SA CUP #2

SA CUP #2

Don't let today's troubles bring you down. Don't let life's little obstacles keep you from trying. Don't let your fears keep you from dreaming. Don't give up for any reason. Believe in yourself. 

It's difficult not letting emotion get in the way when you've sacrificed time with your family and loved ones, to live your passion. It's a reality, to be a professional cyclist you have to be extremely selfish. Don't take me out of context, I have wanted to be a professional cyclist my whole life and I wouldn't change it for the world.  

It's difficult to understand why you go through all the sacrifices to be held back by a mechanical in such a important event. 

As a athlete Olympics is the pinnacle of our sport, the points needed to qualify for the Olympics can be accumulated relatively easily at the South African cups. 

Leaving this weekend without a point next to my name is difficult to accept. 

Each athlete has his own struggle and that is why I respect every athlete that makes it to the start line of any national event. 

Getting down to the race😉

At best I had an average start, I was left hanging in 10th leading into the first climb. By the end of lap one I had ridden across to James who was leading, if you are a cyclist you will understand what I mean when I say "it felt like I was riding without a chain" we had opened a comfortable lead mid way through lap two.

There after my troubles started, I'm not going to get into great detail but I went through 4 Co2 canisters and two sets of wheels. 

My Father has been a great role model in shaping me as an athlete and a person.

Given up is simply not an option, play the cards you dealt and walk off the field with your head help high. 

I am very fortunate to have some incredible people behind me, firstly my coach Johan Wakefield my Physio Kyle Doughty, my girlfriend and massage Therapist Angelique Asher-Wood, Albe Geldenhuys and finally the Full-Dynamix Crew. All these people have my best interest at heart and I will forever be thankful to you. 

Next weekend we have a HC event in PMB. I'm sure my luck will change✌️

Fulldynamix Factory Team

Where to start I guess! 

Firstly you need to understand a PROFFESIONAL athletes career is completely different to what you see. From the out side you see a good interpretation of what is expected. Few people see and feel the stress of contract negotiations. It was a big decision leaving my previous team, the team I helped grow to what it is today.  There is no need to get into the finer detail but to shed some light, leaving was not by choice: I simply had no option.

Fortunately I had a good season and had a few options on the cards.

There is a reason why there are only a handful of South African athletes competing in Europe. It most certainly is not sunshine and roses. There are literally thousands of cyclists fighting for that factory ride. To get this opportunity doesn't come round often!

Fulldynamix has focused on the Marathon scene for the past 4 years and now switched to World Cup XCO Olympic format. It is a family run business and you most certainly feel that as you walk through the factory doors.

It's going to be difficult to put down in words the experience I had whilst in Italy but I will try my best to give you some insight. 

To be honest I was apprehensive leaving South Africa, all I had was a gentlemen's agreement on a two year deal. I felt somewhat responsible for Travis, I promised him everything would be ok and that in itself rested heavily on my shoulders. 

Arriving in Italy we were welcomed by a well known marathon athlete Mauro Bettni who Is now the director sportif of the team, you could immediately sense he knew what it was like for us and made sure we felt welcome. The first words to come out his mouth" double espresso, We have a big day ahead" and smiled from ear to ear. 

We headed off to the DMT shoe factory and later to the kit manufacturers. It was like a light switch turned on, now I understand why we are so far behind. Everything was systematic, they had a checklist starting from the shoes up, no short cuts taken. If the kit didn't fit perfectly they would work endlessly until we had the correct sizing and so it went on. At first I didn't understand the mentality as back home we get told what to do when to do it and how to do it and to top it off made to feel as we are privileged to be getting a bike. Here it was all about the athlete, we were there investment and In order for them to see a return everything had to be perfect. 

Besides the obvious beauty of Italy, the one thing I will never forget was watching a two time winner of the Giro d'italia build my bike. The sense of bride in what he has achieved and now In the position to give back, taught me allot. He made sure we had the best of the best and nothing less, he personally built our bikes. The willingness to give will never be forgotten. 

There was no ultra ego, he would eat bread from the same basket and wine from the same bottle. 

