Following an unexpected upset which put paid to her chances last year, Jennie Stenerhag is back to compete in the Simonsberg Contour MTB Stage Race in Stellenbosch this weekend.
The TransBreede Ultra champion said she had entered last year but suffered from a stomach bug the night before the first stage.
“I didn’t ride the first day, but the second day I took to the tracks just for fun.”
Swedish professional mountain biker Jennie Stenerhag will be back in action at the Simonsberg Contour MTB Stage Race in Stellenbosch this weekend. Photo: Supplied
The CBC/Åbro rider views the two-day stage race as good training for next weekend’s Tankwa Trek, a three-day mountain bike journey through the Ceres area.
“The Tankwa Trek is a big race for me, so that’s why this weekend will be two good training days and I won’t be focusing fully on it. [But] I’ll still go as hard as I can,” Stenerhag said.
The Swedish rider, who placed second in the Attakwas Extreme earlier this month, said she was also taking part because it was fun to race at what is effectively her second home.
The Simonsberg Contour covers 55km on the first day and 58km on the second – a drastic change to the longer-stage races Stenerhag has recently competed in.
“The Attakwas and TransBreede both covered long distances, so this will be much shorter for us. I’ll aim to pick up good speed throughout the weekend,” she said.
Stenerhag said she looked forward to the hard and intense route, as well as the fun single-track sections.
“I like that and I think it will suit me.”
The Cape Epic champion said her partner for the Tankwa Trek would be Swiss cross-country mountain-biker Esther Süss, with whom she shared the top step of the podium last year.
“Our goal is to go there and defend our title. We’ll race as hard as we can, be a bit more tactical and see where we can get away from the others.
“It’s mountain-biking, so anything can happen,” said Stenerhag.
