Team Kath & Peg

Adventure imminent!
On our way to the East Cape to start the 1150km ride to the West Cape. Kick off at dawn Saturday.
Tracking here...

LIVE: Kop*ko Aotearoa 2020 LIVE: Kop*ko Aotearoa 2020

Warm up for the final stage. Let's knock this bastard off!

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2573504682763709&id=1992224467558403

So this was yesterday’s p*k
The face says it all!!
But today once Peg heard the course was changed for the third time into two laps of the Bannockburn Classic she was off like a “robbers dog” and so I just hung onto her back wheel and we bombed into the finish line with big smiles on our face 😊
Showered, massaged and cleans bikes ready for last day tomorrow. We are hoping for an original course plan up the Nevis, over CoalPit saddle and to Frankton finishline ☀️🚲🍺
CurraNZ Blackcurrant Supplement Australasia

Taster of our ride today. The fantastic singletrack from Coronet Peak to the finish line in Arrowtown was good enough to erase the painful memories of the 2250m climbing.

We are leading masters women and third women's overall. Mega stage tomorrow 112km with heaps of awesome tracks round Alexandra.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2763312947229707&id=1494023344158680

represent!
Just before we headed out for the prologue. Great singletrack-heavy course. Finished before the rain set in ☔😊👍

We're back at racing as Earnscleugh Express team 503.
Prologue starts at Moke Lake tomorrow morning. Time for an early night 😴😴 🚲🚲

You can track us here:

https://thepioneer2019.maprogress.com/

Check out our Pioneer write-up on IMB now...

Team IMB At The Pioneer 2018 In 2018 IMB sent a crack squad of ne'er-do-wells and elite riders to New Zealand to take part in one of mountain biking's most treasured and toughest races, The Pioneer. Here's team rider Peg Leyland with the words and pictures that just might well inspire you to take up this challenge for yourself.

An entertaining, and mildly offensive, read from Dirty Nomad....

http://dirtynomad.com/pioneer-race-report-part-2/

"So it had taken two hours or so, but finally the Peg & Kath express arrived and in an exhibition of controlled force climbed up a section of the climb every single other fu**er walked. Bone and I stood in awe and almost didn’t notice the dull thud of our egos dying, dropping to the ground and being placed in Gimp shaped latex body bags."

Pioneer Race Report – Part 2 When I was penning and editing Part 1 of the mini-series Pioneer drama race report, I felt an odd frustration that it wasn’t really encapsulating the severeness of the challenge that was unfo…

The final stage was no walk in the park with Mount Michael seeming to go on forever. It was like climbing into the heavens as we rode through the clouds to the misty tor-scattered tussock landscape of the tops. It was quite surreal, and almost felt like we were looking down on the snow-topped Remarkables in the distance. The relief at reaching the final big summit of the race was short-lived with the arms getting a work out on the treacherous descent into the Kawarau gorge. Another serving of punchy pinch climbs made sure that every last calorie was spent. A disappointingly short but welcome jet boat ride took us across the river for the final stretch along the Queenstown trail back to town, so it was heads down and just keep fuelling to keep the legs turning all the way to the finish line.

We managed a convincing win in the Masters’ category and 4th women’s team in the GC. Thanks to everyone who has followed our progress and given us outstanding support throughout the week. It has been a really special experience being a part of 2018 with the friendly race atmosphere and comraderie between riders. Thank you to the amazing volunteers who form the backbone of the race, doing everything from creating tent-city, serving dinner, course-marshalling, manning the aid stations and yelling words of encouragement. You are legends!
We loved the new course with the singletrack sections being a proper test of skill as well as fitness; and the stunning landscape of Central Otago was certainly the star of the show.
Highly recommended!

Feeling a bit ripped off today with 1000m less climbing than advertised. Strangely, no-one seemed to be complaining, and the legs felt like they had done plenty after the Carricktown and Mount Difficulty climbs. Just kept trucking today and we’re on the home straight now with our final ride back to Queenstown tomorrow. Bring it on!