Pietermaritzburg – The mountain bike race that started the trend of using GPS navigation is back, fully committed to developing and entrenching the pioneering concept when the second edition of the BSi Steel dusi2c takes place from Camps Drift in Pietermaritzburg to Blue Lagoon in Durban on 21 and 22 June.
The introduction of the concept at 2013’s inaugural edition of the race through the Msundusi and Mngeni Valleys marked the start of a revolutionary trend in the South African stage racing mountain biking scene and, despite a few anxious competitors last year, the resounding success first time around has everyone eager to enjoy the format again.
“Ah, it was just so much fun!” 2013 dusi2c women’s winner Eszter Erdelyi exclaimed. “I used a device that wasn’t quite ideal but the whole concept was just incredible!
“We went off track once or twice but that was part of the amazing fun of GPS racing and racing through the beautiful valley!
“You got to a split and we’d go left only to see some of the riders behind is go right and so we’d have to turn around and correct ourselves – it was such fun!” she oozed.
Photo: Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media
Erdelyi, who won the women’s category of the race’s first edition with fellow Time Freight VELOLife team mate Lise Olivier, believes the format is something that the mountain biking fraternity is catching onto quickly and is not only beneficial for the riders but event organisers as well.
“Looking for arrows or day glow stickers along a route is easy, racing – especially stage racing – with a GPS add such a different element to a race!
“It’s then not necessarily just the strongest riders who win but also the smartest.
“It is also easier for organisers so I definitely like the concept and hope to see it at even more events in the future,” added Erdelyi.
TIB Insurance’s Andrew Hill, who walked away with the 2013 men’s title with partner Tyrone Bird, is another who has backed the idea and was glad to see the further introduction of GPS racing at one of race director Glen Haw’s other iconic events this year, the Old Mutual joBerg2c.
“2013’s first dusi2c was fantastic. The routes were great. The river crossings were fantastic. The accommodation was wonderful. The food was delicious – as always and all in all it was just right up there with the usual Farmer Glen standards!” said Hill.
“Being the first GPS race I’d ever done, last year’s dusi2c was interesting. I enjoyed the whole GPS racing concept though.
“It was then very interesting to see this year’s joBerg2c followed suit and I’m sure we’ll see more and more stage races doing the same in the near future,” he added.
More information can be found at www.dusi2c.co.za
Source: Gameplan Media
