Two of the most familiar faces in South African women’s marathon racing are current South African Marathon champion Robyn de Groot (right) and adopted South African but Swiss national champion Ariane Kleinhans (left). The two were out training on the marathon course at the Cascades MTB Park ahead of the 2014 UCI MTB Marathon World Championships that get underway on Sunday, 29 June. De Groot will be hoping for a repeat of the performance that won her the national title at the same venue just two weeks ago. (Image credit: Darren Goddard / Gameplan Media)
Current World Marathon Champion and Specialized Racing star Christoph Sauser has spent a lot of his time in South Africa and has also taken on training with upcoming Songo.info rider Sipho Madolo and the former has taught Madolo a lot during their time together with Madolo coming to his first UCI MTB Marathon World Championships with the intention of making an impact on the international stage (Image credit: Darren Goddard / Gameplan Media)
The current World and Swiss Marathon Champion, Christoph Sauser spent a bit of his Thursday out on the Cascades MTB Park’s marathon course but feels that he has done all of the serious preparation for the upcoming UCI MTB Marathon World Championships and is ready to get onto the start line and try and defend his rainbow striped jersey (Image credit: Darren Goddard / Gameplan Media)
It is a ground breaking occasion for a number of the members of the Nepal MTB Team who head into South Africa for their first trip abroad however they are excited about the opportunity to race against the best riders in the world at the upcoming UCI MTB Marathon World Championships that take place at the Cascades MTB Park. The Nepalese team is (from left): Raj Kumar Shrestha, Ajay Pandit Chettri (current Nepalese national champion), Narayan Gopal Maharjan, Buddhi Bahadur Tamang. (Image credit: Darren Goddard / Gameplan Media)
Course designer Nick Floros is renowned for designing and laying out course that test riders and the UCI MTB Marathon course that he has designed is no different. The course provides riders with an opportunity to take in what Pietermaritzburg and the surrounding areas have to offer as riders meander their way through a number of different areas in 95km men’s race and the 74km route for the women. Following the training period that was set out for Thursday the riders now have and idea of what to expect when they race on Sunday. (Image credit: Darren Goddard / Gameplan Media)
With the UCI Marathon Worlds only two days away, Cyclingnews took a look at the numbers behind this year's championships, which is being held in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, a venue that also hosted the cross country and downhill mountain bike Worlds in 2013.
The stats 1 - the position three-time winner and men’s defending champ Christoph Sauser aims to finish 2 - North American riders entered 3 - South American countries to be represented in 2014 4 - Australasian riders entered 5 - Asian riders entered 8 - returning former world champs (five men, three women) 18 - South African women entered 28 - South African men entered 31 - nations set to compete in 2014 50 - toilets available in the race village and out on course 52 - African riders entered 67 - European riders entered 74 - distance, in kilometres, of the women’s course 85 - marshalls distributed throughout the 95km course 95 - distance, in kilometres, of the men’s course 136 - male and female riders entered 325 - litres of both 32GI energy drink & water to be distributed to riders on course 450 - portage meters included in 74km first loop of the 95km course 500 - litres of 32GI Sport energy drink distributed at the finish line 1500 - meters of tape used to demarcate the 95km route 1500 - meters of network cabling used throughout the race village 3150 - climbing meters the men will have to endure in the 95km course
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