Tuesday, March 20, 2007

We have had a great response from everyone that we have asked in the last week to be part of this dream that Hanno and myself have; to help our disabled people enjoy the only sport they can participate in. It is privilege to be able to play sport.It is special for us social sportsmen to be able to participate in the same events as the professionals. Events like the Cape-Epic and therefore Evert and I are going to enjoy every momentThe support for this trust in the last week has been overwhelming. at the moment friends, colleagues and friends of friends have pledged a total of R30 000. And it seems that if we can manage a top 50 even more. MAD make a differnce has made a telling contribution and we take our hats off to the vision of Francois Pienaar, Deon Huysamen and friends.Christoff Sauzer, world cup mountain bike champ and last year's winner has met with Hanno and have given him spezialized cycling gear and will spent time with him.Thanks to Thys Lombard and Michel de Clippel for media support.

Danie Morkel

http://hannoburger.blogspot.com/

DistrictMail 22/03/2007 10:22 AM - (SA)

Winner of 24 hour solo race to ride Cape Epic

At least 20 mountainbikers from the Helderberg will be among the 1 086 cyclists riding in the 2007 Absa Cape Epic, an 886 km cross country route held over eight days from Knysna to the Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West.

A total of 42 nations will be represented at this now world famous event and riders from as far as Brazil, Canada, Norway, Hong Kong and Australia will join in this unique event - including Olympic gold medallists, world champions and reigning UCI World Cup champions (riders must compete in teams of two).
The Epic has within four years become not only the largest full-service mountain bike stage race in the world, but also, globally the most televised bike event of all time.
Riders will complete a total climb of 15 045 metres - the equivalent of riding nearly twice up Mount Everest and pass through pass through a number of national parks, five Cape Nature Reserves and vast tracts of protected terrain.
One Somerset West cyclist who will be riding in the race is Dane Walsh, who himself has a number of impressive titles to his credit. Among these are winner of the Dirtopia 24 Hour Solo Endurance Ride - 37 laps of a 7,5 km through the night and finishing at 09:00, plus an excellent Cape Argus time of 2:47.
Dane said he and his riding partner, Julian Conrad, have been training hard for the Epic but will definitely not be racing, but riding it to enjoy it and the whole experience of the event. "We have been training since December and put in around 6 000 km in training for the race with an average of 15 to 16 hours a week (two hours every morning and two hours every evening).
"I have done most of my training on a road bike, basically because I'm a road cyclist. Myself and Julian will be happy to average between six to seven hours a day and finish in around 43 hours if all goes well. It is total concentration every metre of the way and one little slip in concentration could result in a fall and the end of the race.
"The top guys will average about four hours a day and finish in about 32 hours." He says that entering the race, paying his entry fee, getting a partner to ride with and getting a training programme all happened very quickly.
"At the beginning of November I got a training programme from Erica Green (who has represented South Africa in Mountainbiking at two Olympic Games) and the Sports Science Institute. We stuck to the programme and I believe it has gone well. I didn't really change my diet - I just ate a bit more carbohydrates."
Dane said Maverick Cycles would be providing back-up for five local teams in the form of a gazebo etc. Tents, food, water and masseurs will all be provided by the organisers at each stop over point.
The riders will average around 100 km a day for the 8 days before starting in Knysna on March 24 and finishing at Lourensford Estate on Saturday, March 31.
The first stage between Knysna and Uniondale will test riders with a gruelling 2 660 metre climb and Kevin Vermaak, director and founder of the Epic, said this is one the wildest routes to date.
Dane said that during one stage most of the riders, "except for the professionals" will have to carry their bikes up a 6 km jeep track which should take about an hour.
"I'm very excited to be riding this race and really looking forward to it. I think we're well prepared physically and emotionally and will be happy to finish in one piece in around 43 hours. If all goes well and I enjoy the ride - who knows, I may be back to race the Epic next year."

