Past champions return to bull
Defending champions are set to take the bull by the horns when the 2020 Knysna Bull mountain bike race takes place in the coastal holiday town’s spectacular forests from 19 to 22 February.
It will once again boast a massive, winner-takes-all, prize of R100 000 for the elite men’s and elite women’s winners respectively. Unsurprisingly, the defending champions Matt Beers and Samantha Sanders have confirmed their participation as they look to secure a good start to the racing season.
In 2019 Beers held off his friend and training partner Alan Hatherly, by 27 seconds, to secure the title.
While in the women’s race, Sanders edged out Jennie Stenerhag by four minutes, after Sabine Spitz’s challenge for race victory evaporated in a cloud of tyre sealant when she suffered a significant side-wall puncture.
Each of the prologue and three marathon stages were fiercely contested, with the remote finishes at the end of a single track, atop climbs and on a lagoon-side bike path, helping to create a compelling finale for the fans.
Though the prize money for the elite riders is offered in a winner-takes-all lump sum, the Young Bulls are financially rewarded down to the fifth place. “We feel it is essential to support the up and coming mountain biking talent in South Africa,” Pax Mosterd, of the Knysna Bull, said.
“To that end, we offer discounted entries to riders under the age of 23 and pay R60 000 in total prize money to the younger men and women in the race.”
The allure of the race is not just provided by the superb tracks and trails of the deep forests of the Garden Route, as the Bull features remote start and finish locations, ensuring the racing is conducted over the best possible terrain. Stages start on Phantom Pass, at Eden Brook and in the Harkerville Forest which means no neutral zone peloton riding out of Knysna.
Festivities are not limited to the handing over of cheques as one lucky Bull will ride away with a brand-new Santa Cruz Tallboy, worth R102 000. The bike will be battled for in an epic series of on-stage games of ‘ching-chong-cha’ (rock-paper-scissors) after the finalists are determined by lucky draw.
Event master of ceremonies Carel ‘RaasBekkie’ Bezuidenhoud and Rush Sports’ Oliver ‘Pinner’ Munnik will adjudicate the competition. In 2019 Graham Thompson defeated the women’s champion, Sanders, to claim the Santa Cruz bike.
Entries to the race remain open until 14 February and entry categories include Young Bulls (u/23), Bulls, Pro Bulls (UCI riders), Old Bull[ets] (55+) and Four Bull entries for “herds” of riders.
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Source: Knysna Plett Herald News