![\"ccs-62657-0-79699800-1503917956.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-79699800-1503917956.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Many of South Africa\u2019s top mountain bike stars are set for a two-day battle in the eastern highlands when they contest Round 6 of the 2017 Ashburton Investments National MTB Series at Dullstroom, Mpumalanga this weekend. Photo Credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span><\/p>\nThe event will offer two days of high-quality, high-altitude racing in some of the most scenic surrounds and a large field is expected due to the close proximity (3-hour drive) of Dullstroom to Johannesburg and Pretoria. The start and finish venue for each stage is at Dunkeld Country Estate, which is located at 2 067 metres above sea level, making the event slightly more challenging, especially for riders that live at the coast.<\/p>\n
Series leader, Philip Buys and his Pyga EuroSteel teammate, Matthys Beukes, currently a close second in the total points, will both be on the start line.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not too worried about the altitude. I don\u2019t struggle much with it as I live in Pretoria, which is 1400 metres above sea level. But for Matthys, coming from sea level, it\u2019s a challenge. He has found that it works better for him to arrive as late as possible to altitude races, so he will only fly up on Friday,\u201d explained Buys.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are both in pretty good shape as we\u2019ve had a few solid weeks of training with no travel and racing. I\u2019m looking forward to two days of high-intensity racing,\u201d added Buys.<\/p>\n
National marathon champion, Nico Bell and his Team NAD Pro teammate, Gawie Combrinck, will both make the short trip up from Nelspruit for this weekend\u2019s showdown. They are third and fourth respectively in the Ashburton Investments MTB Series standings after five rounds.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s difficult to say how the legs will be on race day, but Gawie will be looking for a good result following his second-place finishes at Dullstroom for the past two years. The altitude is always a factor. You can\u2019t go too deep into the red otherwise you don\u2019t recover, but the racing will be hard for sure so we hope to be part of it again,\u201d said Bell.<\/p>\n Max Knox, the 2016 Ashburton Investments MTB Series winner, who is unbeaten in Dullstroom and currently fifth in the 2017 Series, will be watching from the sidelines as he recovers from surgery to repair a broken collarbone.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s obviously very disappointing for me not to be able to race at one of my favourite venues, but I will still be there cheering everyone on. It\u2019s an amazing venue with a wonderful atmosphere and well worth the trip for the weekend for riders and their families,\u201d said Knox.<\/p>\n Other potential podium contenders confirmed to start are Wessel Botha, currently sixth in the 2017 Series, and Gert Heyns (Ascendis Health), who will fly up from Cape Town and who says he has no real problem with marathon racing at altitude.<\/p>\n \u201cThere’s usually not much I can do about higher altitude races as there is usually not enough time to go up and adapt beforehand. Although it’s a disadvantage, I generally don’t do anything different than for any other race. I usually struggle with XCO at altitude but it tends to not bother me too much in marathon racing, so hopefully I\u2019ll be sharp from Dullstroom this weekend,\u201d said Cape Town-based Heyns.<\/p>\n South African champion and current 2017 Series leader, Robyn de Groot (Ascendis Health) will be conspicuously absent from the women\u2019s race. She is not fully recovered from a bout of bronchitis. However, her decision not to compete should open up contention for the 2017 Series title up somewhat.<\/p>\n<\/a>Top contenders for the men\u2019s podium will include Gawie Combrinck & Nico Bell riding for Team NAD Pro as well as Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes from team Pyga Eurosteel. Photo Credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span><\/p>\n