Bite sized version of Epic

For those who seek a bite-sized version of the Absa Cape Epic, the Cape Times Vigne à Vigne, a one-day mountainbike race, will be taking place on the last day of the Absa Cape Epic on the Lourensford Wine Estate.
For a more sedentary day there will be beer gardens, wine tastings, helicopter flips and entertainment for kids and adults throughout the day.
Corné and Twakkie of The Most Amazing Show will provide a little something for the ladies before South Africa's hottest jazz sensation, Goldfish, perform. Platinum and track-side hospitality suites are available for corporate block bookings, where breakfast, canapé's, lunch, tea and drinks will be served.
While the elevated platinum suites overlook the finish line, the track side suites are positioned right next to the final chute for the finish line, to provide spectators with an eye-level view of the winners as they come in.
Both of the packages include free entries into the Cape Times Vigne à Vigne and a day of fine dining to follow, while the platinum suites include helicopter flips over the region and the track side suites offer exclusive luxury showers and massage services.
For more information on the finish line party, entering the Cape Times Vigne á Vigne or booking a suite, visit www.vigne-a-vigne.com or www.cape-epic.com. For more information on the route and the race, visit www.cape-epic.com.

Hi Everyone,

Well not too much going on at the moment. Pretty good turnouts over the weekend taking into account that the Argus is a thing of the past.

Tomorrow, (Wed 21/3) is a public holiday so there will be a ride at 6.30am from Waterstone.

Turning point in the morning temp as well. Well on our way into Autumn, so dress accordingly, and the lights thing becomes more and more important.

The next couple of weeks will be rustig and then it’s time (believe it or not) to start looking at the DC. We will keep u informed.

For many the MTB season has arrived and it’s their time to really enjoy the “Off Road” challenges.

Quite a few in the Basin are going on the “EPIC Cycling Holiday” starting this Sat, enjoy.

Dis al vir nou,

Ons sal oor 10 dae of so weer gesels.

Goedgaan,

Ek.

Wannabee's Argus Results

Click on it for full view

If you want to publish your result send me an email mdcsport@hotmail.com

Vergelegen Medi-Clinic
Dr. Daniel Morkel

EPIC 2007

Dear friends, colleagues

My cycling partner, Evert Meintjies, and I have been entered for the 2007 Absa Cape Epic Mountainbike Race.

This is an international, 900km mountainbike stage race. It takes place in March 2007. It will take us eight days to complete the race that follows some of the roughest and most inaccessible routes between Knysna and Lourensford Estate in Somerset West. During the race all teams are responsible for their own bicycle maintenance along the way. Over five hundred teams will be taking part. As you can imagine, this event receives wide media coverage.

The international participants competing in this event are worldclass and winning the event is certainly not an option for us. Our goal is to give a good account of ourselves and our reward will be the satisfaction of preparing for and finishing an endurance event of this magnitude.

We have been cycling 15 to 16 hours per week, starting at 04h30 in the mornings in preparation for the event. Although it is a privilege to participate in this event, our families and colleagues make great sacrifices to enable us to participate.

So much time and effort goes into the preparation and participation in this event and we both feel that the effort could be of benefit to someone else, especially since our participation was made possible by Polaris Capital

A good friend of ours, Hanno Burger, is a 12 year old boy suffering from a debilitating disease called Dystonia. I have known him since his birth and he is a very talented and very pleasant young boy who for the past 2 years has been affected by this neuromuscular disease. At this stage he is paralysed in his lower limbs and is therefore unable to walk. He uses a wheelchair or crutches to get around. Despite his disability, he is an extremely pleasant and positive young fellow.
His credo is Hou Aan Nooit Nooit Opgee ( Hang on, never, ever give up)
He would love to have a special wheelchair to participate in wheelchair races, which is the only sport he can participate in at this stage of his illness. These specialised hand-driven wheelchairs are expensive and he will need about R40 000 to purchase one. He will need further funds if he qualifies for surgery at a later stage.

We are therefore challenging our friends and colleagues to make a donation for Hanno's wheelchair. It is also Hanno’s wish that the Hanno Burger trust fund will be of benefit other disabled sportsmen. He recently won the first handcycle race that he entered. At this event the conditions of wheelchairs and lack of decent equipment was distressing to him and that is where he would like to make a difference.

There are two ways you can participate.

The first is you can pledge a certain amount per kilometre that we complete (last year it was 920km for myself and 720km for my partner. This year the race is 880km long.

