MOSSEL BAY SPORT NEWS - Local junior multisport athlete, Linél Engelbrecht has started the Cross-country Olympic mountain bike racing series on a high note.
Competing in the Madibaz NMMU XCO series on Sunday, 12 May, she showed exceptional tenacity.
After a monstrous start and leading out the group of female riders, she had a disastrous fall that left her behind the whole field. She got right back on her bike and set about chasing the field in a fast paced and highly technical format of the sport.
Picking off rider after rider, she had worked her way back up into second position overall going into the last lap. Passing Mia Bester, a more senior rider from Outeniqua High in the designated tech/feed zone of the race, Linél stamped her authority on proceedings on the 3.7km circuit.
It was a well-deserved win for her in the format of racing she regards as her speciality and thoroughly enjoys.
Results of the top five women in the Madibaz XCO #1 "Whipsnake":
- Linél Engelbrecht 44:11 (Curro Mossel Bay HS)
- Mia Bester 44:40 (Outeniqua HS)
- Alissa Coetzer 49:33 (Outeniqua HS)
- Marlie Blom 50:39 (Outeniqua HS)
- Sorina Venter 1:08:04 (Madibaz Team)
Participating in several other races in the last two months, Linél has achieved some exemplary results:
- 11th - SA Triathlon Championships, Durban
- 6th - SA CUP XCO, Bloemfontein
- 2nd - Battle of the Bikes, Laingsburg
- 1st - Eden Duathlon #3, George
- 1st - Le Peleton Criterium #2, Mossel Bay
- 2nd - Tour de Farm 35km MTB, George
- 1st - Madibaz XCO #1 "Whipsnake", George
Cross-country Olympic (XCO) is the only Olympic mountain bike discipline, and globally the most popular of all disciplines.
Compared to all other disciplines, XCO is pivotal to mountain bike development, offering the most fun.
XCO is based on lap racing around a short circuit containing various obstacles.
