Looking at her results during the past few weeks, Samantha Oosthuizen (W.I.N/Karsten Cycles) can be considered the favourite to win the MTN 50-Miler on Sunday, November 8 in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal. If she does win, it will be the second time in two years.
Judging by Oosthuizen's performances during the past six weeks, she is the in-form women's rider in South African mountain biking at the moment. She won the Silver Star Casino Race, the 60km Race of the Ride Crater Cruise, Hill2Hill, MTN Asishove and the Telkom Satellite Race. She also finished second in the MTN Clarens Race, as well as in the 105km Race of the Ride Crater Cruise.
Her turn-about in mountain biking is impressive. During the first eight months of this year, Oosthuizen managed to win a few races but more often she had to settle for lesser placings.
Mannie Heymans (Garmin adidas) is the reason why Oosthuizen is at the moment almost a fixture on mountain bike podiums across South Africa.
"It was all Mannie's fault. Mannie and I were involved in an argument about the quality of women's racing in South Africa. Mannie does not have a high opinion about the way women race. According to him, women's cycling is more or less a waste of time," said Oosthuizen.
Upset by her Heymans' opinion, Oosthuizen was motivated. "In retrospect, the argument between Mannie and me was perhaps the best thing that could have happened to my cycling career. At the moment I am super-motivated to prove Mannie wrong."
When asked about her memories of her victory in the MTN 50-Miler, Oosthuizen said, "Mud, mud, mud. It made cycling extremely difficult. The mud got into your gears and into every other moving part of the bike. But I do not want to sound as if I am complaining. I actually enjoyed every minute of it - especially the constant climbing.
Oosthuizen makes no secret about her intention to win again on Sunday. "I will try to make the racing hard whenever there is a chance. That is a certain way of putting your rivals under pressure."
Ischen Stopforth (Marsillio Projects) who clinched the MTN Series overall by winning the Clarence Race, won't be riding. Neither will Yolandé de Villiers (Toyota-Cyclelab), who is currently second overall in the series. De Villiers decided to take a break to enable her to start preparing for next year's Cape Epic.
This year De Villiers earned a reputation of "trap, val en breek" while racing in the MTN events. That was because she took more tumbles that she would have liked. And if she did not fall, she had to battle to fix the mechanical failures of her bike at crucial moments. "It won't happen again next year. I think I have had enough bad luck to see me through for a few years."
It seems Oosthuizen's main rivals will in all possibility be Raats, and Amy Jane Mundy and Carla Rowley.
Racers will find an improved route this year with new singletrack sections replacing some less interesting parts. The forecast is for cloudy, but no rain.
Standings for the both the men's and women's categories are below.
Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ischen Stopforth | 18660 | pts |
| 2 | Samantha Oosthuizen | 16096 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
| 3 | Yolandi Du Toit | 15426 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
| 4 | Yolande De Villiers | 12000 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
| 5 | Petruschka Constancon | 9061 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
| 6 | Beatrice Hogan | 9032 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
| 7 | Christine J Van Rensburg | 8726 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
| 8 | Heletje Van Staden | 8224 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
| 9 | Genee Steyn | 8063 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
| 10 | Cindy Rebello | 7753 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
| 11 | Lize Theron | 6530 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
| 12 | Adele Drake | 4915 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
| 13 | Nicole Murphy | 4569 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
| 14 | Yolande Speedy | 4000 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
| 15 | Jozanne Louw | 3607 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
| 16 | Grant Van Der Walt | 3446 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
| 17 | Candice Arthur | 3358 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
| 18 | Chrissie Viljoen | 3188 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
| 19 | Kelly Mccallum | 3163 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
| 20 | Amoryn Saayman | 3098 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
| 21 | Su Don-Wauchope | 3094 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
| 22 | Marissa Van Der Merwe | 2951 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
| 23 | Mandy Nel | 2729 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
