Brother Leader Tread KTM are preparing to tap into new gears as the penultimate round of the National Cross Country Championship approaches.
Taking centre stage this weekend is Bradley Cox, who will not only attempt to extend his lead in the race for the OR2 Championship, but also for the Overall National Cross Country title.
The rider has never raced at the Delmas venue before but is undaunted by the unfamiliar terrain. Having snatched a class victory in the last round, Cox describes feeling as confident as ever on his KTM 350 XC-F, “I really enjoy it when races take place so close to each other. I pulled off my plan to win in the last round recently and while that feeling is still fresh, I get to carry the momentum over into the next round. Everything is dialled in and I can’t wait to get out there on my KTM 350 XC-F,”
Also representing the orange squad this weekend is Charan Moore. With a dream to complete the infamous Dakar Rally next year, the rider is currently competing in the Kalahari Rally. Moore will line-up on Saturday having spent more time in the saddle than ever, something that will certainly hold him in good stead as he looks to narrow the gap on the frontrunners in the OR1 Class.
“After two back-to-back weekends of racing, I spent some time getting back to the drawing board. I felt like towards the end of each race I found a really good groove, which is what I ultimately want to feel from the start of the race. I know what I needed to build on for Delmas to be ‘race ready’ and I’m keen to see how that will pay off.”
After an unfortunate turn of events, Brother Leader Tread KTM’s Jarryd Coetzee has withdrawn from the Delmas event due to an injury. After crashing during training, the rider will spend the next few weeks recovering from a successful operation he underwent this week.
As his team prepare to battle it out for Cross Country glory, KTM South Africa’s Marketing Manager Louwrens Mahoney commented: “The national event will be combined with a GXCC Club race – so this is going to be a tough day for the riders! They have six laps of a 48km loop to get through, and with 300+ riders in the mix the track is going to get really rough and demanding. Our riders have done the necessary changes and set up to adapt to this type of racing, so we are ready for a great day! We wish Jarryd Coetzee a speedy recovery and look forward to having back on the start line.”
Published by: Louwrens Mahoney – KTM Motorcycles SA
Photography by: Sage Lee voges