Momentum Knysna Cycle Tour MTB 2017

Mark Cavendish - circa 2012

The Knysna Cycle Tour (coinciding with the annual Knysna Oyster Festival) is one of the iconic events on the annual western cape cycling calendar. My first attempt was back in 2012 in my first year of cycling. I was on a 26er in a replica Team Sky jersey. I don't remember much of the race other than that it was really cold, wet and muddy and one guy cheered me on as Mark Cavendish. I finished the 80km race in just over 4 hours which I thought at the time was not too shabby for a new cyclist.

One year later I was back again, and again Knysna was cold, wet & muddy, I was again riding in my Team Sky replica kit, this time on a shiny new 29er, much fitter more experienced and hence with high expectations of improving the previous year's time - and I promptly rode a half an hour slower than the last attempt (Must be the reason I can find no entry of that year's race in my blog)

Our booked Brenton-on-sea accomodation

4 years later I'm back again, now on the wrong side of 40, not quite as fit, the same 29er not so shiny anymore, Mark Cavendish has since left Team Sky and my own Team Sky kit is now lying faded in the cupboard. Knysna itself is not exactly in prime condition itself with the after affects of the massive fire that swept through the area a few weeks prior very much evident. Our usual accomodation at Brenton-on-sea burnt down and we had to scramble to find a late alternative.

The morning of the race there was no sign of the previous years cold and wet conditions, it was warm & dry with the remnants of the fire stilll smouldering around Knysna.

This race has an odd seeding system where you have the option to seed yourself as a elite rider and start with the big names upfront, 10 minutes earlier than the rest of the field. On my first 2 attempts I correctly entered as a regular fun rider which resulted in the usual mass participation frustration for me, being stuck behind loads of slower riders for the first half of the race. This year I took a chance and "accidently" entered as an elite rider and low and behold, on Saturday morning 8 July I was lining up with a red number on my board among a small number of very seriously looking pro riders trying my best not too look too obviously out of place.

The Start with Elites

All by myself and loving it

At 8h00 the elites and me-hiding-at-the-back were off and I succeeded in not getting dropped until the first big climb up Simola right out of Knysna, at the top of Simola I was now on my own somewhere between the elites and the rest and could ride in peace without worrying about some inexperienced 100kg buffalo-sized rider smashing into my backside on the overcrowded descents.

The first 20km is basically one long climb, first Simola and then northwards to the Gouna forest section. It wasn't until 15km into the race that the faster funriders who started behind me started catching me. Trying to hang on their wheels for a while was good for my average speed (racked up a few Strava PB's) but bad for the ego.

After the long climbs you drop into the forest sections with long gradual downhills, a few quick climbs, some short stretches of fast singletrack and although it feels like you are still heading north, the route makes a gradual south eastern loop and after 50km spits you out close to the N2,  south-east of Knysna where you started.

Riding through the forests

After crossing through an active forestry section and a bit of natural forest, you join up with the short distance riders for the last 20kms. For the first time in 60km I was again passing people (albeit short distance riders and not fellow 80km riders), but at least I was not the only one being passed anymore.

Passing some short distance riders

Almost back in Knysna, on the top of Simola the routes split again, the short distance riders having the nice route going down Simola on the tar road and the 80km riders being taken down the hill on a bumpy stretch of single track through smoldering & smokey grass which I do not particularly enjoy at this point of the race.

Then it is underneath & onto the N2 next to the Knysna lake with a final sprint to the finish back in Knysna. My time 4h1m, about 70 seconds faster than in 2012 and a whole 30 minutes faster than in 2013. At least age has not yet completely caught up with me!