THE 2018 Lormar Endurance MTB Tour greeted 248 mountain bikers to the Karoo for this year’s race.
Participants from all over the country participated, as well as South African residents originally from France and Italy.
The seventh edition of the Lormar Endurance MTB Tour was opened at Fairview Farm outside Middelburg EC by a prayer from Annette van der Merwe and a moment of silence for Piet van der Merwe, who passed away during November last year. Piet played an enormous part in building the tour to what it is today. Piet always said participants arrive as strangers but leave the Karoo as friends and that’s exactly what took place this weekend.
The wild horse run tradition once again gave participants goosebumps as they galloped past them during the opening ceremony. Riders lined up at the start line to start with day one’s “night ride” setting off into the sunset and greeted by the beautiful Karoo nightscape.
Hennie Meyburg in the men’s category and Lizanne van der Merwe in the women’s category won the stage.
Day two greeted riders to a spectacular sunny Karoo day as they set off to do 58km and the Mini riders doing a 27km loop. As riders reached the first water point, they rode through a Scott Sports tunnel and some riders were stopped right there and offered a brand new Scott helmet to keep in exchange for their old helmet that goes to a charity. A water point with mini vetkoekies, fruit, potatoes and even koeksisters to fuel the rest of their ride then greeted riders.
Meyburg and Lizanne van der Merwe again took top honours in the men’s and women’s categories respectively.
During the afternoon participants were treated to various “chill zones” on the farm, from a craft beer zone by Woodstock Brewery, to a wine zone by Meander Wines and even a craft gin zone by Hope on Hopkins.
Guests could also take the Bidvest McCarthy Audi Wonderboom Pre-Owned Vehicles for a test drive.
The afternoon activities were concluded by a live music performance by Betsie Beers Band in the middle of the veld, with the beautiful Karoo landscape as the backdrop. Day three of the tour presented riders with a combination of Jeep track and single-track sections through neighbouring farms.
Riders were surprised by a proper coffee stop in the middle of the veld where they could order anything from an Americano to a cappuccino.
Day three’s results were as follows:
Main Men – Hennie Meyburg
Main Women – Lizanne van der Merwe
Main Men’s Team – “K Kwadraad” – Nicolai van der Merwe and Karel Boshoff
Main Women’s Team – Team Peanut – Nadia van Wyk and Riette Wessels
Main Mixed Team – Scrambled Legs – Gys and Liandri Malan
Mini Women – Camille Guignon
Mini Team – Wild Cats – Angela Bruns and Charlene Bissett.