Arriving smoothly in Durban, South Africa after 20 hours of travelling it finally hit home that I was back on the road. Racing most weekends for the next five months, and we were straight into it kicking off with the first World Cup of the season in Peitermaritzburg. Travelling with Bec and Ben things are generally pretty cruisy, we arrived at our accommodation, a little B&B located just 2kms from the track and shops which made it pretty easy to get around considering we had no car for the week.
The week leading into the race consisted of a lot of time waiting for the rain to pass, which it did and by race day the track had dried up perfectly but still had plenty of tackiness on the corners.
It was a track that suited everyone, from the flat never ending start/finish straight to the long downhill rock garden’s and the single track climbs. There was a lot to learn about the track with most sections having multiple lines. By Friday, which was my last day on the track before the race I felt quite comfortable on the course, I knew which lines I was going to take and everything seemed to be going to plan.
The morning of the race and we were blessed with even more blue sky. Bec raced at 11.45 which meant that I could get ready at our accommodation, have my race meal and then head down to the track to be bottle boy. Bec had a solid race and finished in 9th, her first top 10 in a World Cup. I think it was my feeding…
As I rolled into my start pen in a glow of sweat after a solid warm up I really started to get edgy and have doubts. I knew that I had done some good training leading into the race but It had been over a year since I have ridden anywhere near fast enough to be able to pull out a good result and starting in 84th I was not doing me any favours.
Gun went off, I clipped in fast and we were away. I shot for the outside line hoping that I could keep a bit more speed into the first corner but I was not the only one thinking that and I found myself getting swamped which was not in the script. I tried to stay calm as I continued to lose spots, I got into the single track and everyone just stopped in congestion as the top 30 rode away. I was stuck in cattle class fighting for my life, as we crept through the single track we finally popped out on a fire road and started the long climb back.
By the end of the first lap and I had clawed my was back to 63rd, I kept the pressure on the pedals but was cautious not to try and pass too many in one lap. It was going to be a tough race and with a bunches of riders littering the track 30 seconds could be 15 places, so to blow up on the last lap would be a bad result! Each lap I was picking up positions and with one lap to go I had worked my way to 50th, as the cramps started to set in on the final lap I still had to navigate my way down the rock garden. Cramping in both legs is a bit sub optimal half way down a chute scattered with boulders. I was too fatigued to relax so I just held on, white knuckle fever and I made it though and finished in 48th position. Although it was not my best result in a World Cup I was coming from a long was back starting in 84th. I was more than happy to be back on track to where I want to be, this result means a lot to me.
We now leave South Africa and head to Houffalize in Belgium, good bye sunshine, hopefully not for too long!
Thanks to my sponsors Anytime Fitness and Torq, also to Bec and Ben for the great week we had in South Africa.