Beijing Olympians Burry Stander (Mr Price Specialized) and Yolande Speedy (IMC Racing Momentum) are...
Men's cross country favourite and defending U23 national champion Burry Stander (Image credit: Gary Perkin)
Beijing Olympians Burry Stander (Mr Price Specialized) and Yolande Speedy (IMC Racing Momentum) are among the favourites to shine at this weekend's South African National Cross Country Mountain Bike Championships, which take place in George on Saturday and doubles as round three of the national series.
Fresh off winning a silver medal in Thursday's Under 23 road championships and fourth overall in the time trial championships, Stander is happy with his form and hopes it will translate into a seventh successive national cross country title.
"My first goal each year is to retain my national title," said Stander. "I then build my racing season overseas from there. It's important to race the national championships – no matter how successful you are outside your own country."
"I've been preparing for the Cape Epic mountain bike stage race, which has involved a lot of long distance riding, but my speed hasn't been compromised much, and I look forward to some flat-out cross-country racing this weekend."
In the women's race, Speedy is making a return to cross country racing after a long layoff as a result of an operation last November. She's been focusing her training time on preparing for the Cape Epic, but is still a strong favourite.
Based in the southeastern United States, Peter produces race coverage for all disciplines, edits news and writes features. The New Jersey native has 30 years of road racing and cyclo-cross experience, starting in the early 1980s as a Junior in the days of toe clips and leather hairnets. Over the years he's had the good fortune to race throughout the United States and has competed in national championships for both road and 'cross in the Junior and Masters categories. The passion for cycling started young, as before he switched to the road Peter's mission in life was catching big air on his BMX bike.
