As South Africa negotiates winter and a Covid-19 third wave with a strict lockdown, mountain bikers have had to accept another break in the racing calendar. But the Sox Strava Enduro, to be held at Buffelsdrift on Saturday 31 July and Sunday 1 August, will give Gauteng mountain bikers a chance to be competitive again.
The Sox Strava Enduro will use the six existing Enduro lines at the popular mountain bike trails park. With no formal event infrastructure in place due to the government’s Level 4 restrictions, riders will need to cover the full course of each of the six lines, with the fastest time for each line to count for the overall final ranking. Riders will be able to ride each line as often as they want to during the two-day period.
Entry is R300 per rider, which includes:
- Trail pass to Buffelsdrift for both competition days
- Bespoke Sox Footwear socks
- Other items from event partners (to be finalised)
Age categories for prizegiving purposes are:
Nipper 8-10 years
Sprog 11-12 years
Sub-junior 13-14 years
Youth 15-16 years
Junior 17-18 years
Elite 19 years +
Sub-veteran 30-39 years
Veteran 40-49 years
Masters 50-59 years
Grand masters – 60 years +
“We created six enduro lines some time ago at Buffelsdrift, but they’ve not been ridden that much. We’re excited to be able to have an event, albeit via Strava, where these lines can be raced and enjoyed,” said Francois Theron, event organiser and co-owner of Buffelsdrift Trails Park.
“We have some rugged terrain here, so the lines include a high percentage of rock sections higher up. Riders will be challenged and will need to choose their lines carefully, which is why it’s ideal to ride each line at least once before putting in an all-out race run,” added Theron, a former professional racer, who currently has the Strava KOM for each of the six Buffelsdrift Enduro lines.
What is Enduro?
Enduro is a mountain bike racing discipline that involves being timed only on certain pre-determined sections, usually all descents. Riders generally have ample time to complete the timed sections, which they usually ride as fast as possible. They then climb back to the start of the subsequent timed section at a leisurely pace.
To find out more information and to enter, head to https://www.entryninja.com/events/76907-enduro-buffelsdrift
