Photo Epic: SRAM Western Cape DH – Zevenwacht
It was a weekend of fine weather, a fast track and fantastic organization — but the racing was fierce.
The SRAM Western Cape Downhill series resumed after a brief hiatus this weekend with Round 5 taking place at the picturesque Zevenwacht Wine Estate just outside of Cape Town. Zevenwacht is a regular on the series and this weekend the track felt slightly different. Autumn rains and very little wind contributed to more flow and higher speeds than we’ve seen at previous races.
However, it wasn’t only the hero dirt and mild weather that contributed to the fierce racing for the 100-strong field. Across all the age groups, the majority of the current South African Champions are residents of the Western Cape and most of them were in attendance and ready for the challengers.
The weekend also saw a return to racing for the fastest father and son combination of the region, Martin and Jacques Prins. Previous stalwarts of the local racing seen, it’s now been five years since the duo raced a Downhill and Martin had this to say: “It’s insane how many young riders there are and it feels more organized which is good for the sport. The shuttles, track and general organization is a lot better than in the past.”
Early on Saturday morning, a slew of young riders were on the shuttles and heading up to the start gate to get practice underway. With all the marshals and medics in place the Race Director opened the track and shredding began.
Mountain biking is not chess. It is a physically demanding sport that requires a strong mental-presence. In particular, Downhill racing and its associated high speed, demands a far higher degree of ‘data-processing’ by the riders than other racing formats. Lightening fast reactions are necessary. Reading the terrain, reacting to changing lines, understanding when to pedal, when to tuck, what gear you are in and how to ‘carry speed’ are but some of the nuances of the discipline. Being able to do that, when your heart rate is at it’s maximum and the clock is ticking, adds complexity to the game. Then there’s the element of not knowing how fast your competitors are going so you are never 100% certain if your pace is on-par. Good physical conditioning and body armour are perquisites of Downhill and its great to see the majority of the newer crop of riders embracing this.
The seeding runs on Sunday morning gives the organizers a chance to shift the starting order, if necessary. They also afford riders the opportunity to measure their speed and ‘feel’ the track out, at race pace. This Sunday it was clear some riders opted for the sand-bagging approach — where they never committed to a 100% effort in seeding. I’m not giving away any names here but watching from the sidelines there were a handful of favorites who ‘took a cruiser’ in seeding. The nature of the sport means nobody is ever really sure if this tactic pays off, but sometimes its definitely a smart play.
Around midday and during the Race Runs a breeze picked up which slowed times, marginally. However, the calm autumn breeze presented no major danger on the jumps and the spectators were treated to some classy scrubs and squashes.
In the end, times were really tight throughout the age categories. A couple of the National Champions were beaten too – which shows how healthy the sport is. Looking through the results sheet there’s a few insights that jump out at me. Of the fastest five times on the day, four of those were set on Downhill bikes. Of those same five riders, four of them were teenagers. If you look at the fastest ten times of the day, eight of them were set by teenagers. The insights here are that there’s a growing depth in talent amongst the crop of younger riders; and, even on ‘flatter’ tracks, Downhill bikes are the weapon of choice again.
Chapeau to all involved with the event and a reminder these images are owned by Chris Taylor but can be purchased from him via DM or email: info@christaylorphotography.co.za
