Franschhoek Lions/Porcupine MTB race


Date: Saturday 2 February 2013
Venue: Bridge House School, Franschhoek
Distance: 53km
Total Climb: 1050m

The Franschhoek Lions / Porcupine mtb race was to be my debut race for 2013 and the first mtb race since the Hell&Back in November 2012.

Timeline for the day was roughly as follows:



6:30 AM - I rocked up at the (impressive) school grounds of the Bridge House School feeling very under-prepared. A lazy December holiday and 3 weeks of non-activity in January due to Sanlam's year-end-results deadline took their toll. Just to emphasize my unpreparedness I left my timing chip at home and was still without my "Official PPA MTB board". This meant (A) no official timing & (B) no seeding and starting at the back with the newbies and non-PPA members.

(In hindsight both very fortunate oversights)

I should also mention that its always a good idea at the start of a mtb race to check that your front shock is not locked.

(In hindsight a not so fortunate oversight)


7:00 AM - Group A are off! However PPA in their infinite wisdom decided that the best way to start a small mtb race is to divide the few participants in as many small groups as possible and let the groups start in five minute intervals, meaning the poor buggers (including me) in the last "TEMPL2" group had to stand around for about half an hour listening to the presenter repeating the same safety briefing and lame jokes numerous times until it was our turn to go.


7:30 AM - Group TEMPL2 are off! Nice flat gravel roads, however group TEMPL2 is a bit slow for my liking and I'm off ahead like a proper racing snake trying to catch some of the stronger riders further up the field. Past the impressive Berg River dam wall, into some pine plantations for the first climb of the day - feeling very strong this morning, passing a lot of slower riders. Down a steep downhill, bumping all over the place  - guess I'm not that used to riding dirt roads anymore...

Berg River Dam

 8:30 AM - Crisscrossing between the vineyards and orchards of Franschhoek. Nice scenery, however not feeling particularly strong anymore, not passing slower riders anymore. Luckily no big climbs. These roads are REALLY bumpy....


9:00 AM - A very ROCKY climb, suddenly racing snakes start passing me from nowhere - Where the hell are these okes coming from???? The legs are complaining, now a very ROCKY descent, more bouncing all over the track, by now arms are also complaining and I can't feel my hands anymore. More racing snakes rushing past. Seriously, where are these people coming from??? I'm dead certain they started ahead of me?

(Long story short - turns out PPA marshals are not as viligant with giving directions as they are in policing riders into small groups - a number of the seeded groups were misdirected early in the race and had some catching up and an extra 10  km's to do)

(Hence the fortunate oversight in not having a seeded bike board)


9:30 AM - Second climb of the day, the big one - Matoppie hill. Three months ago I was climbing mountains for fun in the Hell & Back, now I was labouring on a hill not half as steep or long. Halfway up the legs just gave up so now it was time for the humiliating stumble&push-the-bike-sequence up the rest of the hill while being passed by slow riders not pushing their bikes

Matoppie Hill

10:00 AM - Finally reached the top of Matoppie hill, quick stop at the last waterpoint for the day with a nice view of the Berg River dam. The rest should be easy! Only now the ROCKY downhill is even ROCKIER than the previous + I'm too knackered & sore to handle a bouncing bike properly. One moment I was trying to pick a line between the numerous rocks , next moment I was off the road and falling down the mountain! Luckily my potential epic fall was prematurely broken by a large bush so the only damage was a few scratches and a bruised ego. After the fall I continue the 2km bumpy descent very slowly..

10:15 AM - Hey! What is this??? Why??? Who locked my shocks??? Why didn't think of that earlier? Unlocking the shocks magically transformed my bike into an instrument that can actually ride over an obstacle without you having to hold on for dear life.


10:30 AM - Homestretch, tired as hell, every bone in the body now sore and every km seems to take ages. Passing some back-markers of the short route who appear to be even more tired than I am.


10:45 AM - Finally, the finish! Had I remembered my timing chip,  my time of 3h15 would have meant finishing exactly middle-of-the-bunch.


Beautiful route, tougher than expected and not my best day on the bike. But a timeous pre-Argus wake-up call.




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