DEFENDING champion James Reid has confirmed he will be on the start line of this year’s 60km Illovo Eston Marathon, the feature race of the Illovo Eston MTB Challenge on Sunday 7 August, before jetting off to Rio de Janeiro less than a week later to represent Team South Africa at for the 2016 Olympic Games.
The 23 year-old athlete was recently confirmed alongside youngster, Alan Hatherly as the country’s two male cross country mountain bikers to compete at Olympics and Reid hopes a competitive outing at the popular Eston event will be the perfect final hit-out.
“I grew up here in KZN and I finally won the Eston race last year. Hopefully I can go there again next weekend and replicate all those good feelings and try get another good result before I head off to Rio,” he said.
Known for the speed at the front of the field, Reid believes the Eston event – although a marathon rather than a cross country race – will replicate many of the elements of a cross country event, serving as good preparation for his all-important Brazilian clash.
The 2016 Illovo Eston MTB Challenge takes place on Sunday, 7 August. Entries can be submitted via www.roag.co.za and more information can be found at www.illovoestonmtb.co.za.
