Kargo Pro MTB is relishing the start of an exciting 2015 mountain biking season and the country’s only UCI Trade Team’s frantic start to the new year has been further bolstered by the confirmation that recent international signing, world number nine Emil Lindgren will join the outfit in sunny South Africa for a full seven weeks.
The Swedish cross country national champ starts his year with a three week training camp in Spain before joining his South African-based Kargo team mates ahead of the opening leg of the STIHL SA MTB Cup Series in Port Elizabeth at the end of February.
Kargo Pro MTB team newcomer Emil Lindgren is relishing the opportunity to race in Kargo’s colours in South Africa for much of the first third of 2015.
“The winter here in Sweden is rather tough but this year it will be a lot shorter than normal as I head to Spain for a three weeks training camp with the Swedish national team shortly before I head back home for a couple of weeks and then I have a long stay in South Africa to look forward to!” explains Lindgren.
“I´m super excited to change up my normal ritual that I have had for the last ten years and to start the season with the first leg of the SA Cup Series in Port Elizabeth,” he adds enthusiastically.
While Lindgren has enjoyed a good winter in Sweden, the South African contingent of the Kargo outfit – Brandon Davids, Alan Hatherly, William Mokgopo and Marco Joubert – have all been working hard in the pre-season training period and showing signs of great form already.
Davids may get his competitive year off on the road with the KwaZulu-Natal Road Championships this weekend and Joubert is relishing a strong showing at the South African Road Champs a little later in February however it is on the trails that the team will be focusing the majority of their effort in the near future.
Lindgren and Davids, together with the rest of the Kargo outfit, will tackle the category 1 XCO clash at the SA Cup Series’ opening leg in Port Elizabeth – co-sponsored by team sponsors, Kargo – as part of the pair’s preparations for their much anticipated charge at this year’s ABSA Cape Epic in mid-March.
The team – Lindgren included – will then look to do battle at the second leg of the SA Cup Series in Johannesburg at the end of March before rounding out a busy first phase of the local season at the HC category event set to take place as part of the inaugural edition of the Pietermaritzburg Mountain Bike Festival at Cascades over the Easter weekend.
“I have done about 2000kms on the Momsen Vipa so far and it feels like a good match to my cycling qualities. It really likes the snow and I’m sure it will be even better on a dry trail!” Kargo Pro MTB team’s Emil Lindgren says.
Image: Supplied/Gameplan Media
“A few of the SA Cup Series races and Cape Epic will be a good start to the season and I can´t wait to start racing again!” bubbles Lindgren. “I’m feeling good and I hope to start the season on a high note when I get to South Africa.”
“I’ve been trying out a couple of new things in training and we will have to wait and see how those work out when racing starts in a few weeks’ time!”
For Lindgren, a return to the Cape Epic is massive and the Swedish star is relishing having the South African public behind him this time around.
“To be back at the Cape Epic again will be a real highlight of my year!
“This will be my fourth time racing there and I hope to build on my previous years’ results where I finished on the podium in 2009 plus picked up a few stage podiums in 2010.
“To race with Brendon Davids will be mega awesome as he is an exciting, young South African and a strong rider. I hope the crowds will be cheering us on!” he adds.
Having received his new Momsen Vipa towards the end of 2014, Lindgren has spent a fair amount of time on his new machine over the festive period and is looking forward to testing it out in the hot and dry South African conditions shortly.
“I have done about 2000kms on the Momsen Vipa so far and it feels like a good match to my cycling qualities.
“It really likes the snow and I’m sure it will be even better on a dry trail!” Lindgren explains.
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