Pierre Smith reports on his experience at this weekend’s Crater Cruise which is part of the MTN National Marathon Series.
The Crater Cruise is usually the last race of the MTN National XCM series. Situated in the Free State in a small town called Parys.
Most people have that picture in their minds that Crater Cruise is a easy day on the bike just because the route profile is a lot flatter than most of the other MTN national races, but one can never underestimate the Crater Cruise.
The heat, sand and bumpy roads are the main factors that make this race so difficult.
Parys is about 50km from where I study and 40km from where I live so I can almost say it was my “home ground” with a lot of friends and family out there to support me on the day.
The start was a 5km tar section through the streets of Parys and with no neutral car the pace was fast from the word go. It was the first Marathon (80km) race held at the Crater Cruise usually there was only a 55km and a 115km so the 80km route was new to everyone and I was not sure what to expect.
Throughout the race I positioned myself at the front to make sure I don’t miss any moves at the front.
At the end three of us made a gap on the rest of the group and we worked well together trying to extend our lead. It was not long when everything got together again. About 30km to Go Julius Cobbet launched one attack after another and soon there were only six of us left chasing the lone leader.
15km later and it was still the six of us chasing the leader and we didn’t really closed the gap. I managed to get away with one other rider on my wheel, the two of us worked our way to the finish line in pursuit of the leader.
Unfortunately the two of us could not catch Julius so it was between us for second place. I knew Julius was not a U23 rider anymore so the top step for U23 was still open for someone to take.
Philemon a rider from the Exxaro academy was the rider on my tail and also a U23 rider. There was a bridge were only one rider can ride over about 50m from the finish and I just got myself over that bridge in the lead to claim second overall and first U23 in the marathon. This is my best result in a MTN national series thus far and it was my last as a U23. It was a great experience and a unbelievable feeling. – pierresmurfsmith.blogspot.com
