TEAM TIB on top of the podium 3^rd time in 3weeks

With the end of the mountain biking season upon us, Team TIB was still in top gear to finish strongly. Yet again stepping onto the top step of the podium for the third time in as many weeks, Andrew Hill was keen to finish the season on a high at the outsurance expedition. The race has become a favourite of the TIB rider after he finished off a hat trick of 3wins at the KZN expedition.

The ride in 2011 was radically different from any of the previous years in that riders were tested from the word go. Starting at Inanda dam riders were guided out along the tar road to the base of the first real climb. Here the pace quickened with The BMC Mr Price athlete Andrew Warr setting a high tempo. The riders to respond were TIBs Andrew Hill and Mr Prices Werner Moolman. The group was closely followed by the on form Paul Austin who’d claimed a win at Lake Eland 2weeks prior. Austin couldn’t bridge the gap but maintained composure as he know is technical ability would benefit him as the race went on.

The physically demanding route was more aligned to that of a XC style track with short sharp kicker climbs followed by technical single track. This left little time for recovery of the legs and proved too much for the vet rider Moolman after he was passed by Austin. Upfront the battle was on between Hill and Warr with each rider testing the other with hard attacks and fast paced riding in an attempt to dislodge the other competitor. This cat and mouse type racing proved fruitless from each party but provided great racing tactics in the valley of 1000hills.

In his post race interview, Hill mentioned he had to ride cautiously to the finish as there was little opportunity in the final 20km for a breakaway but there was a chance of a mistake that could have ended his race on some of the tight single track.

At the end of 80km nothing separated the TIB athlete and his competitor and the race came down to a sprint finish. Hill approached the final turn and got the first wheel into the finishing straight. He kicked hard and sprinted with huge effort to the finish line. Warr jumped behind him but was a couple of cm short of the winners wheel as the two crossed the line.

Warr said after the race that after 80km of racing and nothing to separate the two riders it seemed a fitting way to finish to the event, “Man vs Man” in a sprint finish.

With this event signalling the final big race of the year in KZN, many riders would be getting out on the weekends to enjoy the early mornings and build for next years fully stocked calendar.