Seibeb leaves Papo behind in X-Ride

Last weekend's 2017 MTB X-Ride powered by Hollard started off with a very well attended race briefing Friday evening at the KIA Motors Showroom where participants was briefed on the rules and routes.Riders also received goodie bags as well as fruit packs sponsored by Food Lovers Market in Windhoek.A total of 184 riders (73 of them on the 76 km MTB marathon route and 111 on the very tough Ultra MTB Marathon route of 96 km) showed up for the start Saturday morning on top of Kupferberg Pass, 32 km west from Windhoek. Riders enjoyed coffee and biscuits before they started their respective distances at 07:00 and 07:05 to Lake Oanob Resort near Rehoboth. The routes consist of a 70 km gravel road section for both marathons, whereafter the 76 km marathon riders had to do a last 6 km technical section before they finished. The 96 km Ultra Marathon riders completed a 26 km very tough and technical section.Only eleven riders could not finish their race.During the race, riders could make use of two water points manned by SCE Consulting Engineers at point 1 and KIA Motors at point 2 and 3 to refill, rest or get something to eat.The race finished at the Lake Oanob Resort where riders were entertained with free meals and drinks.Costa Seibeb, the 2017 Namibian MTB Marathon champion riding in the colours of Nedbank, proved to be the best on the day by taking the overall win in a time of 3 hours 12 minutes 31 seconds – a massive 6 minutes before second placed Xavier Papo (2016 MTB X-Ride champion, riding in the colours of Mannie's Bike Mecca. Drikus Coetzee took third place riding for Team KIA Elite.Xavier Papo took the King of the Gravel and Costa Seibeb the King of the Mountains trophy.In the women's race Michelle Vorster, 2017 Namibian MTB Marathon champion and 2016 MTB X-Ride champion riding in the colours of Team KIA Elite, defended her title to finish first in a time of 3 hours 35 minutes 08 seconds, with Irene Steyn, riding for Mannie's Bike Mecca in second and Michelle Döman in third place.Michelle Vorster was crowned Queen of the Gravel as well as Queen of the Mountain.Category winners included Ingram Cuff (sub veteran men), Jeanne Heunis (sub veteran women), Clinton Hilfiker (veteran men), Susanne Borg (veteran women), Frank Snyman (masters men) and André de Klerk (Rhino men, 90 kg plus).Over the 76 km distance, Walter Liebenberg and Aletti Lowe were the overall winners.E Med Rescue 24 did a superb job providing medical support during the race. No serious injuries were reported.Other sponsors who helped to make this event a success were Squirt Lube, Zinmag Sport, Candor Namibia, Varta, Cymot as well as Hair and More.The main sponsor Hollard Namibia is also very excited that Windhoek Light and Aqua Splash confirmed their three-year series sponsorship last Friday. SERIESThe 2017 MTB X-Ride was the first of eight MTB Marathons in the newly launched Gravel & Dirt MTB Marathon powered by Hollard series.Details on the other races as well as full results are available on www.raceday.events under the link Gravel & Dirt MTB Marathon series.Organisers Johan Pretorius and Brendan Dickerson said they are satisfied with the number of entries as well as the level of competition in the different distance and age categories. They will consider opening more categories in the 76 km marathon in 2018, however no change is being considered to the difficulty levels for both distances. “After all, it is the X-Ride,” Pretorius said.Pretorius thanked all sponsors and especially Hollard Namibia for their sponsorship towards the MTB X-Ride, as well as their sponsorship for the Gravel & Dirt MTB Marathon Series.The next Gravel & Dirt MTB Marathon race will be the Westcoast MTB Challenge this coming weekend in Swakopmund. Online entries are closed already, but late entries can be done at registration, Friday from 16:00 at Mannie's Bike Mecca in Swakopmund.

Seibeb leaves Papo behind in X-Ride

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Republikein 2025-09-19

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Seibeb leaves Papo behind in X-Ride

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