LOCAL Olympian, Alan Hatherly, will compete in the 2016 STIHL Sharks Trail Adventure at the Shongweni Estate on Sunday, 4 December to defend the 40km MTB title he claimed last year.
After his win at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in August, the 20-year-old biking sensation hopes a successful title defence will cap off a memorable year in his rapidly advancing career. He is set to move down to the Western Cape before the end of the year. “Last year’s Sharks Trail Adventure was my first time at the race and it really was a great event,” said Alan. “Even though I’m from Hillcrest, I have never cycled through that area before and it was really cool to be exposed to a whole new trail network.”
“I would love to win this year’s race and keep my title, especially as I look to start a new relationship with a new sponsor as of the new season,” he added.
While the end of the year traditionally represents some down time for the country’s top elite mountain bikers, Alan’s schedule saw a return to the saddle three weeks ago and the young star is eager to use the upcoming event as an early gauge. “Since my break it’s been all about strength work and building a base for the rest of the season. There won’t be a lot of leg speed in me come the Sharks Trail Adventure, so it definitely won’t be the fastest race of my year.
A star studded field at the 2015 edition of the mountain biking and trail running event saw Alan charge home 44 seconds ahead Andrew Hill while Brendon Davids finished third.
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