![\"ccs-62657-0-67622300-1501065820.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-67622300-1501065820.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Nico Bell (Team NAD Pro), making every race count, will be out to maintain he\u2019s series lead this weekend at Van Gaalen. Photo Credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span>Unlike recent years, when the Elite men have tackled an ultra-marathon, this year they will, join the Elite women in a marathon distance battle over 68km, which should make for an intense, exciting battle as a number of riders vie for the points that could swing the 2017 national marathon series title in their favour.<\/p>\n
South African marathon champion, Nico Bell (Team NAD Pro) currently leads the Ashburton Investments National MTB Series men\u2019s rankings with 25 198 points from seven stages. Bell\u2019s Team NAD Pro teammate, Gawie Combrinck is currently second with 23 004 points, also from seven stages and 2016 champion, Max Knox (New Holland\/This Way Out) is third on 22 552 from six stages.<\/p>\n
The Pyga Eurosteel pairing of Philip Buys (22 443 points) and Matthys Beukes (21 728 points) are close behind in fourth and fifth respectively. Buys has completed six stages and Beukes seven. The way the scoring works in 2017, the points from each rider\u2019s best seven results of the 12 stages will count.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, the series is wide spread across the year and it is often difficult to be at your best at each event, so to be the leader you have to finish every event you start and then after the 12 you hope you have enough good results to make seven of them count! We will be looking to race hard over the next few rounds and hopefully we have form on the day!\u201d said Bell.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven’t checked the overall Ashburton Investments National MTB Series standings, but we are more focussed on winning the races than winning the Series. But it will be a bonus if we can get the Series lead or overall win,\u201d said Buys, fresh from his victory at last weekend\u2019s Nissan Trailseeker Series Lionman event.<\/p>\n In the women\u2019s division South African marathon champion, Robyn de Groot (Ascendis Health) holds the current series lead with a score of 23 434 points from six stages. Sarah Hill is in second place with 18745 points from six stages and Amy Beth McDougall third on 18 739 points from five stages.<\/p>\n \u201cI really enjoy Van Gaalen. It\u2019s proper mountain biking with some tricky descents and technical climbs. I enjoy the rocky trails and I feel the course suits me quite well. That being said, it\u2019s difficult to just ride away because there is a section of open dirt road towards the end. My form is quite good so let\u2019s see how it goes,\u201d said Lill, winner at Van Gaalen last year.<\/p>\n<\/a>Gawie Combrinck (Team NAD Pro) who won the National Marathon Title at Van Gaalen in 2015 is sure to be a race favourite this weekend. Photo Credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span>
Joining Bell on the start line at Van Gaalen is his teammate, Combrinck. Van Gaalen is the venue where Combrinck won the South African marathon title in 2015 and he\u2019ll be hoping for similar success on Saturday. Also confirmed in the men\u2019s race are Knox, Gert Heyns (Ascendis Health) and Arno du Toit (LCB Racing), as well as Buys and Beukes.<\/p>\n<\/a>Robyn de Groot (Ascendis Health) current series leader, will be a race favourite for the women\u2019s race this weekend at Van Gaalen. Photo Credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span>
McDougall, winner of the last two stages, will be absent on Saturday as she\u2019s racing abroad. But there\u2019s certain to be a tight tussle for the women\u2019s title with De Groot the firm favourite. She\u2019ll be wary of Samantha Sanders (Valencia) and Candice Lill (dormbakaba), both currently in good form, as well as Theresa Ralph (Galileo Risk) and Sarah Hill (Liv).<\/p>\n