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Tuesday 28 May 2013
Monday 27 May 2013
Taming the Magalies Monster
Taming the Magalies Monster
This past weekend saw the 10th edition of the Magalies Monster MTB race. Trust me the name for this race is an understatement, and what a race it was!
As the winner of the 2012 Magalies Monster I was quite calm the day before the event and even in the car on route to the race the next morning, however when I lined up at the start the nerves kicked in. I looked around and there was some good competition standing around me - my mind started running and doubting, but I quickly reassured myself that I'd trained for the last 6 months for this and if I was going to be beaten the other guys would have to tear me to pieces.
The race was 5km longer this year so it meant we'd suffer a bit longer. We had a neutral start of about 1km before the racing was on and it was ON as soon as we were let loose. The first 15km is undulating with single track, and a really cool section over a concrete bridge that runs along a mountainside. In this first 15km of the race the competitors had settled and a leading group of about 8 riders had formed, which I wasn't particularly comfortable with. However, with a few more climbs and the sting of the baby monster before the big Monster climb, the group was whittled down to just 4 riders (Myself, Andrew Grobler, Shaun Nick Bester, Nico Sterk).
I was feeling really good by the time we got to the bottom of the Monster and my confidence was growing as some of the riders were dropped that I thought would be challenging me for the title today. I decided to sit 2nd wheel up the Monster until we got halfway up before making a move. As we got to the concrete sections halfway up the climb I went around Shaun and pushed the tempo up high, the 3 behind were still there but I could hear their laboured breathing so I kept hammering away on the climb.
Approaching the top Nico Sterk came around me to lead us down a short descent before tackling the last part of the Monster to the King Of the Mountain (KOM). I stayed close to him on the descent so that when we started climbing again I wouldn't be put in a position where I had to chase him down, but as we started the final section of the climb he went really hard and got about 10 metres on me. I decided to just go as hard as I could and hopefully catch him before the top, with about 300m to the top Nico blew up and I managed to get back to him and set my sights on the KOM. With 100M to go, I kicked hard and went around to take the KOM, I looked back and he was about 10m behind. I decided it’s time to GO, so I jumped on the pedals and went as fast as I could down the other side. It was still another 45km to go by the time you reach the top of the Monster, but I was confident I could hold the chasers off.
In a position like this I was constantly reminding myself to keep hammering away on the pedals, I didn't want to be caught and if I was going to be caught I would make it as hard as possible for them to catch me. I managed to stretch my lead to where I could no longer see the chasers when the track opened up on some long straight sections and managed to take the win in the 2013 Magalies Monster and successfully defend the title.
What an awesome feeling to win this race again, with the training timed perfectly to peak for this event, and to have had such a smooth ride with no issues was truly a blessing.
Race data and Stats: http://app.strava.com/activities/56176409
Race results: http://www.spectrumsport.co.za/Portals/17/ResultDoc/Magalies_Monster_MTB_20130525.pdf
Thank you to @brytongps, @Ghostbikessa, @ballisticbike for your continued support and belief in me. Also a big thank you to the @USNSA and @clubbrytonusn members for their support, it keeps me motivated.
Till the next race, which might be Nationals this week.
Henry Uys
@met_uys
This past weekend saw the 10th edition of the Magalies Monster MTB race. Trust me the name for this race is an understatement, and what a race it was!
As the winner of the 2012 Magalies Monster I was quite calm the day before the event and even in the car on route to the race the next morning, however when I lined up at the start the nerves kicked in. I looked around and there was some good competition standing around me - my mind started running and doubting, but I quickly reassured myself that I'd trained for the last 6 months for this and if I was going to be beaten the other guys would have to tear me to pieces.
The race was 5km longer this year so it meant we'd suffer a bit longer. We had a neutral start of about 1km before the racing was on and it was ON as soon as we were let loose. The first 15km is undulating with single track, and a really cool section over a concrete bridge that runs along a mountainside. In this first 15km of the race the competitors had settled and a leading group of about 8 riders had formed, which I wasn't particularly comfortable with. However, with a few more climbs and the sting of the baby monster before the big Monster climb, the group was whittled down to just 4 riders (Myself, Andrew Grobler, Shaun Nick Bester, Nico Sterk).
I was feeling really good by the time we got to the bottom of the Monster and my confidence was growing as some of the riders were dropped that I thought would be challenging me for the title today. I decided to sit 2nd wheel up the Monster until we got halfway up before making a move. As we got to the concrete sections halfway up the climb I went around Shaun and pushed the tempo up high, the 3 behind were still there but I could hear their laboured breathing so I kept hammering away on the climb.