The four days spent in Italy are four days I will never forget. We were welcomed into homes of complete strangers. I could go on and on but to sum it all up we were made to feel part of the family and that I respect. 

Don't get me wrong we understand the responsibility and the pressure to perform is there. 

I look forward to a exciting year ahead with Battaglin Family. 

✌️

The highs and lows of a professional athlete

The first part of this was written two nights before the french world cup, I read over it now and it overwhelms me how it relates to my world champs result. 

Many people including myself ask the question, why are the Europeans so much faster then us?! Last night whilst driving in circles looking for my accommodation and today riding 3km up a pass with my bag of shopping strapped to my shoulder. It was clear this isn’t normal, I didn’t see any europeans doing shopping, carrying bags full of groceries, worrying about budget.

So I ask, how much of a advantage is it to be in your comfort zone off the bike. In my opinion thats pretty much all it is, this separates us from them. Its uncomfortable for many traveling in foreign countries. The cost of living, language barrier and so many factors make most of us feel uncomfortable. Not much is being done by responsible parties to make racing our bikes in Europe the priority.

We have so much talent in our country it frightens me. The numbers we do in training are on par with some of the best in the world. Yet we seem to struggle?

Today on track I saw several national teams training. All with the sole purpose of gathering olympic points for their country. Keep in mind olympics is two years away. Plans are in place, the belief in there athletes is there.

It seems a little unfair that my sponsors pay for me to gather points for our federation. Parents spending there life savings on there kids dreams. In my eyes thats not a pretty picture.

Im fortunate I have worked hard and never given up on my dream, my sponsors understand all my concerns and collectively we are working around these problems, we understand the importance of being comfortable so when the time comes to be uncomfortable on the bike we are mentally and physically ready.

I was confident all week leading into the french world cup, its difficult to explain but when you on it, you most certainly know it. I had been doing some great numbers since joining since2sport, with Johns help I knew exactly where I was physically.

The start was no different to the rest, the only thing on my mind was fighting for the next wheel. You get to the point where your mind, body and pain either get the better of you, or you over come it and realise the possibilities. On lap three I knew I was having a stormer, I was ticking them off one by one and soon in the twenties. I have always believed I could do it but not as a first year elite. On lap five I could see a group of nine riders 20sec up the road. Only a cyclist would understand that feeling. 

AND YES I FLATTED, it wasn’t a side wall cut but the valve core had come loose. I didn’t realise that was the problem so as soon as I used my Co2 the valve core blew completely off. I managed to ride a lap on the rim and put a new wheel in at the tech zone. I finished the day in 34th. I can honestly say I am proud of this result. 

This is where the first part of my blog comes into play. Leading into world champs I was out of my comfort zone, off the bike. I know many of you wont understand it but cyclist are best described as a well made swiss watch, all it takes is one lose part and we are out of sync. Gone are the days off putting a bad result down as experience. We need to understand why and make sure it never happens again, not on the big days, but on the days that really count. 

Far too much was out of sync leading up to World Champs, a big crash in training left me in pieces, too much travel time, the list goes on. I could sit writing for hours explaining but whats done is done and we will make sure we control the controllable next time. My end result was 56th, far from what we believed was possible. 

Looking back there was so much positive that came out of my final European trip, Friends, Family and sponsors now believe its possible to ride through the field and soon into the teens. I cannot wait for the new World Cup season.

The trip home always seems a lot longer when things don’t go your way.

I was back 24hrs and Trav and I were off to PE for the four day stage race, Plett2Pe. I knew Trav was in great condition, you can see the glow of confidence in a athlete when he knows he is on good form. It was almost like he couldn’t wait to pay me back for how much I hurt him at Sani2C. Day 1 was long and we both suffered. We didn’t go there just to win, we went there to race our bikes and that we did. Everyday we climbed on our bikes and raced them as if we only had a 10 second lead.

Early on in day 3 we had a mechanical. It was amusing watching Trav get his panties in a knot. After calming him down and fixing our mechanical it was a simple case of patience. Trav wanted to go harder and I had to talk him though it. It was truly a great event and I know why Victor created the Vipa. The bike was built for those conditions.