The other is to pledge money based on the position we achieve in the race and thereby challenge us to try our best for a great cause. We will give everyone regular updates via email

The money can be deposited in the following trust account:

Hanno Burger Trust
FNB Stellenbosch
Branchcode: 20-06-10
Account number: 62121852968 - cheque account

Please email me your pledge so that we can follow-up and also so that we can add your email address to our buddy list to give you regular updates.

Regards

DANIE MORKEL

danie@danmorkel.co.za

Argus pics

Send me your argus pics and I will put them on the blog
mdcsport@hotmail.com

Morning,

What a brilliant day yesterdays Argus turned out to be. One could not have asked or wished for better conditions and weather.

Well, I was pretty sceptical going into this one for various reasons and of course Murfy(Murphy) played his part with me at number 99 going into the start chute, but other than that everything went off according to plan.

Many thanks for all the calls and SMSs received before the race and afterwards.

In all the years that we have been involved with training and the Argus I have never had such positive feed back with regards to results.

Virtually without exception it would appear that all had PBs and that is awesome to say the least. I don’t have all the results yet but from Ronnie (being the oldest Wannabee I think—who rode a 3hrs 32m at plus 70) to Tony Owen who although suffering from a nasal/chest infection rode a PB and Alie as well. To Jenny, Wendy, Mandy, Ina and Lourene, Sanette/Henry (all sub 4hrs), Jack Ack who once again cracked a sub 3hrs, young Wynand at 15 doing a sub 3hr ride and and and…. I have left many out I suppose, but will cover them when I get the results. Petie who did a 3hrs and some secs. How close can one get? Anton on his MTB bike and LOVED it. Well done to Dom, Allister and Desray (sy wat so baie gekla het en nie fiks was nie het die hele tyd op my agterent gesit.)

The weeks morning rides have come to an end and the week/end rides start time will as from now be at 6.30am.

On the down side several had to withdraw because of illness one of those being Anton. Next time my man.

Ryan had to withdraw from the Giro on Fridays Vissershok Stage due to bad planning on my part and mechanical problems. N duur les om te leer. So much time, effort and money goes into the preparation of certain events en ai dis hartseer vir almal, ongeag waarin jy deelneem. BUT VASBYT. Next Year!!!!!

Don’t forget to go into the Wannabee Blog.

Go well and once again many thanks,

Erna en ek.

08/03/2007 (SA) Yet more tourists attacked 09-03-2007

AN overseas cyclist who came to SA to participate in the Argus Cycle Tour, was almost killed when a rock was hurled at him on the third day of his very first visit to the country.
Peter Mayr believes his helmet had saved him from serious injury.
The incident happened on Wednesday, February 28 at about 14:00 while he was cycling towards Strand on Baden Powell Road (R310) with his girlfriend, Sabina Gandini.
The couple had arrived in SA on the Monday as part of an overseas tour group of 29 cyclists headed up by German citizen, Peter Rente, who for the past seven years has been organising the cycle tour with Vlok Pieterse of Strand.
The couple spent the first two days in Cape Town without incident and on Wednesday cycled to Strand where they were to spend the rest of their stay, taking the approved coastal route.
"We were cycling at about 13 km/h, when I saw two guys ahead of me near some trees," Peter told DistrictMail at the couple's room at the Ocean View Hotel. "I saw one of the men pick up a rock. He was only about a metre away when he hurled it straight at me."
The rock struck him on the side of his head, his helmet taking the impact, but Peter managed to cycle on. Sabina had to fend off the second man, who tried to pull her off her bicycle. She managed to get away.
"We were told the route was safe," Peter said. They did not report the incident to the police. "We are strangers in the country, we did not know what to do," says Peter.
They still intend to compete in the Argus race on Sunday. But the couple said on Monday, they don't intend coming back for a second visit to SA or another cycle tour.
A second, unrelated attack on a cyclist was reported on Sunday on the R310. Final year Matie student Emile du Plessis (23) was pushed off his bicycle by two men who stabbed him in the chest, robbed him and ran away. Emile's right lung had collapsed and he was taken to HH Hospital where an operation was performed on him.
The police at Harare, Khayelitsha, are investigating the incident.