Approaching the top Nico Sterk came around me to lead us down a short descent before tackling the last part of the Monster to the King Of the Mountain (KOM). I stayed close to him on the descent so that when we started climbing again I wouldn't be put in a position where I had to chase him down, but as we started the final section of the climb he went really hard and got about 10 metres on me. I decided to just go as hard as I could and hopefully catch him before the top, with about 300m to the top Nico blew up and I managed to get back to him and set my sights on the KOM. With 100M to go, I kicked hard and went around to take the KOM, I looked back and he was about 10m behind. I decided it’s time to GO, so I jumped on the pedals and went as fast as I could down the other side. It was still another 45km to go by the time you reach the top of the Monster, but I was confident I could hold the chasers off.
In a position like this I was constantly reminding myself to keep hammering away on the pedals, I didn't want to be caught and if I was going to be caught I would make it as hard as possible for them to catch me. I managed to stretch my lead to where I could no longer see the chasers when the track opened up on some long straight sections and managed to take the win in the 2013 Magalies Monster and successfully defend the title.
What an awesome feeling to win this race again, with the training timed perfectly to peak for this event, and to have had such a smooth ride with no issues was truly a blessing.
Race data and Stats: http://app.strava.com/activities/56176409
Race results: http://www.spectrumsport.co.za/Portals/17/ResultDoc/Magalies_Monster_MTB_20130525.pdf
Thank you to @brytongps, @Ghostbikessa, @ballisticbike for your continued support and belief in me. Also a big thank you to the @USNSA and @clubbrytonusn members for their support, it keeps me motivated.
Till the next race, which might be Nationals this week.
Henry Uys
@met_uys
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Redstone MTB series #2
Two weeks have passed since my last race and this weekend was the Redstone race #2 in the series. Last time round, in the first race of the series, I ended up 2nd overall after a mechanical issue saw my hopes of a win fade.
Onto the second race of the series and with it being a week before the Magalies Monster, a race I won last year and have been training specifically to defend the title, I was confident that I'd have some good form.
The weather was a bit chilly and only in the single digits by the time we started, but the legs and lungs were quickly warmed up as the pace was on from the start. I made sure I was in the front and kept the pace quick to try and whittle the group down as much as possible. After about 5km of racing there were 4 (myself, Pierre Smith, Sheldon Dagley, Ian Pienaar) of us in the front and I was content with it at that moment. As we approached the first testing technical climb of the course, my one foot came out the pedal and I had to run up while Pierre Smith rode away gaining about 20 sec advantage on us over the top.
I was now lying 4th and following the other two closely so that I could get past and push the pace as soon as it opened up. The road opened up and I surged to the front to set my sights on clawing Pierre back on the next climb and as we turned onto it, there were riders coming down the hill and turning in on our line - someone had taken a wrong turn and now about 40-50 riders had found their way ahead of us. This was no good and we pushed hard and kept calling to get them to move out the way for us. By the time we got to the top of the climb we had managed to get back to Pierre. Once the road opened up I went round and drove the pace hard, my concern now was that we'd have to get past all these riders so we could have a clear race.
As we went over the top of the third climb it was only Pierre and I with the other 2 trailing by about 10sec, but that all changed when Pierre lost control going into a corner with loose rock and hitting the deck HARD, I slowed down to see if he was able to keep going and catch up. However, when Sheldon and Ian caught up to me a bit further down the trail, I decided that I need to push on.
Up the final climb of the first lap I managed to shake Ian and it was only Sheldon and I in the lead heading into the second lap. For the whole of the second lap I kept the pace high and on the second climb of the lap, I managed to get a gap on Sheldon and pushed hard for the finish. 1st place overall for the Redstone #2. Sheldon finished 2nd and Pierre 3rd .
The bike today was absolutely flawless and when you have a day like today, it just feels so good to be on the trail, it came together well and the legs were there. So bring on Magalies Monster. As far as training and prep are concerned I believe I've got good form, but I expect competition come Saturday 25 May.
Once again thank you to my sponsors: @ghostbikessa, @clubbrytonusn, @ballisticbike and @brytongps for your support.
Look forward to reporting on the Magalies Monster this coming weekend.
Some race data : http://www.brytonsport.com/mapTrackView/2?id=3129107
Til next week
Henry Uys @met_uys
Onto the second race of the series and with it being a week before the Magalies Monster, a race I won last year and have been training specifically to defend the title, I was confident that I'd have some good form.
