Bikers on song for Knysna 200

REIGNING Wines2Whales champions Renay Groustra and Nico Pfitzenmaier will be looking to add the RECM Knysna 200 title to their list of successes when the three-day mountain bike race starts on the Garden Route today.

The Cape Town-based RSA Web- Dorma duo are returning to their best stage-racing form after reuniting for the Nedbank sani2c, where they placed sixth overall.

Groustra, who took a break after withdrawing from the Cape Epic in April due to illness, said he had surprised himself with how he had shaped in the KwaZulu-Natal race.

"I look forward to seeing how I've progressed after two weeks of solid training."

His German teammate, who won the Magalies Monster two weeks ago, is also on song after opting out of multistage racing this season due to a broken thumb.

Groustra said the Knysna race would be an important part of his build-up towards the marathon world championship in Pietermaritzburg, while Pfitzenmaier was preparing for the seven-day BC Bike Race in Vancouver at the end of the month.

Groustra decided to forego the SA champs, which coincides with the Garden Route event, as he felt a three-day race would be better for his conditioning.

"I know that I am maybe not in the best form to contend for the national title, so for me coming to Knysna is the sensible choice," he said.