My wrist has gotten better and better over the last week. I tried to ride some single tracks on Thursday and it went well so I decided to try and race. I felt that I wanted to feel that it was all good in a race before the Epic and The MTB Challenge was my last chance. The race is just outside Stellenbosch so no need to travel! I was a bit nervous and disappointed to see that none of my normal competition was on the start line. It is always more fun with competition!!

I decided to race as hard as I could to test the form and the wrist and it went well in the beginning. The route was around Simonsberg, where the big fire was a few weeks ago. Even if I know that area very well it looked so different without the trees. The team from AMA riders had done a great job restoring the trails and put in some new bridges etc in a very short time! The sand and soft soil which comes after the fire made the trails very difficult to ride and I felt like a beginner in the corners, I once hooked a tree when I did not get around, it was very good training! I think I lost the race mode a bit towards the end since the guys around me just left me behind. It was the first time I won the MTB Argus but the biggest victory for me was that my wrist was all good!!!

Next on the programme is the biggest race of the year, the one everyone is talking about – ABSA Cape Epic!!