| 24 | Woudie Saaiman | 2628 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
| 25 | Michelle Harris | 2572 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
| 26 | Robyn Adendorff | 2547 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
| 27 | Sarah Van Heerden | 2513 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
| 28 | Erika Meeding | 2381 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
| 29 | Elshe Naude | 2266 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
| 30 | August Zerwick | 2205 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
| 31 | Victoria Myburg | 2192 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
| 32 | Glynis Pretorius | 2007 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
| 33 | Dagmar Muhlbauer | 2000 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
| 34 | Colleen Jacobs | 1916 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
| 35 | Elsabe Jacobs | 1832 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
| 36 | Steffie Arlow | 1801 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
| 37 | Sarah Wielopolska | 1783 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
| 38 | Karyn Southgate | 1774 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
| 39 | Elsie Bezuidenhout | 1748 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
| 40 | Marlien de Bont | 1659 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
| 41 | Monica Botha | 1587 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
| 42 | Mina Radoycheva | 1552 | Row 41 - Cell 3 |
| 43 | Marlien De Bont | 1540 | Row 42 - Cell 3 |
| 44 | Joanne VD Westhuizen | 1486 | Row 43 - Cell 3 |
| 45 | Karien van Jaarsveld | 1484 | Row 44 - Cell 3 |
| 46 | Charmaine Werdmuller | 1478 | Row 45 - Cell 3 |
| 47 | Nat Barbosa | 1443 | Row 46 - Cell 3 |
| 48 | Lizelle Smit | 1414 | Row 47 - Cell 3 |
| 49 | Nolene Saunders | 1408 | Row 48 - Cell 3 |
| 50 | Elriiz Swart | 1395 | Row 49 - Cell 3 |
| 51 | Elouise Metherell | 1323 | Row 50 - Cell 3 |
| 52 | Mylene Loumeau | 1300 | Row 51 - Cell 3 |
| 53 | Hester Vermeulen | 1262 | Row 52 - Cell 3 |
| 54 | Alison Lingard | 1235 | Row 53 - Cell 3 |
| 55 | Lisa Blatch | 1198 | Row 54 - Cell 3 |
| 56 | INGRID CHANTLER | 1160 | Row 55 - Cell 3 |
| 57 | Colette Coetzee | 1040 | Row 56 - Cell 3 |
| 58 | Daleen van Staden | 989 | Row 57 - Cell 3 |
| 59 | Nicola Meltzer | 981 | Row 58 - Cell 3 |
| 60 | Rafael Rincon | 880 | Row 59 - Cell 3 |
| 61 | Estelle Van Schalkwyk | 817 | Row 60 - Cell 3 |
| 62 | Kelly Pennington | 793 | Row 61 - Cell 3 |
| 63 | Kelly Marnewick | 778 | Row 62 - Cell 3 |
| 64 | Shayle Bester | 743 | Row 63 - Cell 3 |
| 65 | Elizabeth Delport | 678 | Row 64 - Cell 3 |
| 66 | Elinda Human | 678 | Row 65 - Cell 3 |
| 67 | Leandra Blann | 676 | Row 66 - Cell 3 |
| 68 | Candice Talbot | 657 | Row 67 - Cell 3 |
| 69 | Aimee Serreirinha | 493 | Row 68 - Cell 3 |
| 70 | Michelle Muller | 425 | Row 69 - Cell 3 |
| 71 | Mari Naude | 408 | Row 70 - Cell 3 |
| 72 | Sarie Van Wyk | 400 | Row 71 - Cell 3 |
| 73 | Philda De Jager | 375 | Row 72 - Cell 3 |
| 74 | Merle Walker | 357 | Row 73 - Cell 3 |
| 75 | Sally Mawson | 350 | Row 74 - Cell 3 |
| 76 | Vanessa Record | 325 | Row 75 - Cell 3 |
| 77 | Monica Brown | 311 | Row 76 - Cell 3 |
| 78 | Ashleigh De Lima | 304 | Row 77 - Cell 3 |
| 79 | Renske Nysschen | 291 | Row 78 - Cell 3 |
| 80 | Colleen Cawood | 289 | Row 79 - Cell 3 |
| 81 | Bev Corser | 275 | Row 80 - Cell 3 |
| 82 | Nicole Hafkamp | 270 | Row 81 - Cell 3 |
| 83 | Liz Blumenthal | 250 | Row 82 - Cell 3 |
| 84 | Greta Strydom | 250 | Row 83 - Cell 3 |
| 85 | Thursia Hardenberg | 250 | Row 84 - Cell 3 |
| 86 | Louise van Niekerk | 250 | Row 85 - Cell 3 |
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevin Evans (MTN Energade) | 18963 | pts |
| 2 | Francois Theron (Garmin Adidas) | 16174 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
| 3 | Marc Bassingthwaighte (Garmin Adidas) | 15675 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
| 4 | Philip Buys (Garmin Adidas) | 14568 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
| 5 | Ben Melt Swanepoel (Specialized Mankele) | 14146 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
| 6 | Johnny Kritzinger (DCM Chrome) | 12830 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
| 7 | Adrien Niyonshuti (MTN Energade) | 11541 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
| 8 | Erik Kleinhans (GT Mr Price) | 11014 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
| 9 | David George (MTN Energade) | 9756 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
| 10 | Jacques J Van Rensburg (DCM Chrome) | 9413 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
| 11 | Peter Smith (Jeep Cycling Club) | 8798 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
| 12 | Nico Bell (Bell Cycles) | 7848 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
| 13 | Max Knox (DCM Chrome) | 7329 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
