faces with potatoes and apples and were off again. Sometime later I was passed by Livio in his very nice Hansgrohe kit. He had had a few technicals. Of he disappeared into the distance and we slogged on up some ridiculously steep hills. At one point I took a wrong turning and went whizzing off down a hill only to be shouted at and told that I was supposed to go up the hill…..!! Silly me!! I had to climb all the way back up and to add insult had another huge climb after that. By now it was starting to get hot! We raced down into a valley only to be face with yet another HUGE hill to slog up. By now my legs were protesting and threatening loudly to cramp.
At last another stop to refill my bottle at water point 4 and I was almost home….one more huge climb left and then a long flat dash into a headwind desperately trying to get to the finish inside 7 hours and then the final descent to arrive in 7hrs 4mins and 11th place.
Thanks to the Dryland Team for putting on a fantastic race. I will be back!!