![\"ccs-62657-0-20155000-1427358583.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-20155000-1427358583.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nOlympian Philip Buys and the rest of the Scott Factory Racing powered by LCB outfit will join a host of the country’s top cross country mountain bikers when they stake a claim for a share of the Pietermaritzburg Mountain Bike Festival’s sizeable prize pot and vital UCI points on Saturday 4 April at Cascades MTB Park. \/\/ Nick Muzik\/Gameplan Media.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMatthys and I were very pleased with our stage win and African title at the Epic and with everyone looking to bring in as many points as they can at the moment ahead of the Olympics next year the points we took away from Epic were huge,\u201d explains Buys.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are also UCI points up for grabs at the second round of the SA Cup Series in Pretoria this weekend. With this being just a week after Epic though, I\u2019m not sure how the legs will be just yet and so we\u2019re not putting too much pressure on ourselves for that.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Pietermaritzburg MTB Festival is however two weeks after Epic so hopefully the legs will be a little stronger by then and we\u2019ll be able to give the HC race a good go and try claim as many points as possible!\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n After finishing just a second behind Buys in Port Elizabeth a few weeks ago, Kargo Pro MTB\u2019s Davids will be eager to continue his good run of form in the Olympic discipline\u2019s approaching assignments.<\/p>\n Davids heads into the PMB encounter with the unexpected advantage of being far fresher than his rivals after the injury to his Kargo Pro MTB team mate Emile Lindgren curtailed the pair\u2019s Cape Epic charge after just the opening stage.<\/p>\n \u201cThe HC race of the Pietermaritzburg MTB Festival is a great opportunity for us local riders, especially me personally as I love racing at Cascades!\u201d explains Davids.<\/p>\n \u201cI grew up riding those forests and I have achieved some of my best results there such as African Champs and World Champs. I\u2019ll definitely be looking for a big result there!\u201d\u2028\u2028<\/p>\n Full Dynamix duo Croeser and Travis Walker enjoyed three days in the Cape Epic\u2019s African leaders jersey and will take confidence from that ahead of this weekend\u2019s national and next weekend\u2019s PMB MTB Festival outings.<\/p>\n \u201cFull Dynamix will be in Pietermaritzburg in full force!\u201d confirms Croeser.<\/p>\n \u201cI think a few top fives at the Epic showed everyone what Travis (Walker) and I are about and we both have come away from there really confident.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we can rest correctly then I definitely think we\u2019ll be competitive in Maritzburg. I also don\u2019t think \u2018Epic legs\u2019 will be as much of as issue as before because there were no slow days during Epic this year; guys were going full gas throughout!\u201d\u2028\u2028<\/p>\n National marathon champion Reid (RECM) is another not to have tackled the Cape Epic as he currently spends some time racing the US Cup circuit.<\/p>\n A fourth at the opening leg at Bonelli Park, California a few weeks ago should give him good confidence and he will undoubtedly be hoping to notch up some invaluable points in Maritzburg should he be in the country for the encounter.<\/p>\n While the local aces size up one another, a strong international contingent \u2013 now lead by a determined Danish contingent after Lindgren\u2019s withdrawal \u2013 will also be eager to give Buys and co. a stiff challenge around Cascades\u2019 trails.<\/p>\n