Team stage racing comes to SA road cycling

TEAM stage racing comes to South African road cycling with the Liberty 250 road race introducing an exciting new concept to the racing scene on the long weekend of August 10-12.

The Liberty 250 is effectively two stage races rolled into one: The 250km three-day road race on the rolling roads of the KwaZulu-Natal north coast will be based at Sugar Rush Cycle Park just outside Ballito; and that will be held in conjunction with the Liberty 150, a 150km three-day mountain bike stage race on the single-track-laden routes of Holla Trails.

The team concept is common in mountain biking in South Africa with almost all of the major off-road stage races employing the two-man partnerships with the slower rider’s time being used as the stage time.

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However, for road riders the team concept is relatively rare, particularly for those riders who have never been part of a pro team, and in many cases only those who have ridden in a team time trial will have experienced proper team tactics on the road.

The road event will be raced in teams of four, with the third rider across the line counting for the days’ stage times.

Event organiser Barry Holland of the Race Organisation Company (ROC) has drawn on his vast experience as both a competitor and an event organiser to come up with the exciting concept for this three-day event.

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“Mountain bike events such as the sani2c (correct) and Epic have become popular on the basis of two-man teams, and I think road riders will take to the concept as well. Add in the fact the undulating roads around Ballito are ideal for a race, and the wonderful Holla Trails has some of the best mountain biking routes in the country, and you have the venue for a perfect race that mixes the two disciplines.”

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