Whatshot
Cyclocross gives riders a chance to mix it up
Cyclocross gives riders a chance to mix it up
With elements of both a mountain bike as well as road cycling race to contend with, riders of the 55km cyclocross at 2017 aQuellÈ Tour Durban, presented by Bridge Fund Managers, are in for a treat on Sunday, 30 April.
For the purists, the 55km race on April 30, that starts and finishes at Moses Mabhida Stadium, is maybe not a genuine cyclocross event, but the KZN cycling public have taken to the unique nature of the combination ride.
The cyclocross race combines the best of mountain biking and road cycling and gives riders an interesting mix of tar and dirt as the route is similar to the aQuelle Tour Durban's 45km road race but also includes three 5km offroad sections. The mountain bike sections take riders through the picturesque sugar cane fields and natural bush between the Umhlanga River and Umdloti.
"The cyclocross race is more of a hardtail mountain bike race than a true cyclocross event," said previous race winner Andrew Hill from Team TIB. "The guys who try and race it on cyclocross bikes do tend to struggle too much on the mountain bike sections to be able to be competitive. But it does spice things up a bit and make for something a bit different.
"It is different racing but is a lot of fun," ended Hill. The 2017 aQuellÈ Tour Durban, presented by Bridge Fund Managers, takes place on Sunday 30 April.
More information can be found at https://www.tourdurban.co.za