What now? Finding a riding partner is not difficult, but one you can spend hours on a saddle with for a good few days can be a challenge. Your stage-race partner becomes an extension of you. Riding with a last-minute replacement can be a bit like an awkward first date.<\/p>\n
27 October 2013, two weeks to go, I get the Whatsapp message. The surgeon has given Dane the all clear to ride. Great news! Or is it? What if it\u2019s too sore on the trails? What if he falls and breaks it again?<\/p>\n
Stage 1<\/h2>\n
On the morning of Day 1 of the Wines2Whales Race we found ourselves quietly confident. Not out to win any medals, but with Dane having had a proper test ride on some single track the weekend prior, all looked good to go.<\/p>\n
Starting all the way back in H group we gradually worked our way through the traffic on the long first climb out of Lourensford. One water point down and it was plain sailing so far. The infamous Han-se-Kop climb had to be excluded from the 2013 edition due to the heavy winter rains. A welcome relief to some, but my climbing legs had been looking forward to it.<\/p>\n
Leading up to the second water point before the compulsory Gantouw Pass portage we hit some bumpy, sandy single track. Wham! Dane is on the ground in front of me. Flashbacks of Tokai seven weeks earlier and I realise he\u2019s fallen on the same shoulder.<\/p>\n
Phew, all intact and we\u2019re on our way. Water point 2 down and just like that we\u2019re already at the portage section. A solid string of riders make their way up the old wagon trail ahead. There\u2019s no running at this end of the pack, not that we really want to, though.<\/p>\n
With a quick pose for the camera over the top we\u2019re soon back on our bikes and wind our way down towards Grabouw. Awesome, some singletrack. No, wait\u2026 traffic. Argh. Thankfully a few guys soon pull off and it\u2019s all windy, rooty, needle laden singletrack ahead. Pure bliss as my inner ten year old ignites and every root becomes a 6-foot drop. More single track and some tired shoulders later, we arrive at Oak Valley. Day 1 done and dusted.<\/p>\n
Photo Credit ~ Jetline Action Photo<\/span><\/p>\n Before Day 2 begins I make some crucial adjustments. Day 1 left me with some slightly hammered shoulders. Note to self: Do not fiddle with shock pressure the night before the event.<\/p>\n Five km\u2019s in and my one-time pogo stick is now back to it\u2019s former plushness. Coupled with a tire pressure drop I was now shredding the trails the day had on offer. And man, did Day 2 have trails by the bucket load.<\/p>\n The much-hyped Amphi Bike Park at Paul Cluver was said to be the highlight of the day. It was all berms and bridges and great fun. A second run with real speed would have put a serious smile on my face. Said to be opening to the public on 14 December 2013 this is definitely worth a visit. And unless you have an uncontainable fear of moderate heights don\u2019t even bother with the chicken run.<\/p>\n![\"w2w3.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-28944400-1384521553.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nStage 2<\/h2>\n