Multiple South African champion, Kevin Evans, reclaimed the lead in the Mazda MTN National Mountain Bike Series at the weekend when he crushed his rivals and conquered the rugged Karoo terrain to win the Mazda MTN Chandelier Mountain Bike Challenge near Oudtshoorn.

The 30-year-old Evans, who lives in nearby Knysna, crossed the finish line clasping the outstretched arm of his MTN Energade teammate, Melt Swanepoel, the pair having ridden a huge lead into the field over the tough 81km course with another teammate, David George, finishing a distant third.

Team Garmin-DCM put in a an impressive show at today’s Mazda MTN National Marathon #2 - Forest to Falls as part of their preparation for the Garmin Rooiberg Eco Ride in two weeks time. The race was muddy as expected and challenged riders by making the climbs even more difficult and arduous.

This weekend’s Mazda MTN National Marathon Series #2 - Forest to Falls taking place tomorrow in Graskop looks set to challenge riders with cold and wet conditions. The Team Garmin-DCM duo Marc Bassingthwaighte and Shaun Mackenzie meticulously prepared for the event and are rearing to go.

Mackenzie won the Teak Place MTB night race on Wednesday night. This event requires a very high technical skill level and formed an integral part of his preparation for the big event tomorrow where the muddy conditions will also require superior technical skill. The race consisted of three laps of a 8km circuit in the dark of night.

David George further confounded his critics when he continued his crossover from road rider to mountain biker by winning his first marathon mountain bike race, the 70km Mazda MTN Forest to Falls race in Graskop at the weekend.

The current South African road time trial champion and his Cape Epic partner and MTN Energade teammate, Kevin Evans, proved to be in a different class as they pulled well clear of the field on a muddy course that contained a high percentage of climbing to build a six minute gap and comfortably claim the first two positions.