| 14 | Trust Mumangandu (MTN Energade) | 6699 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
| 15 | Mannie Heymans (Garmin Adidas) | 6340 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
| 16 | Renier Bellingan (USN) | 5753 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
| 17 | Renay Groustra (GT Mr Price) | 5524 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
| 18 | Petrus Malherbe (Mongoose Mr Price) | 5494 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
| 19 | Matthys Beukes (MTN Energade) | 4940 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
| 20 | Thomas Truscott (Standard Bank) | 4834 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
| 21 | Justice Makhale (MTN Energade) | 4504 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
| 22 | Burry Stander (Specialized Mr Price) | 4000 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
| 23 | Andrew McLean (Toyota Cyclelab) | 3406 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
| 24 | Brandon Stewart (DCM Chrome) | 3298 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
| 25 | Graham Diesel (Toyota Cyclelab) | 2979 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
| 26 | David Mitchell | 2942 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
| 27 | Tiaan Kannemeyer (Neotel) | 2933 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
| 28 | Frans Stander | 2907 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
| 29 | Paul Cordes (IMC Mongoose) | 2816 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
| 30 | Jupiter Nameembo (MTN Energade) | 2788 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
| 31 | Stephan Strauss | 2770 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
| 32 | Jock Green | 2755 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
| 33 | Juma Sato | 2670 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
| 34 | Charles Keey | 2630 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
| 35 | Henry Uys | 2619 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
| 36 | Brett Dickson (GT Mr Price) | 2606 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
| 37 | Gustav Becker | 2599 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
| 38 | Alex Pavlov (North Cliff Cycles) | 2588 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
| 39 | Christoff Van Heerden (MTN Energade) | 2572 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
| 40 | Willem Groenewald | 2558 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
| 41 | Jupiter Nameembo (MTN Energade) | 2541 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
| 42 | Dennis Du Toit | 2522 | Row 41 - Cell 3 |
| 43 | Shaun Peschl (Mr Price) | 2511 | Row 42 - Cell 3 |
| 44 | Pieter Seyffert (Goldfields) | 2499 | Row 43 - Cell 3 |
| 45 | Chris Smith | 2443 | Row 44 - Cell 3 |
| 46 | David Morison (PPA) | 2374 | Row 45 - Cell 3 |
| 47 | Shaun Mackenzie | 2357 | Row 46 - Cell 3 |
| 48 | Ruan Louw | 2347 | Row 47 - Cell 3 |
| 49 | Steve Van Der Merwe | 2322 | Row 48 - Cell 3 |
| 50 | Renato Albrecht | 2307 | Row 49 - Cell 3 |
| 51 | Nathan Byukusenge | 2288 | Row 50 - Cell 3 |
| 52 | Yolande Speedy (IMC Mongoose) | 2234 | Row 51 - Cell 3 |
| 53 | Ian Mcleod (MTN Energade) | 2200 | Row 52 - Cell 3 |
| 54 | Drew Murphy | 2187 | Row 53 - Cell 3 |
| 55 | Garren Soutar | 2155 | Row 54 - Cell 3 |
| 56 | Gerard Dirks | 2154 | Row 55 - Cell 3 |
| 57 | Willem Le Roux | 2148 | Row 56 - Cell 3 |
| 58 | Dion Gerhard Froneman (Flatdogs) | 2143 | Row 57 - Cell 3 |
| 59 | Anton Smal (Cyclehouse) | 2114 | Row 58 - Cell 3 |
| 60 | Wessel Ollewagen | 2091 | Row 59 - Cell 3 |
| 61 | Graham Cooper | 2070 | Row 60 - Cell 3 |
| 62 | Jacov Lalou | 2037 | Row 61 - Cell 3 |
| 63 | Hendri Du Plessis | 2021 | Row 62 - Cell 3 |
| 64 | Colin Donian | 1927 | Row 63 - Cell 3 |
| 65 | Iniel Hattingh | 1883 | Row 64 - Cell 3 |
| 66 | Hein Botes | 1862 | Row 65 - Cell 3 |
| 67 | Abraham Meyer | 1857 | Row 66 - Cell 3 |
| 68 | Riaan Van Niekerk | 1770 | Row 67 - Cell 3 |
| 69 | Frederick Smith | 1769 | Row 68 - Cell 3 |
| 70 | Mark Pieterse | 1735 | Row 69 - Cell 3 |
| 71 | Francois Botha | 1718 | Row 70 - Cell 3 |
| 72 | Nicolas Goddard | 1698 | Row 71 - Cell 3 |
| 73 | Gordon Radey | 1679 | Row 72 - Cell 3 |
| 74 | De Villiers Groenewald | 1634 | Row 73 - Cell 3 |
| 75 | Wilhelm Nauta | 1619 | Row 74 - Cell 3 |
| 76 | Greg Davis | 1573 | Row 75 - Cell 3 |
| 77 | Karel Mouton | 1501 | Row 76 - Cell 3 |
| 78 | Erik Smuts | 1380 | Row 77 - Cell 3 |
| 79 | Andre Eksteen | 1369 | Row 78 - Cell 3 |
| 80 | Wayne Booysen | 1368 | Row 79 - Cell 3 |
| 81 | Wolfgang Sittig | 1346 | Row 80 - Cell 3 |
| 82 | Mark Bridges (FPC) | 1323 | Row 81 - Cell 3 |
| 83 | Mark Olivier | 1285 | Row 82 - Cell 3 |
| 84 | Ferdi Potgieter | 1139 | Row 83 - Cell 3 |
| 85 | Marius Strydom | 1093 | Row 84 - Cell 3 |
| 86 | Julien Van Der Pluym | 1077 | Row 85 - Cell 3 |
| 87 | Malcolm Meintjes | 969 | Row 86 - Cell 3 |
| 88 | Jonathan Ralph | 948 | Row 87 - Cell 3 |
| 89 | Mark Atkins | 542 | Row 88 - Cell 3 |