STACEY Hyslop produced a determined comeback to claim the women’s overall title at the Illovo Eston Challenge 60km marathon in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, at the weekend after an early crash threatened to derail her race.
The Zimbabwean mountain biker was caught in a pile-up shortly after the start when a fellow competitor’s chain snapped, sending Hyslop to the ground and forcing her to begin the recovery from the back of the field.
“We had a fast start in the first batch and someone’s chain snapped in front of me and things got messy fast, ending with me on the ground,” Hyslop told The Standard Sport.
“It wasn’t ideal as I then ended up starting right at the back once I got up and straightened up my bike to go again.”
The Illovo Eston Challenge is an annual event for competitors aged 15 and older, starting at the Eston Farmers Club. The 60km course combines fast stretches with technical single track sections.
Rather than allowing the setback to affect her race, Hyslop launched a determined pursuit of the leaders, making significant gains on the opening climb.
“I had to dig deep to convince myself not to give up and to fight from the back,” she said.
“I put in a big effort up the first climb, which was about an hour long, and managed to overtake most of the women there.”
Having worked her way through the field, Hyslop then capitalised on her strength and technical ability on the descents.
“Then I had fun going down the fast single track,” she said.
The victory comes after a challenging period for the Zimbabwean, who had mixed results and was hospitalised following a severe allergic reaction in July and August.
She and her husband had earlier won the mixed category and finished fifth overall at the Zambezi Cycle Challenge in Victoria Falls.
“So winning this weekend’s race was great for my confidence, showing me that I can still race on top of my game,” Hyslop said.
“It also tested my mental strength after a crash on the start line.”
Hyslop, who is based in South Africa, continues to compete internationally under the Zimbabwean flag. She currently holds the Zimbabwean national XCC title and African continental XCO title.
“I am very proud to be able to race XCC in the Zimbabwean National Champions jersey and XCO in the African continental champions jersey,” she said.
“It’s always special wearing the flag on my back when I race. Although I’m far from home, there are always fellow Zimbabweans in the crowd that cheer me on. Racing for Zimbabwe has always been special, it’s where I learnt how to ride a bike.”
Hyslop said her ambitions have continued to grow since taking up the sport, with success at home providing the foundation for her international campaign.
“My first goal was to be the best in Zimbabwe, and every year I set a goal of winning the title. This year, being the elite women’s XCO continental champion means a lot to me too.”
The Eston victory now provides Hyslop with valuable momentum as she enters the final phase of preparation for the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sole, Italy, later this month.
