Imvelo 2010 was a blast!

Nedbank Swaziland's Imvelo MTB Classic

firstly - the results are out: click here.

this was another excellent ride, fully subscribed with 3 weeks to go and the value of the race increasing year on year - wonder what will happen next year??

word has it that the first weekend of June will again be race dates - probably 4th of June? People have already taken up plenty accommodation - and it is scarce at Mlilwane - amazing stuff.

There were no real changes in this year otherwise - Andre Cordes is still the undisputed Kinf of Imvelo - 3 consecutive wins as well as improving times. the field is still struggling to reign him in - he looks unbeatable. The Swazi contingent has shown vast improvement in both performance and numbers.

Many Swazis opted for the 65km ride owing to the cool free cycling shirts again - but along with the shirt comes a hell of a ride...and rumour has it - much training was done. Good all round, the sport grows!

Some single track succumbed to gravity, much to the joy of many - what was once a hard slog scrambling uphill is now a tricky, speedy and exhilarating downhill - good move by all accounts.

The Hoglet distance was a huge hit - over 60 kiddies dragging their folks around the track - this is sure to stay on the calendar.

Good news for cycling in Swaziland was the appearance of the newly formed association's president. Mandla Simelane spoke of the improvement of mountain biking in Swaziland and of the plans afoot to take the sport to as many as possible. imagine unearthing some talent in Swaziland!

the support for the sport is strong, with a number of sponsors eager to associate themselves with the event, not least the Swaziland Tourism Authority and Nandos - this is alongside the cycling short sponsors of last year as well as the big guns of Nedbank.