Report from Johan Reyneke

Sunday 12 October.
The William Simpson Fiat/aQuellé Apple Blossom MTB Race
Took place outside Grabouw. The various routes had great new single tracks; and shorter non-technical routes for youngsters and young-at-heart. VenuePaul Cluver Estate, Elgin, Grabouw Route Description The 52 km and 26 km routes will be quite different from the 2007 event, starting by following dirt roads through the Nature Reserve where you can see eland and zebra. The 52km and 26 km will veer onto the Oak Valley Estate and be treated to some awesome new non-technical single track. You will return back onto the Paul Cluver farm and wind your way around the estate, in amongst fynbos, trees, apple orchards and vineyards back to the finish at the amphitheatre. On the whole, this is an undulating course, with some excellent flowing single track. The 12 km route is easy and fairly flat.

Johan Took part, did the long route, was very impressed with the new single tracks... BUT !!! unfortunately towards the end one of the marshall's pointed the riders into a wrong direction!! So at the end, the top riders rode longer and some shorter!! i believe very frustrating to all of them... I think at a big event like this, the organisers should try to avoid these incidents..
Johan was listed as 3rd but some of the top riders were not even listed... the new single tracks were very good though...

Johan Reyneke