Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 76, November 2015 | Seite 54

Mc

Race Report

With well over 800
finishers, the Eqstra
Spring Classic remains
one of the more popular
one day races on the
calendar. Photograph by
Erik Vermeulen.

Last year’s Eqstra Spring Classic looked so awesome that Raymond Travers simply
had to try it out. This was his experience.
My race prep was pretty good, or so I thought.
My bike was in good condition, my legs were in fair condition and my kit was good to go.
I even went and rode the trails at Avianto a few times on weekends leading up to the
event to prepare for this trail’s “more-rocky-than-usual” ascents.
But on race day, the “wheels” just about fell off and I rode it like a rookie.

MY TOP EIGHT COOL THINGS AT THE EQSTRA
SPRING CLASSIC
• Amazing spirit at the finish (if you haven’t finished it, you won’t
understand);

No, it wasn’t the venue’s fault. Neither was it the organiser’s fault. It was purely my own
fault.

• The sublime single track through a rocky forest;

I bombed out of the start like a racing snake and hit the first
10 kilometres with gusto.

• The berms found on the first few kilometres of Avianto’s blue
route;

Having ridden the trail at this Muldersdrift bike park often, I enjoyed the first quarter of the
race tremendously. I shot through the berms, attacked the hills and snaked the hairpins
and S-bends with the enthusiasm of someone old enough to be my child.

• Wide open spaces, particularly near the chicken farm;

When the distance measurement on my computer climbed into double figures, my legs
felt as if they were not there anymore. The pain reached down into the lower reaches of
my muscles and it was “eina!”

• Bombing under the R114 in a culvert;

• The awesome goodie bag;
• Steve Saunders and Richard Beswick’s commentary; and
• The single track sections (which you hit at least twice) down by the
river, which is called Muldersdrif se Loop – no kidding!

I slowed down.
I no longer did what I had done up until then. I no longer aimed for the wheel in front of
me with intentions of passing that wheel and then attacking the next wheel.
For the next 20 kilometres or so, my Eqstra Spring Classic experience was more of a
survival camp than a 45 kilometre mountain bike race.
I still enjoyed the ride, mind you, but I definitely rode “within myself”. I tried to give my legs
enough time to recover and chose low “spin” gears whenever I could. I even took my
bike for a “hike” on a few occasions as the ascents proved too steep or too technical.
Thank goodness, however, that Avianto’s blue and green trail (mostly in reverse) is
spectacular enough that riders can still enjoy the ride itself, no matter what speed they
actually ride it. And that is exactly what I did.
The mountains and open fields on the “western” (perhaps “southern”) side of the R114
are simply beautiful, with space aplenty and enough tree clumps for good forest sections.
After the horrific climbs experienced during the first half of the race, the ascents seemed
almost “friendlier” and I slowly felt the return of my legs.
I was able to increase my speed back up to my normal race pace.
And then, on the return to the other side of the R114 (the Avianto side), I could enjoy
the fast turns, short-but-dramatic ascents and tree-dodging trails with more speed and
pleasure.
A “false flat” rise towards the last turn and the finish. What a ride!
But, for goodness sake, if you are going to ride it next year, start slowly!

8

ISSUE 14 NOVEMBER 2015 / www.moderncyclist.co.za

The author after
bombing through the
culvert under the R114,
his legs had returned
by then. Photograph
by Jetline Action
Photo.