AFTER many months of preparation the time has come for this year’s highlight on the African Mountain Bike calendar. The 11th CAC (African Cycling Confederation) Mountain Bike African Championship, sponsored by Nedbank Namibia, will take place at the IJG trails at Farm Windhoek in Kleine Kuppe, Windhoek next weekend on 12 and 13 April.
The championship, which is a qualifying event for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo will see Africa’s top mountain bike riders in action.
Preceding these championships will be the Nedbank Cross Country UCI race taking place this Friday and Saturday on the same track. It is being held for the third consecutive year by Rock & Rut Mountain Bike Club and also forms part of the UCI Junior World Series races.
In addition, the World Cycling Centre Africa started with a mountain bike training camp for 20 talented athletes identified from different African countries on 31 March.
The Namibian Cycling Federation strategically planned to offer two high level competitions with the aim of attracting the best mountain bike athletes on the continent.
In both competitions there will be races in the men and women’s junior, elite and u23 categories, but also for all other age group categories. Athletes from numerous African nations, such as Botswana (10 athletes), Mauritius (7), Zambia (5), Lesotho (8), South Africa (46), Zimbabwe (2) have already arrived in Windhoek, and there are still participants expected from countries such as Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Eleven Namibian riders have entered so far, of whom the following have been awarded Namibian colours:
Junior women: Cindy Rowland.
Junior men: Dieter Koen and Hugo Hahn.
Elite women: Michelle Vorster.
Elite men: Xavier Papo and Alex Miller. Other Namibian riders, such as Denzel de Koe and Carmen Conrad, will compete in the Namibia Cycling Federation colours. Current Namibian Champion Tristan de Lange unfortunately has withdrawn due to a medical condition.
Michelle Vorster and Xavier Papo have shown good form at recent competitions. Alex Miller, who was ranked eighth in the 2018 world junior rankings, this year has to prove himself in the elite category. He, however, showed great form when he won the elite category at the Nedbank National Cross Country Marathon Championships in February this year while he also won the National Road Race Championships.
It is expected that South Africa will dominate the two races, not only by numbers, but also by podium places. Namibian competitors however have home advantage and will be going all out to get amongst the medals.
Regarding Olympic Games qualification, only the winning nation in each of the men and women’s races will secure a spot for Tokyo 2020.
The Rock & Rut Mountain Bike Club have put special emphasis on building the most spectator friendly track ever on Farm Windhoek. The Nedbank start and finish area will have a festive atmosphere while refreshments will also be available. The track will have obstacles sponsored by Cymot (Zombie) and Old Mutual (Mad Max).
Entrance is free and spectators can reach the event at the end of Otjivero Road in Klein Kuppe. The organisers have called on Namibians to come out in large numbers to see some top class cycling and support their riders against Africa’s best. Spectators will be able to enjoy an action-packed event, with spectacular 360 degree viewing.
Not to be missed is the mixed Team Relay, in which four riders of each competing nation will cycle one lap. The Nations Team Relay will take place on Friday, 12 April, directly after the official opening of the African Championships.
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