![\"Catherine](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-68327700-1329990172.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nTeam bizhub-FCF\u2019s British star Catherine Williamson will be back to defend her title at the Garden Route Rocky Mountain 300 in Knysna this weekend. Photo: Elle Photography<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n She proved her versatility last year by winning both the nine-day Old Mutual joBerg2c (with Ischen Stopforth) and three-day BoE sani2c (Candice Neethling).<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to riding with Yolandi as we know each other well. She has been doing a lot of cross country and she\u2019s always been good on the technical side, whereas my strengths are usually on the climbs.\u201d<\/p>\n Du Toit has had a strong start to the season with a win in the opening race of the Vori-Berg Mountain Bike Series and a second place behind Grobler in the Emperor\u2019s Palace Mountain Bike Classic this month.<\/p>\n On her part, Williamson said she had not yet fully recovered from the illness that affected her in the recent MTN Marathon Series race in Tulbagh.<\/p>\n \u201cI got some good training in before I came out here, then I got sick. So I\u2019ve just got to build up and I\u2019m taking things very steady now.\u201d<\/p>\n The 29-year-old said the Garden Route 300 would be a crucial test of her fitness ahead of next month\u2019s Absa Cape Epic, which is her major focus for the season.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me Knysna is very important. It\u2019s my only stage race before the Epic, which I\u2019ll be riding with Ischen.\u201d<\/p>\n Williamson said the event, with its limited field of 300 teams, was one of her favourites. \u201cIt\u2019s a lovely, intimate race and you know everyone by the third day.\u201d<\/p>\n She said the combination of single track and beautiful views of the forest, lagoon and ocean could prove quite challenging in an entirely different way. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to keep reminding yourself that you\u2019re racing!\u201d<\/p>\n Williamson said the best approach to off-road stage racing was to ride at one\u2019s own tempo. \u201cYou can\u2019t worry too much about the competition, you\u2019ve just got to go out and ride your own race.\u201d<\/p>\n The clover leaf route starts and finishes every day at the Cruise Caf\u00e9 race village at the Featherbed Company on the edge of the Knysna lagoon.<\/p>\n Riders head east on day one, covering 99km through mostly indigenous forest while climbing over 1 650m.<\/p>\n Day two, over 114km with 2 100m of ascent, takes them westwards across the privately owned Featherbed Nature Reserve on the Western Head.<\/p>\n The final day culminates with an 80km inland loop that features 1 550m of climbing.<\/p>\n