Modern Cyclist Magazine Issue 1, September 2014 | Page 37

y
t and dustnhill
Ho
dow

race news MC

racing thrills
Pietermaritzburg’s Tiaan Odendaal

(Green Team) claimed the 2014 South
African Downhill National Championship
Elite men’s title in a time of 1:57.588 at a
dry and rocky Thaba Trails.
For Odendaal, this was his third
consecutive Elite Men’s national title,
following two consecutive Junior
National titles. “I’m really stoked to have
claimed this title for the third time,” said
Odendaal.
“It was quite a difficult course – very dry
and dusty – and of course the altitude
played its part. There was quite a hard
pedal section, which was not as long
as the pedal section at Cascades (in
Pietermaritzburg), but I couldn’t really
get a rhythm.”
Odendaal posted the fastest seeding
run, which meant that he was the last
rider to start out of the blocks in the
final run. He had flown home to South
Africa with compatriot Stefan Garlicki
(Investec) from their touring schedule in
Europe.

stoked to have won the Junior category,
and to have finished third overall!”
Despite a slight mishap on the course,
Martin’s time of 02:02.912 was enough
to secure third place overall, and was
almost four seconds clear of secondplaced Junior Gregg Brown (Team Jeep).
“The track was pretty fun, I hadn’t raced
there for a long time and there were a lot
of changes. In my final run, I got my lines
right but I had a little slip out on the one
berm but managed to carry on.”
Martin hopes to continue his racing
next year and to tour Europe to
compete in some of the iXS Cup
races.
Race organiser, Wendell Bole, was
pleased with the feedback that he
had received from so many of the riders

He might not have
won the title, but
David Hogan could
certainly claim the
award for crowd
favourite. His 2:03:318
minute run secured
him third in the Elite
category.

With his time of 4:14:181,
Barry Maitland-Stuart
ensured that he made it
home intact.

“When I heard that Stefan was coming
back to race, I was a little worried.
He was someone that I was watching
closely. Our finishing times were pretty
close, but I am happy to take the win,”
said Odendaal.
Odendaal finished with a margin of
just over a second to second-placed
Garlicki, who posted a time of 01:58.597.

Beau White came second in
the veteran category.

The third place overall went to up-andcoming Junior rider, Andrew Martin.
Martin, a Grade 12 pupil at
Pietermaritzburg College, claimed the
third position overall after a poor start in
his seeding run.
“I punctured in the rock section at the
top of the track in my seeding run,” said
Martin. “So I was one of the first riders
to set off in the final, and I sat in the hot
seat for a very long time.”
Martin’s journey to the SA Champs has
been extraordinary, as he has been
working hard on his recovery from a
clean break in his tibia (lower leg) after
a crash in a race about five months ago.
“I’ve only been back on the bike for just
over a month, but the SA Champs was a
big focus, and it was my main goal. I’m

over the course of the weekend. “It
has been a dream for a very long time
to host a SA Champs at Thaba Trails,”
said Bole. “I am proud to say that the
event was a great success, and it was
wonderful to receive so many positive
responses to the purpose-built trails for
the races.”

Sean Schlebusch wrapped
up the veteran category and
finished a credible 19th place

37
overall.