Unexpected action on MTB Time Trial

This past week’s MTB cycle timetrial (25th November) was not short of unexpected action. Broken bikes, children in unexpected places, cattle in the road and punctures all had their influence on the results.

It started with top rider Craig Randal’s brand-new carbon-frame bike disintegrating before he even reached the start line (Sorry Craig !!). His absence from the line-up left the front of the pack reasonably relaxed on the first section through Lobamba. That was until leader William Kelly reached the little single track with the pipe and hole on the stream crossing behind Ludzidzini. Bracing himself to ramp across the eroded hole, he suddenly spotted a child’s head emerging from the deeper than expected obstacle. His grabbing of brakes saw him somersault over his handlebars to have Bie, Mountjoy and Raw all piling up in a messy, but minor collision behind him.

Thereafter the leading group cruised for a short while before Bie changed pace just after the "Red Sea" crossing of the Mhlambanyatsi River. “ He went up the hill so fast that his back wheel was wheel-spinning,” claims Vaughn Mountjoy, who was showing some promising return to form up until that point. Shortly thereafter Mountjoy’s tyre jumped off his rim near Somhlolo, which he says was a blessed in disguise, “because I couldn’t hang on any longer.”

Robert Bie consequently posted another unchallenged win with William Kelly in second and Mike Craigie claiming third. Both Kelly and Craigie posted their best times for the new season. Darron Raw and Wandile Msibi had a neck-a-neck tussle through the bottom end of Ezulwini, with Raw’s downhill recklessness given him an edge over the tall youngster.

Robert Bie    00:43:56
William Kelly    00:45:15
Mike Craigie    00:47:36
Darron Raw    00:48:12
Wandile Msibi    00:48:47
Gavin Aranky    00:52:11
Dumi Mhlongo    00:54:11
Victor Oliveira    00:56:19
Vaughn Mountjoy    01:01:14
Manyakatane Dlamini    01:01:16
Leon Jacobs    01:02:41
Victor Barreiro    01:03:37
Pedro Isidoro    01:33:00
Anita Raw    01:38:00
Lynne Taylor    01:38:00