A huge thanks to the Momsen crew for sorting us out each day. 

Till Next time 

Learning to love the science of cycling

Learning to love the science of cycling. Each to his own but at this level, who we surround ourselves with makes the difference. 

I thought whilst I have a bit of time on my final flight to Geneva, I'd give you a short recap on the past months racing, and travels up to now. 

I know reading race reports can be boring, so I'll keep it short and sweet. Eston Classic is a big one for the team, being a KZN based team we take pride in the event. It almost seems as we have to win it. I knew I was in good form, a slight change in metal approach and coach has made a huge difference. The sport has become a science. You see athletes pitch up on a start line and think all they do is train, race and maybe win, I wish! Each and every day is analyze. Tweaking certain elements to gain a watt or two. Yes even I think that's crazy!

Getting back to the event, impyEvents has to be a leader in there field. Understanding the importance of keeping the professionals as well as the weekend warriors happy is a job I'd hate to do. I think they hit the spot every time. Thank you👍

Again there was a massive turn out, if I'm not mistaken 4000 riders😳. The golden rule of winning Eston is to win the KOM. It's almost a given if you win the KOM you will win the race..... Almost😁

I had a big block of training in my legs (thanks to John) I couldn't get away, I tried my luck several times but each time Brandon and Max were there. I couldn't let Brandon beat me in a sprint again😉...  In the last 10km, roughly 20 different ideas of how to win ran though my head, over and over again. Luckily I picked the right one😁 and happily defended my title🏆. 

Next up was the Clover road tour, I must say I hadn't been that excited to race in years. That soon changed after day one I seriously doubted my road riding ability. After data analysis I realized the cadence destroyed me. On the MTB our AV rpm is roughly 80. On stage one I averaged 97 rpm, by the time we hit the climb I had nothing. 

After day one the engine was ready, I haven't felt that good on a bike in years and it just got better day after day. I loved every minute of it and it left me feeling confident heading off to Europe. I must say I'm pretty bleak about missing out on the points jersey by ONE point.

I'll try my best to write something small each day, while I'm in Europe.  

✌️✌️

ELITE NATIONAL CHAMPION.

The not so glamorous side of a professional athlete, seven hours drive home. On the up side, I am the elite XCO champion😁 and I have more then enough time to give you guys a short recap of how I felt.

First off we were pretty stumped as to what bike to ride. The Vipa was built for those conditions and the SL929 weighed in at sub 8kgs. We didn't take the decision lightly, beating James on this track was going to be tough. 

Let me briefly explain how we went  about choosing the correct bike for the day. We did four laps on track with a Power Tap, two on the SL929 and two on the Vipa. Went home and compared the data, after lots of questioning and analysis we decided that less weight was more beneficial.

A good start was important setting the pace on the first lap has many advantages, I did just that. I had the control, exactly where I wanted to be. James rolled though on lap two, I knew if he didn't ride away here the race would go all the way to lap six. James is a great athlete, fitness wise we are on par. This race I believed would be won in the mind. Who ever wanted it most would win. 

Half way though lap 4 things were neck and neck we were throwing everything at one another. I could feel his pain and and sure he could see mine. I clipped a rock on one of the descents and heard I had cut my rear tire. I stopped right away and made sure the cut had sealed 100% before I climbed back on the bike, a spectator shout " James was 15sec ahead" around the next corner I saw him on the side of the track wheel out trying to fix a puncture. 

To be honest I had mixed emotions, I wanted to beat him fare and square but at the same time I was now in a commanding position. 

Going onto lap five I had over 3:30 lead, that's when I knew it was time to ride well within myself. Follow the same procedure I would on any other day.

Before I knew it I was coming into the start finish straight for my first elite National Championship title. Believe me, it hasn't taken a year or two to get here, I have been doing this my whole life. Through the good and the bad my dream nor dedication hasn't changed. 

Part of a great athlete is his support crew, sponsors, parents, coaches, girlfriends and most importantly a team manager. All these people add to the success of a athlete. 

