Excitement builds as an elite field of mountain bikers (local and from abroad) prepare to take on the 9th annual FNB Wines2Whales (W2W) Mountain Bike (MTB) Race that will start at Lourensford Wine Estate (Somerset West) on Friday, 03 November 2017.<\/p>\n
Top teams to look for will include:\u00a0 Swiss contenders Christoph Sauser with Konny Looser (Investec-Songo), Gawie Combrinck with Nico Bell (NAD Pro MTB), Matthys Beukes with Philip Buys (PYGA Euro Steel 1), Waylon Woolcock with HB Kruger (Team BCX), Alan Hatherly with Matthew Beers (Team Spur\/RED-E), Phillimon Sebona with Julien Jessop (PYGA Euro Steel 2), Robyn de Groot with Sabine Spitz of Germany (Team Ascendis Health), Ariane L\u00fcthi and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (Team Spur), Vera Adrian with Candice Lill (Dormakaba) and Cherise Willeit with Vicky van der Merwe (Team Squirt) to mention just a few.<\/p>\n
Team Investec-Songo:<\/strong>\u00a0 It\u2019s been three years since Christoph Sauser and Konny Looser claimed gold at the FNB W2W MTB Race (2014). Undoubtedly both riders will be hoping for a repeat performance in 2017.<\/p>\n \u201cThe characteristic route, racing action, vibe and of course raising funds for songo.info are what attract me to W2W,\u201d says Sauser.\u00a0 \u201cI enjoy all three stages because they are very different from each other.\u00a0 That\u2019s why I love the entire route package. Konny and I make a well balanced team and we both like to win.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Looser, W2W is his favorite SA event.\u00a0 \u201cIt has a nice format and super nice routes.\u00a0 I enjoy the second stage.\u00a0 It\u2019s fast and features a lot of single track.\u00a0 Our team strategy will be less thinking and more dirt.\u00a0 I\u2019d really like to win my third W2W Race. \u201d<\/p>\n Team NAD Pro MTB:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cW2W is a great race with awesome trails,\u201d says Combrinck.\u00a0 \u201cI enjoy the third stage the most.\u00a0 I\u2019ve always had a good race on the last day.\u00a0 Our goal is to win.\u201d<\/p>\n Nico Bell echoes his team mates sentiments, \u201cI enjoy Stage Three the most.\u00a0 We\u2019re going to the sea.\u00a0 Our team strategy will be to hang tight, wait for opportunities and then go flat out.\u201d<\/p>\n Team PYGA Euro Steel 1:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cW2W is a nice event to end the season off with,\u201d says Beukes.\u00a0 \u201cThe trails are good and the vibe is chilled.\u00a0 I must admit, the good prize purse is also a draw card.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy favorite trails are featured during Stage Two,\u201d says Buys.\u00a0 \u201cOur team strength is our technical abilities and mental strength.\u00a0 We\u2019ll ride offensively, while keeping it smooth and fast.\u00a0 We\u2019d love to end off the season with a final victory.\u201d<\/p>\n Team BCX:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cI enjoy the awesome trails and great event hospitality,\u201d says Woolcock.\u00a0 \u201cStage Two is my favorite stage because it has the most single track.\u00a0 Our team strength will be consistency, while keeping it positive will be our strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI enjoy Stage One the most,\u201d says Kruger.\u00a0 \u201cThis stage is unpredictable and the portage gives it a very different dynamic.\u00a0 I am looking forward to mingling with mates after a tough day in the saddle.\u00a0 Our goal is to finish on the top step of the podium after three days of racing.\u201d<\/p>\n Team Spur\/RED-E:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve heard that W2W has incredible single track and awesome racing,\u201d says Hatherly.\u00a0 \u201cI had serious FOMO last year following the race on Twitter.\u00a0 Looking at the route profiles, I think that Stage One would probably be the most fun.\u00a0 Our goal is to be on the overall GC podium.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cW2W was the first big stage race that I did when I first started mountain biking,\u201d says Beers.\u00a0 \u201cStage Two is awesome.\u00a0 It\u2019s really technical and fast.\u00a0 It should suit us nicely.\u00a0 There\u2019s going to be quite a few strong teams this year.\u00a0 I suspect our toughest competition will come from Team PYGA Euro Steel 1 and Team Investec-Songo.\u201d<\/p>\n Team PYGA Euro Steel 2:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cJullien and I would like to finish in the top field,\u201d says Sebona.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMost of the top names will be on the start line.\u00a0 Our strategy will be to work together.\u00a0 Racing won\u2019t be easy, but we are looking forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n Team Ascendis Health:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cSabine and I make a great team,\u201d says de Groot.\u00a0 \u201cWe race well together.\u00a0 As professional athletes we will obviously focus on stage wins, with the overall victory a major objective.\u00a0 I am really looking forward to sharing this awesome race with Sabine who will be racing it for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve heard a lot of good things about W2W,\u201d says Spitz.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been told that there is a lot of cool single track and that the routes are really scenic.\u00a0 I\u2019ve also heard about suspension bridges.\u00a0 I\u2019m looking forward to being showered with champagne and swimming with the whales.\u201d<\/p>\n Team Spur:<\/strong>\u00a0 According to L\u00fcthi, W2W is one of SA\u2019s greatest stage races.\u00a0 \u201cThe route and the organisation of the event are absolutely top class.\u00a0 Of course the Spur burger that’s waiting for us at the end of each stage is a huge drawcard.