Donation

Hi All,

With the Argus just round the corner we hope you have really benefited from those hard exhausting weekday morning training sessions of the Wannabee group and in particular have enjoyed those weekend rides along the beautiful Gordon’s Bay coast, the tough inland rides over Helshoogte and the more relaxed rides threw the wine lands along Bottleray road.

As you know none of this comes without some cost and as discussed at the annual meeting of our Wannabee group in September 2006, we agreed to all contribute R200 per annum to cover these out-of-pocket expenses.

There have been many of you that have made your contributions for which we are very grateful. There are however a number that have not as yet paid your dues and I, on behalf of the steering committee, request that you please finalise this matter as soon as possible.

We now have a separate Wannabee banking account and for your information all expenses are accounted for and approved by the steering committee.

Account Name: Wannabee
ABSA Bank
Somerset West
Branch Code: 632005
Acc No. 9178906183

We really would appreciate your cooperation regarding the above. If you are uncertain as to whether you have in fact paid, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Contact details: anton@norths.co.za or 082 5773305.

Kindly ensure that your name appears as a reference when paying and please fax (021 5924293) or e-mail the remittance advice.

Kind regards


Anton de Freitas (ably assisted by John Arnold)

PS Remember you won’t get any fitter between now and the Argus so enjoy the tapering off and have a memorable ride on the 11th

Greetings,

What a week training wise. A Taper week. Everyone handling the program like a hot knife through butter. However, I must admit the change of start point for the Rabbit runs certainly had a few huffing and puffing. Are we not blessed to be able to train with such a great bunch of like minded people and what an awesome venue.

The inclement weather Sat and Sun really suited me, I don’t know about u. Erna and I went out Sat am,but decided to turn back after an hour or so. Met up with Alie on the way back and had B/Fast at CJs. Sunday pm, we managed to sneak in a couple of hrs maar was nie baie lus nie.

Many cyclists taking part and preparing for different events at the moment and also sadly some disappointments as well.

Young Jurie will more than likely be missing the ARGUS because of injury and young Wynand is battling with a cold at the moment. It looks as if Elsa will also be missing out because of her mishap on the bike tour. Sterkte!!

Well what’s on at the moment?

This Sun the Argus, and the Giro starting with the Prologue on Tuesday 6.00pm in Paarl.
Yesterday the Boschendal Argus MTB race—haven’t checked results yet.
The Sani2C - this past weekend I think
Of the Wannabees are also training for the Iron Man and Lady—Carl and Celia – the weekend after the Argus.
The Cape Epic in a couple of weeks time.
Pretty shortly the X-Terra off rd SA champs at Elgin country club—Henning taking part.

I have mentioned it on several occasions that we have the Giro taking place on our doorstep and what an opportunity to support and cheer on our local teams and riders.

Tues 6/3 6.00pm Paarl the Prologue Time Trial – 6km
2. Wed 7/3 11.00am Paarl to Helshoogte then (4 x laps) with the finish at the top of Helshoogte.
3. Thur 8/3 11.00am Stellenbosch- start at Coetzenberg, then 4 x laps Winery and Bredell S/West finish at Technopark.
4. Frid 9/3 Bloemendal Restaurant start Tiekiedraai, loop 4 x and finish Bloemendal Rest.
Sat 10/3 Hill Climb Signal Hill CT start 11.00 am
Sun 11/3 Argus.

Week 6/6

Mon 5/3 REST
Tues 6/3 YZ 5 x 3min intervals
Wed 7/3 Recovery small blade 1 hr
Thur 8/3 BZ 3 x 6min intervals Waterworks
Frid 9/3 REST
Sat 10/3 Easy 1 x hr couple of surges keep the computer tuned plus coffee and muffins
Sun 11/3 ARGUS

Last minute checks.

Equipment OK
Visualization in place
Eat/drink/think like the winner that u are. Carbo load etc couple of days before
Race supplementation sorted out plus EPO, S2E, Regmakers(plenty caffeine) and all those Boererate in your back pocket for that extra bit of energy né!!
Suntan lotion/potion very important!

Enjoy, and good luck to all of u. Have a safe and fantastic Argus.

Ek.


Disclaimer

Participants in Wannabee cycling events hereby acknowledge that they take part entirely at their own risk and agree that they and their dependants shall not have any claims whatsoever against the Wannabee group and/or any person acting on behalf of the group.