Cyclist Drikus Coetzee, who is a five-time time trial national champion and double road race champion, says he is ready to compete in the Munga, one of the most gruelling road race challenges on earth.

This non-stop single-stage, semi-supported mountain bike race will take riders through the remote Karoo from Bloemfontein to Wellington in South Africa, covering a distance of 1 110 kilometres (km).

The event will be held from 29 November to 04 December 2023, and participants will have 120 hours or five days to complete the race.

In an interview with Nampa on Tuesday, Coetzee, who is also the current defending champion of the Nedbank Desert Dash, said that in 2022 he put all his focus into winning the Nedbank Desert Dash, which paid off with a stunning ride and his maiden win, but his focus now is competing in the Munga.

“All my attention at the moment is on competing in the Munga. The time is right for me to step up and see what I can do over more than 50 hours on a saddle,” he said.

Coetzee told this agency his goal is to attempt to break the course record and add another endurance title to his name.

“I am no stranger to endurance races and currently hold both Munga Grit 500km records, which I set last year (2022). My focus over the last few months has been to train hard for this challenge, and I will be in the best possible shape to tackle the gruelling 1100 km from Bloemfontein to Cape Town via a variety of road surfaces, jeep tracks, and farm crossings,” Coetzee said.

The rider also mentioned that his biggest challenge would be navigating the second night, as fatigue could play a major role.

“Mentally I am well prepared, and my training has gone according to plan. I have an amazing network of support and sponsors who motivate me to get on the bike and push those pedals. Their investments are the reason I keep on pushing, and results are a bonus,” said the cyclist, who stated that his biggest fear is losing the race in the blink of an eye by taking the wrong turn. – Nampa