Thank you to everyone that has been there from the start. I will wear the Green and Gold with pride. 

FINAL ROUND OF SA CUP series "Hayterdale"

After a consistent first half of the season, I was confident going into the final round of the SA Cup series. We arrived to a cold and wet PE on Thursday morning, unpacked our bikes and went for a short ride. Thanks to Marco and his family for having us over on Thursday evening. The rest of the team arrived Friday morning, we had the privilege of meeting at the TWT warehouse. Victor gave us the low down as to how things work and then headed out to the track for a few practice laps.

The track hadn't changed from the pervious year. Tight turns, narrow single track and not much climbing. We would be racing seven laps of the 4,2km course. I didn’t have a great start, fourth wheel into the single track. Phil first, Gert second and Beukes third. Gaps opened and I was left 20seconds off the pace after lap one. On a good day it would be hard to chase down Phil, but on this track it seemed impossible. Juniors were on course at the same time and passing large groups was a nightmare. 

By the end of lap two I had moved into 2nd place with only Phil up the road. I believed I could close down the gap, but it didn’t happen. He took his opportunity when it counted most. I ended the day in second place. I can’t be unhappy with a podium in all three rounds I competed in.

It was a good outing for the Kargo Pro team. The only concern was the lack of spectators at the event, not only for the athletes but for the sponsors. In order for our sport to grow CSA need to work hand in hand with the athletes and teams. It doesn’t help having national event 100km away from the nearest town.

I look forward to this upcoming weekend where I turn my focus to the world Marathon Champs…...

First Euro trip for KARGOPROTEAM.....

World cups #3 #4

It's that time of the season again, when you pray for those magical four open seats on your flight to Europe, When you spend more time is hotels and planes then you do on your bike and far to much time worrying about training. 

It's really difficult to find the balance between sleep, travel and riding. Overdo either one and you will pay the price. The trip started out with a flight to Prague, followed by car rental and a short 1hr drive to Nove Mesto. As usual upon entering the town you get the World Cup vibe. In my opinion one of the best World Cups on the calendar. The only down side of the town is the lack of healthy food,other than that it's beautiful.

Thursday was my first day on track. Not much had changed from 2013 and what a cracker of a course. The long straights didn't suit my riding style but  still one of the best courses on the WC circuit. I had more then enough to get over the flight and practice the course before Sunday. I was confident going into the race. Mentally I felt strong and my body was prepared to suffer. 

The start was crazy, they say the U23 age group prepares you for elite level racing, I felt like a fish out of water. Everyone looks bigger, faster and fitter. You could feel the tension going down the start straight. Brakes burning, tires screaming and the odd sound of carbon and aluminum hitting the tar. 

Making it round the start loop unharmed is a relief, but looking up at the start finish banner and seeing six laps to go takes every little bit of relief away. The opening lap, is the hardest part of any WC. Everyone is fighting for that one position better, do the math 160 athletes all fighting for one position better. It's carnage out there and yes, I wouldn't change that feeling for the world. 

It took me two laps to get into the race and by lap three my heart was out my mouth and I was part of the race. One long line separated myself in 57th till 30th. Now I know why they say every second counts. 15seconds and you move up from 57th to 50th. 

I ended the day in 57th. I know a lot of you might think it's not that's great. 57th in the world as a first year elite, not a bad way to start the season.

Next up on the schedule was Albsadt Germany. 190m of climbing in 3,9km sums up the track perfectly. I have had one of my best World Cups on this track, so you can imagine how much I was looking forward to the fight come race day.

Unfortunately this time it went horribly wrong from the start. I was taken out by another athlete jumping off his bike, it wasn't a high speed crash but I fell awkwardly on my knee. I tried standing up and my leg collapsed underneath me.  That was It, game over for me. Very disappointing, so much hard work goes into this and to be taken out on the start loops sucks. 

Looking back a at the trip I realize the significance of what we accomplished, the first African UCI MTB team alongside some of the best teams in the world. A huge thanks to Shaun and all involved.