Marathon racing is South Africa’s most popular mountain biking discipline and now the cream of the sport will head for Pietermaritzburg this June for the pinnacle of the annual international racing calendar, the UCI MTB Marathon World Championships.
Having recently hosted it’s fourth UCI MTB World Cup, as well as the 2013 UCI MTB & Trials World Championships, Cascades MTB Park in Pietermaritzburg will once again form the headquarters for the international MTB showcase with the event further enhancing KwaZulu-Natal’s capital’s status as Africa’s ‘Bike City’.
Date: 29 June 2014
Venue: Cascades MTB Park
Racing distances: Elite Men – 90km, Elite Women – 67km
Start Times: Elite Men – 08h00, Elite Women – 08h45
Defending World Champions: Elite Men – Christoph Sauser (SUI), Elite Women – Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (NOR)
Riders keen to take part in the event must meet the UCI qualification criteria, such as securing a top 20 finish in one of the UCI MTB Marathon World Series legs or finishing in the top 50 of the series’ standings.
Amateurs and age group competitors eager to be a part of the action may also do so via the newly introduced Rainbow Challenge, should they qualify by meeting the event’s own qualification criteria, which takes place on Saturday 28 June.
More information about the 2014 UCI MTB Marathon World Championships can be found at www.mtbworldchamps.co.za and details about the Rainbow Challenge are available at www.rainbowchallenge.co.za
2013/14 UCI MTB Marathon World Series calendar:
6 July 2013 – Südtirol Dolomiti Superbike (Villabassa, Italy)
28 July 2013 – MTB Ucka Marathon, (Lovran, Croatia)
18 August 2013 – Grazer Bike-Marathon Stattegg (Graz/Stattegg, Austria)
24 August 2013 – Grand Raid (Verbier-Nendaz-Hérémence-
25 August 2013 – MTB Jurmala Marathon (Jurmala, Latvia)
7 September 2013 – Val di Fassa Bike (Moena-Val di Fassa, Italy)
8 September 2013 – O-Tour Bike Obwalden (Obwalden, Switzerland)
28 September 2013 – Langkawi Island International MTB Challenge (Langkawi Island, Malaysia)
6 October 2013 – Extreme sur Loue (Ornans, France)
11 October 2013 – Roc D’Azur (Frejus, France)
13 October 2013 – Copa Quaker Cannondale Rally De Puchuncavi (Puchuncavi, Chile)
22 February 2014 – MTN National Series #3 Sabie, driven by NISSAN (Sabie, South Africa)
29 March 2014 – Roc Paris Mantes La (Jolie, France)
13 April 2014 – Roc Laissagais (Laissac, France)
20 April 2014 – American Continental Championships – XCM (Villa Colón, Costa Rica)
4 May 2014 – MTN National Series #4 Clarens, driven by NISSAN (Clarens, South Africa)
4 May 2014 – Roc des Ardennes (Houffalize, Belgium)
11 May 2014 – Rothaus Hegau Bike Marathon (Singen, Germany)
21 June 2014 – International MTB Marathon Malevil Cup J(ablonne v Podjestedi, Czech Republic)
21 June 2014 – Südtirol Sellaronda HERO (Selva Val Gardena – Dolomites, Italy)
Source: Gameplan Media
