2 August, 2024
White keen to dish out some lessons at Illovo Eston Challenge

Tyronne White and Sanchia Malan will be hoping for back-to-back victories when they line up at the 60km MTB race at the Illovo Eston Trail Challenge on Sunday, but they will both face much stiffer challenges from younger rivals this weekend.

The pair emerged from the 140km Underberg Gran Fondo gravel race a week ago as comfortable winners after a tough ride in the foothills of the Drakensberg, but the level of competition will be stepped up significantly this weekend for what is regarded as one of the major events on the KZN MTB circuit.

White, the runner up in 2023, is almost certain to be in the mix when the leaders start fighting for positions toward the end of the 60km route through the Eston farming district, but the Drive Train Academy veteran will have to use all his experience to hold off a phalanx of youngsters who are making their mark on the provincial scene.

Pietermaritzburg’s Omar Wilson has become a force to be reckoned with over the past year, and after winning the 60km event at the Sappi Karkloof race a few weeks ago, and thus claiming the SA Junior title, he is probably the rider to beat.

However, under 23s Keegan Tullis and Daniel van der Watt and teenager Joshua Paul have also been showing that they can compete at the highest level and White could feel like the old man in an otherwise very young lead group. However, the highly respected cycling coach may still be able to hand out a lesson or two to the “kids” as they battle for victory.

In the women’s race, Malan will be buoyed by her win from a week ago on a gravel bike, but will probably have to produce an even better performance this weekend on her mountain bike if she hopes to be on the overall podium.

As in the men’s race, the rider to beat is a teenager.

Tyler Jacobs has proved herself able to compete with the best in the country this year and at Karkloof she earned a SA Champs bronze medal in the elite women’s event and it is hard to see her being beaten this weekend. The youngster’s strongest challenge is likely to come from defending champion Joanna van de Winkel, although the road rider-turned-mountain biker may find herself struggling this year to stay in contention on the technical portions of the Eston route against her fearless young rival.

Another youngster who will be hoping to claim a step on the overall podium is Riley Smith who has proved herself to be one of the rising stars of KZN mountain biking over the past few years as she moves through the age-groups.

The Illovo Eston Trail Challenge has once again attracted a big field and can justifiably claim to be the biggest one-day trail festival in the province. For MTB riders there are 60km, 40km and 18km events with a 10km fun ride, while trail runners have a choice of 18km and 9km runs.

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