The weather was a bit chilly and only in the single digits by the time we started, but the legs and lungs were quickly warmed up as the pace was on from the start. I made sure I was in the front and kept the pace quick to try and whittle the group down as much as possible. After about 5km of racing there were 4 (myself, Pierre Smith, Sheldon Dagley, Ian Pienaar) of us in the front and I was content with it at that moment. As we approached the first testing technical climb of the course, my one foot came out the pedal and I had to run up while Pierre Smith rode away gaining about 20 sec advantage on us over the top.
I was now lying 4th and following the other two closely so that I could get past and push the pace as soon as it opened up. The road opened up and I surged to the front to set my sights on clawing Pierre back on the next climb and as we turned onto it, there were riders coming down the hill and turning in on our line - someone had taken a wrong turn and now about 40-50 riders had found their way ahead of us. This was no good and we pushed hard and kept calling to get them to move out the way for us. By the time we got to the top of the climb we had managed to get back to Pierre. Once the road opened up I went round and drove the pace hard, my concern now was that we'd have to get past all these riders so we could have a clear race.
As we went over the top of the third climb it was only Pierre and I with the other 2 trailing by about 10sec, but that all changed when Pierre lost control going into a corner with loose rock and hitting the deck HARD, I slowed down to see if he was able to keep going and catch up. However, when Sheldon and Ian caught up to me a bit further down the trail, I decided that I need to push on.
Up the final climb of the first lap I managed to shake Ian and it was only Sheldon and I in the lead heading into the second lap. For the whole of the second lap I kept the pace high and on the second climb of the lap, I managed to get a gap on Sheldon and pushed hard for the finish. 1st place overall for the Redstone #2. Sheldon finished 2nd and Pierre 3rd .
The bike today was absolutely flawless and when you have a day like today, it just feels so good to be on the trail, it came together well and the legs were there. So bring on Magalies Monster. As far as training and prep are concerned I believe I've got good form, but I expect competition come Saturday 25 May.
Once again thank you to my sponsors: @ghostbikessa, @clubbrytonusn, @ballisticbike and @brytongps for your support.
Look forward to reporting on the Magalies Monster this coming weekend.
Some race data : http://www.brytonsport.com/mapTrackView/2?id=3129107
Til next week
Henry Uys @met_uys
Tuesday 7 May 2013
Monday 6 May 2013
This
past weekend saw the 4th leg of the UCI Marathon World Cup
take place in Clarens, Free State. What promised to be an exciting
event turned out to be exactly that, with the likes of international
pro's such as Stefan Sahm (current Marathon World Cup Leader) and
Steffen Thum.
Surprisingly
the pace wasn't as fast as I had anticipated it would be, probably
because most of the top contenders had the last 20km of racing in
mind which had a total altitude gain of over 700m. I positioned
myself in the front of the race and made sure I wasn't any further
back than 10th position to avoid any problems or hold ups.
As we approached the first tech zone Max Knox and Gawie Combrinck
made a move and got about 100m on the chasers which had been whittled
down to a select group of 20 riders. The chasing group managed to
pull Gawie and Max back within a few kilometres and then the pace was
pretty much relaxed with all the main contenders looking around at
each other, approaching the first big testing climb of the day.
As we
hit the base of the climb close to the 50km mark, the fireworks
started and the big guns started firing, I found myself in 8th
position on the climb, but lost a few positions due to small errors
up the technical ascent. From then on it was head down, trying
to limit the loss as well as keep ahead of the riders behind. By the
third tech zone I was lying 11th and feeling confident
that I could hold onto my position to the end.
The two
remaining climbs were absolute walls and I could see the rider just
ahead, so I set a steady pace, gaining. At the same time the rider
behind me, Ben Melt, also started to gain on me. By the time we got
to the top of the climbs the 3 of us were together which would make
for an interesting last 10km down to the finish. The descent was
fast and at some stages downright scary. On one of the last little
bumps Ben Melt put in an effort to ride clear, but I managed to latch
on just as we came into town. It would come down to a sprint between
the 2 of us for 10th and I figured I would get the best of
him. I sat behind him and approaching the last corner I kicked to get
ahead, but my gears weren't selecting and with only 50m to go Ben had
the kick to get ahead and finish in 10th .
All in
all it was an awesome 100% mountain bike race, one which tested you
physically and mentally at every pedal stroke. For my first dig at
mixing with the pro's in an ultra marathon distance since October
2012 I'm well satisfied and quietly confident that it's going to get
better. To my sponsors, @clubbrytonusn, @ghostbikessa, @ballisticbike
and the tech support (mom,dad and fiancé), a big thank you for your
support. Henry Uys @met_uys
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