Pieter du Toit is expecting a tough challenge at the inaugural Race to the Sun, which starts at Hartebeespoort Dam tomorrow.
The 162km race, which ends at Sun City, will be “my longest ever ride on a mountain bike”, Du Toit said.
However, the PYGA Euro Steel rider said he still hoped to finish in the top 10 at least.
“My goal firstly is to finish,” he quipped. “Depending on how the competition is I then want to finish in the top 10.”
Pieter du Toit is expecting a tough challenge at the inaugural Race to the Sun, which starts at Hartebeespoort Dam tomorrow. Photo: Milan de Beer Photography
Du Toit, 19, who is also an avid cross-country rider, said the 121km Attakwas Extreme MTB Challenge he took part in in January was the only other race that came close length-wise to what he would be up against tomorrow.
Having not ridden the route before, Du Toit said he was pleased to see it had a profile with more descent than ascent.
“The route has 900m of climbing and 1 200m of descent,” he said. “There are also apparently many open roads next to the canals and there’s some 30km of tarred roads in between.
“The toughest part of the race, apparently, is a 15km drag. But I will have to find out for myself.”
The choice of bike, Du Toit said, might be a factor, but there was a fine balance to be struck when assessing the route.
“The guys on the gravel bikes might get the advantage when we’re on the tarred and open roads,” he said.
“But when the roads get a bit corrugated and when we take on the drags I think the mountain bikes could have the edge.
“Fortunately I’m used to flat roads because I come from Potchefstroom where it is flat and I pedal a lot.”
He said according to a weather report the weather would change in the afternoon and they could end up riding into a headwind.
“They said there will be about 30km/h headwinds so I want to finish the race before at least 12 noon,” he said.
“We will start at 7am, so we must try to finish within five hours. We certainly wouldn’t want to ride into that headwind after such a distance.”
Du Toit said he had prepared as well as he could. “I’m feeling very good fitness-wise.
“I’ve put in all the hours and I’ve managed to complete all the training I needed to do.
“I’m very much looking forward to the race. It’s the first of its kind.
“It may be more harsh than I think, but I’m feeling relatively confident.”
