GEORGE NEWS - Local resident Robyn de Groot made George proud last Saturday, 2 October, at the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships on Elba Island, Italy. She achieved sixth place in the women's section, completing the 80km distance - two laps of 40km - in five hours and three minutes.
De Groot told George Herald on Tuesday that the course was "pretty brutal". It was tough in the sense that it was more of a cross-country mountain biking course with some very, very steep climbs.
She said the conditions reminded her very much of South Africa: super dry and dusty, as well as loose and rugged.
De Groot will be back in South Africa on Friday. After three months in Europe, she is looking forward to coming home and spending time with her family.
She said she would do a few things differently leading up to the world championships. She had a very small budget. Her preparations were a bit different and her stress levels perhaps a bit higher than normal. "As much as I am disappointed with the 6th place, I also realise it is something to be proud of when I look at the competitors that finished ahead of me and those behind me."
She said she gave everything she could. By the time she got to the finishing line she felt she couldn't do one more kilometre.
After her stay with her family in George, she will be off to participate in the Absa Cape Epic race from 17 to 24 October, racing with Ariane Lüthi of Switzerland who finished 5th at the world championships.
In the men's section another local, Matthys Beukes, also flew the George flag, finishing 20th in a time of six hours and 27 minutes. Beukes said the men's course was 115km long, with climbs of nearly 5 000m. He said it was the most difficult race he has ever participated in.
Robyn de Groot in action on Saturday. Photo: @Ralf Shäuble
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