The 2023 Nedbank Namibia National Marathon Championships (XCM) will take place tomorrow at the IJG Trails in Windhoek.

The Rock and Rut Mountain Bike Club and Namibian Cycling Federation will coordinate the races, where over 60 cyclists will take on the trails in separate divisions for men and women in the following race categories: e-bikes, sub-veterans, veterans, masters, juniors, under-16s and more.

Elanor Grassow from the Namibian Cycling Federation said this race was important on the Namibian cycling calendar, and it has new developments to make it more competitive.

“At the Namibian Cycling Federation, we are excited for this edition of the XCM races because, for the first time, we will have a national title for the e-bike category for elite men and women cyclists,” Grassow said.

The overall men and women winners in the XCM MTB elite races will walk away with much-needed Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) points. 

They will also receive Namibian National Champion titles and jerseys to represent Namibia in international cycling competitions.

Nedbank Namibia communication and public relations manager Selma Kaulinge said: “We are gearing up for the Nedbank Namibia National XCM race tomorrow, and, because it’s the final face before our coveted Nedbank Desert Dash, the event will be nothing short of thrilling. The races will see the synergy of individual skill and collective effort from the cyclists, who will be cycling in the different categories on the day. We are expecting a multitude of cyclists for this event. We applaud the spirit of endurance that propels them forward, navigating twists and turns with precision. From Nedbank Namibia, we would like to thank each contributing partner for their efforts to make this event a success.”

The races will start at 06h20 with the e-bike category. 

Interested cyclists can contact the Namibian Cycling Federation at info@namcf.org.