Former Springboks for MTB Race
Corné Krige leads the pack
Although famous for their achievements in the sport of rugby, former Springboks Corné Krige and Tiaan Strauss will be seen trading in their togs for mountain bikes the weekend of 11 – 13 November 2011 when they take on the increasingly popular Contego Wines2Whales MTB Race powered by Maserati.
Krige, who’ll take part for his second consecutive year, said that the vibe amongst riders at the 2010 race was fantastic. “There was a fantastic vibe amongst the riders, but then again how many events start in a wine cellar over a glass of wine”, laughs Krige.
“Wines2Whales truly is a great race that showcases some of the best mountain bike routes on offer in the Cape. I enjoyed Stage Two’s single track and Stage Three’s finish. The two sporting disciplines definitely have different fitness requirements. Rugby is only eighty minutes, where mountain biking requires endurance. I had to learn to eat correctly at the 2010 Wines2Whales Race. Tiaan is a phenomenal mountain biker and he gets better the longer the race is. It’s awesome to cycle with one of the true legends in South African Rugby”. Krige will be participating in support of ‘The Fellows for Cancer Trust’ and ‘The Big Tree Foundation’.
Misfortune saw Strauss having to withdraw from the 2010 Wines2Whales MTB Race the Tuesday before the start. He was however, able to ride Stage Three on the Sunday. “I was disappointed as I was really looking forward to the Wines2Whales MTB Race. Luckily I got to experience the final stage.
I found the middle section to be quite tough, with the wind forcing riders to work hard. There was a good mix of terrain, with a spectacular finish on the beach. Overall it was a fairly challenging stage. I’m looking forward to taking on the Challenge with Corné and can’t wait to experience the single track at Oak Valley,” says Strauss.
EVENT INFORMATION
Due to the overwhelming response to the 2010 Race, event organisers decided to divide the 2011 event into two, differentiating between the Contego W2W Adventure and the Contego W2W Race. The Contego W2W Adventure will be more lifestyle orientated, while the Contego W2W Race will attract the racing snakes with top teams battling it out for the coveted title of Contego W2W MTB Race Champions.
Starting in the Winelands of Somerset West, riders will cross through (and over) 13 wineries, 26 private farms, six mountains, historic roads and mountain passes, nature conservation areas (including the Kogelberg Biosphere) before finishing within sight of the famous whales of Hermanus!
