The wait is over…
This weekend marks Brother Leader Tread KTM’s return to racing as the National Enduro Championship resumes. The penultimate round of the series takes riders to the Winterberg trails in Bathhurst – some of the country’s oldest and more traditional enduro terrain. Having never raced at this venue before, the orange squad has been hard at work preparing to take on new and unexplored territory.
Spearheading the hunt for championship points is Brother Leader Tread KTM’s Bradley Cox. The rider not only lines up with the lead in the prestigious E1 Class but also with the most championship points overall.
Cox has spent more time in the saddle than ever in recent months after making the commitment to take on the 2022 Dakar Rally. With a stronger motivation than ever to refine his skills, Cox welcomes the opportunity to race against some of the country’s leading riders.
“I’m so happy to be back racing. Training has gone well over the past few weeks and I’m really looking forward to giving these last two rounds of the championship everything I’ve got. We’ve never raced in the Winterberg area and it looks like we’re in for some cold weather and possible rain, so tyre choice is going to be critical. The goal is the same as always this weekend – to win,” said Cox.
Joining Cox in the race for Enduro glory is teammate Charan Moore. Like Cox, the rider has signed up for the Dakar next year and is eager to capitalise on every opportunity to race that he can get.
With his current third spot in the E2 Class, Moore will be looking to snatch up some valuable championship points as he attempts to secure what looks like a promising finish on the podium this season. The rider has had his fair share of setbacks this season having overcome both an injury and Covid-19. Moore feels confident, however, that he has made up for lost time and returned to his racing form:
“Over the past few weeks, I’ve managed to put in some good effort and training to get back to where I want to be physically. Fortunately, I have some ravines in the area I live in that will definitely help me prepare for the kind of terrain in store. My goal this weekend is to push for a top three finish in my class and top five finish overall. I’ve been working on my intensity so I can narrow the gap on the front of the field, and I’m trusting that will pay off this weekend,” said Moore.
Rounding out the squad is the country’s leading female Enduro rider Kirsten Landman. With a long list of accolades in endurance sport, it is no secret that Landman thrives off a challenge. She commented, “I’ve really enjoyed putting my head down and working towards a goal again. These last few weeks have been quiet without racing or travelling, so preparing for an event again has been very exciting.”
Having returned from an injury at the start of this season, Landman has been working on building back up to her racing form. She mentions making some good progress over the past few months, especially with her goal to return to the Dakar Rally next year.
As she looks to take on new territory this weekend, Landman is particularly excited about her weapon of choice – the new 2022 KTM 250 XC-W TPI: “I’m so glad that there’s a new venue on the calendar – so I’m taking on new terrain with my new KTM 250 XC-W! I’ve never ridden there before, but generally the Eastern Cape terrain is quite rough and rocky. I’m anticipating a race that’s going to be hard on the body, but I’m feeling conditioned for it and ready to close the time gap that the leaders have on me.”
Published by: Louwrens Mahoney – KTM Motorcycles SA
Picture Caption: Charan Moore at Roodeberg Enduro Farm.
Photography by: Carli Smith