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<\/a><\/p>\nFrom left to right: Neil MacDonald & Waylon Woolcock<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n In terms of training, these two manage to ride together once a week and on weekends. Says MacDonald: \u201cWaylon and I both started mountain biking last year and achieved some great results together. We both take the same approach to racing, which is a lot more conservative to the younger riders and normally works to good effect. We try to train together as often as possible but it can be quite difficult as he lives in Fourways and I stay on the West Rand.\u201d Both Woolcock and MacDonald train under the guidance of Dr Jeroen Swart from the Science of Sport in Cape Town. Adds MacDonald: \u201cHe monitors all our training sessions and issues us with our training programme throughout the year.\u201d In terms of dieting, both riders tend to eat everything in moderation and mostly healthy foods. Says Macdonald: \u201cI normally eat a lot of pasta, but I\u2019m also a big fan of red meat!\u201d<\/p>\n Woolcock mostly trains on his road bke and every so often on the mountain bike. \u201cGym work is also included in my training programme. I have acute achilles tendinitis that flares up every now and then. I\u2019ve had it from a young age, basically due to the fact that I over trained as a youngster.\u201d<\/p>\n Commenting on the new route for the 2012 Absa Cape Epic, Woolcock sees it as very interesting with a good mixture of stages. Adds MacDonald: \u201cI went to the route launch and think it\u2019s going to be one of the hardest. But seeing as I\u2019ve never done a Cape Epic, I can\u2019t comment.\u201d Macdonald continues: \u201cA stage win and podium overall will be out of our reach as it\u2019s only our first Absa Cape Epic. Winning the African leader jersey will be high on our list of achievements or even just to make it on to the podium will be great for us as a team.\u201d<\/p>\n Woolcock reckons one should take each day on the Absa Cape Epic as it comes. \u201cYou\u2019ll have good and bad days \u2013 that\u2019s a guarantee. So enjoy the good ones and get over the bad. The right training programme, having the right mindset and being consistent throughout the race are important. Not to mention the right equipment We\u2019ll be participating against the world\u2019s best mountain bikers.\u201d Adds Macdonald: \u201cIf the Cape Pioneer is anything to go by, cross training and hours in the saddle are very important. Although the hard training and perparation are important ingredients, I believe there\u2019s a fine line between knowing when to take risks and when to back off. If you can get that right, you\u2019ll be fine. Waylon and I alweays call it \u2018Risk and Reward\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Woolcock\u2019s advice to youngsters is the following: \u201cIf you have talent in something and enjoy it, do it 100%. Rather not be a jack of all trades and master of none.\u201d Macdonald reckons \u201cyou need to dream big and never give up on something you believe in\u201d.<\/p>\n When describing himself, MacDonald is a calm person but mentions how this is sometimes to his own detriment. Regardless of this, he finds he is more calm when taking part in some fly fishing in his free time or spending time with his family. Says Woolcock: \u201cI\u2019m a self motivated type of person. I try to be different and not follow the trend but I prefer to keep to myself.\u201d In his free time, he enjoys spending it with his girlfriend.<\/p>\n Being a self-motivated person, Woolcock is aiming for 2012 to be the year where he can win and podium in any of the other stages and one day races on the team calendar as well as defend their titles in the races they have won over the past year. MacDonald is hoping for a win at the Sani2Sea and Joberg2Sea in 2012.<\/p>\n \u201cI think most people take part in the Absa Cape Epic mostly for the challenge of just finishing it. For me, it is attractive because they call it the Tour De France on dirt. For 14 years, as a professional road cyclist, the Tour was never possible so the Cape Epic is the next biggest challenge for me in my career,\u201d concludes MacDonald.<\/p>\n