Pietermaritzburg – BSi Steel Dusi2c organiser Glen Haw has vowed not to tinker with the route that was used in the successful introduction of the two day mountain bike stage race last year for the 2014 edition on 21-22 June.
“We have decided that we don’t need to make major changes to the route this year,” the man is affectionately known as ‘Farmer Glen’ said. “We have added a few new sections of single track to the route but otherwise there are no serious changes.
“The riders raved about the route last year so we really don’t see the need to change much, just a few minor things here and there,” Haw added.
Photo: Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media
Haw, who has completed around 30 Dusi Canoe Marathons, knows the lie of the Valley which helps in setting up a course that the riders will enjoy and it seems, from the feedback he received, he has managed to achieve this in the races debut year.
“I do a lot of riding in the valley and I know it pretty well,” said haw. “It was really important that we got the route right last year and made sure that it followed a route that flowed down the valley.
“We tried to keep it in the valley again this year because it does help with the flow of the track and getting it right was critical because riders will criticize the smallest sections of track but I think we managed to get it right so we keeping it the same this year,” Haw mentioned proudly.
The race follows the same route as the Dusi Canoe Marathon and in order for the track to flow the riders have to cross the river on floating pontoon bridges which seem to be very popular with the riders.
“We worked it out that the race crosses the river 28 times from the start to the finish! These bridges are set up and looked after by the locals and they are really quick and easy to assemble,” Haw said.
Photo: Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media
The event organisers work closely with the Dusi uMngeni Conservation Trust (DUCT) as well as the Durban Green Corridor in cutting the track for the race and the involvement of the local community is paramount in making the event as success.
“We rely on the Durban Green Corridor to prepare the route for us and make sure that it is well maintained because upholding the standards of the event is vitally important to us and having well cut trails means a good race.
“The people in the valley play a major part in the race as they are employed to cut the trail and giving the people in the valley the opportunity to get involved in an event like this is important for us and it is something that we try and do with all of our events.
“As long as the local people buy into the event then the trails will get better as the years go on and it provides the local people with a route to utilise as well as just benefiting from the event as a whole means that we keep them happy and we have a successful event,” Haw concluded.
The BSi Steel dusi2c mountain bike race takes place from Camps Drift in Pietermaritzburg to Blue Lagoon in Durban on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June 2014. More information can be found at www.dusi2c.co.za
Source: Gameplan Media