\u00a0 Stage Two is a lot of fun. The hills and overall stage are just short enough to keep the suffer level at bay so that one can truly enjoy all the fantastic single tracks which Oak Valley is known for.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStage One is my favorite stage because it starts with a climb,\u201d says Moolman Pasio.\u00a0 \u201cClimbing is definitely my biggest strength on the mountain bike.\u00a0 It also helps if I can get a head start into the single track.\u00a0 Being a roadie I’m not particularly fast in the single track.\u00a0 This will be the first time that I race in the Elite Women\u2019s Category at W2W.\u00a0 I\u2019m looking forward to the challenge and know that I will be in good hands with Ariane as my partner and Team Spur as my support crew.\u201d<\/p>\n Team Dormakaba:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s the wine and great time had with friends that attract me to W2W,\u201d says Adrian.\u00a0 \u201cAll three stages are equally great.\u00a0 You get to enjoy the trails without traffic and indulge in yummy Food Lovers Market treats at the water points.\u00a0 Our goal will be to have the best last race together no matter the outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n Team Squirt:<\/strong>\u00a0 Cherise Willeit has completed four W2W\u2019s events.\u00a0 \u201cThe scenery is definitely a big highlight,\u201d says Willeit.\u00a0 \u201cI love the atmosphere of W2W and how it brings all types of cyclists together. It’s an event where you get to mingle with everyone. The food has always been absolutely superb.\u00a0 Vicky and I will ride to have fun and make memories.\u00a0 My advice to MTB newcomers is to take it easy. \u00a0It’s important to pace correctly and to leave something in the tank for the last stage.\u201d<\/p>\n EVENT INFORMATION:<\/strong>\u00a0 FNB Wines2Whales MTB Race<\/p>\n 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!<\/p>\n Stage One:<\/strong>\u00a0 Friday, 03 November 2017<\/p>\n Start Venue:<\/strong>\u00a0 Lourensford Wine Estate (Somerset West)<\/p>\n Finish Venue:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Oak Valley Wine Estate (Elgin-Grabouw)<\/p>\n Distance:<\/strong> 68km<\/p>\n Ascent:<\/strong> 1650m<\/p>\n Start Time:<\/strong>\u00a0 07:00<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Stage Two:<\/strong>\u00a0 Saturday, 04 November 2017<\/p>\n Start Venue:<\/strong>\u00a0 Oak Valley Wine Estate (Elgin-Grabouw)<\/p>\n Finish Venue:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Oak Valley Wine Estate (Elgin-Grabouw)<\/p>\n Distance:<\/strong> 71km<\/p>\n Ascent:<\/strong> 1350m<\/p>\n Start Time:\u00a0 <\/strong>07:00<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Stage Three:<\/strong>\u00a0 Sunday, 05 November 2017<\/p>\n Start Venue:<\/strong>\u00a0 Oak Valley Wine Estate (Elgin-Grabouw)<\/p>\n Finish Venue:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Onrus Caravan Park<\/p>\n Distance:<\/strong> 71km<\/p>\n Ascent:<\/strong> 1200m<\/p>\n Start Time:<\/strong>\u00a0 07:00<\/p>\n PRIZE PURSE:<\/strong>\u00a0 The 2017 FNB W2W MTB Race boasts an impressive Prize Purse of R417 000.\u00a0 For a complete Prize Purse Breakdown visit CLICK HERE<\/a><\/p>\n EXCITING PRIZE:<\/strong>\u00a0 This year one lucky rider (per event) will take home a magnificent 2018 Specialized Epic Comp Carbon mountain bike to the value of R59 000.<\/p>\n Facebook:\u00a0<\/strong> Wines2Whales<\/a><\/p>\n Twitter:\u00a0<\/strong> @w2wmtb<\/a><\/p>\n For more information on the FNB Wines2Whales MTB events contact Chris on 083 760 3158, e-mail race@wines2whales.co.za<\/a>, adventure@wines2whales.co.za<\/a> or ride@wines2whales.co.za<\/a> or visit www.wines2whales.co.za<\/a>\u00a0 ABOUT FNB WINES2WHALES Recently acquired by Cape Epic (PTY) Ltd, FNB Wines2Whales is a three-day mountain bike stage race held in the Western Cape, South Africa. Founded in 2009, the annual event hosts four thousand riders competing in two-person teams over 70-80km per day. The race format consists of three consecutive, separate, but identical events over ten days (named \u2018Adventure\u2019, \u2018Ride\u2019 and \u2018Race\u2019) \u2013 allowing riders to choose the appropriate option that suits their level of competitiveness. With entries selling out each year, FNB Wines2Whales is regarded as South Africa\u2019s premier three-day mountain bike stage race. ABOUT CAPE EPIC (PTY) Ltd and ABSA CAPE EPIC<\/strong><\/p>\n The\u00a0Absa Cape Epic\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0is the world\u2019s premier mountain bike stage race. The route changes every year, leading aspiring amateur and professional mountain bikers from around the world through roughly 650km of unspoilt scenery and 15,000m of accumulated climbing, over some of the most magnificent mountain passes in Western Cape in South Africa. \u00a0The Absa Cape Epic is the most televised mountain bike stage race in the world and the only eight-day mountain bike stage race classed as hors cat\u00e9gorie by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). This official UCI status makes it a highlight on the professional racer’s calendar. The Absa Cape Epic also attracts aspiring amateur riders wanting to test themselves against the best. It is a full-service race, meaning that everything is taken care of from the start – all riders need to think about is riding.<\/p>\n In 2017, Cape Epic was acquired by the IRONMAN group, part of Wanda Sports, to anchor a global portfolio of off-road events and\u00a0to spearhead the development and expansion of a worldwide series of premium mountain-bike races.<\/p>\n For more information on the FNB Wines2Whales\u00ae<\/sup>, visit www.wines2whales.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n For more information on the Absa Cape Epic\u00ae<\/sup>, visit www.cape-epic.com<\/a><\/p>\n For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com<\/a><\/p>\n ISSUED BY:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Newsport Media<\/a><\/p>\n
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