A group of exhausted, yet exhilarated cyclists rolled into Hluhluwe-iMfolozi’s Hilltop camp on Saturday evening having ridden an eye-watering 340km from Durban in one day.
The 2016 uBhejane Xtreme MTB Challenge – now an annual event – saw the athletes grit their teeth for 16 hours in the saddle… all in the name of rhino conservation.
At the finish line was a mixture of jubilation, relief and a sense of achievement.
The cyclists undertaking the “Long Horn” had started their epic ride in the dark at 2am at Cadence Cycling Performance Centre in Hillcrest and finished in dwindling light at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi at 6pm. The day’s programme also included a 240km “Short Horn” option as the event sought to raise vital festive season funding for Project Rhino KZN’s province-wide anti-rhino poaching efforts.
“It was long and it was hard but it was a great day,” said former Springbok captain John Smit after completing the Short Horn.
“Not many people would normally ride 240km in a day but it is an unbelievable thing to do, especially because we were riding for a purpose.
The event concluded with a memorable 35km final stretch through the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve’s bushveld, but it wasn’t all beautiful vistas and delightful smells of the bush, as there were still some lung busting climbs to be negotiated.
“The camaraderie out there was brilliant,” said international cycling commentator Phil Liggett who, together with his wife Trish, joined Long and Short Horn participants for the last leg to the finish line.
“Everyone pulled together and made sure the whole group got up those hills.”
Global mountaineer and adventurer Sibusiso Vilane also tackled the Short Horn event as he pushed himself well beyond his previous best of 100km in one sitting.
“It was very tough, long day in the saddle, particularly for someone like me who isn’t a regular cyclist, but as tough as it was, it was very worth it.” said Vilane. “I had a wonderful, supportive group.”
“I adore animals and love watching them in their natural habitat but that’s where we need to leave them; people must go see them there, take pictures but don’t kill our animals!”
Former Sharks rugby player Jeremy Thomson was another to throw his weight behind the cause – one very dear to him through his involvement in the Kingsley Holgate Foundation’s anti-rhino poaching efforts – as did seven time Dusi Canoe Marathon winner and regular extreme cyclist and adventurer, Martin Dreyer.
“We weren’t out there riding for ourselves but rather for a really good cause and I was really glad to be part of it,” said Thomson.
“I do a lot of extreme adventure races but it was so lekker to do something for good, especially to help with something like the plight of the rhinos who are in a pretty desperate situation at the moment,” added Dreyer, founder of the RMB Change a Life MTB Academy. “To be able to ride our bikes with the likes of John Smit, Phil Liggett and Sibusiso Vilane – celebs of note – was also a real treat and I absolutely loved it!”