Gillitts racer takes top title
Mike is hoping to compete in the Dakar of the Baja 1 000 in the near future.
MICHAEL ‘Mike’ Pentecost, a local Gillitts resident and professional biker, recently took the top biking title at the South African National Off-Road Motorcycle and Quad Championship (SANORA).
Biking is in his blood as he has grown up with the sport as he has been riding for 19 years and has competed for 10 of them. “I can’t really remember the first time I rode a bike, but when I climb onto a bike now, it gives me a break away from normal life. All the stress from life just seems to disappear,” said the 22-year-old.
The national off-road event was in Vryburg on 1 to 2 April, an Mike competed in the OR1 (open class) on a 450cc YZ450FX. “It’s a six-huor arce, similar to the Dakar. We race on the same course with the cars along a course that’s about 400km,” said Mike as he described the gruelling race. “I am normally pretty stiff after a ride that long, but I felt really good.
“There was definitely a few riders I was worried about as they are quite tough competition but I think that I had a really great day overall as I finished with a nine-minute lead,” said Mike, who won the overall bikes and the OR1 title. He extended his condolences to the van der Merwe family, whose son, Ghislain, was involved in an accident at the race, and later died. “He was a great young racer and it was such a tragedy.”
When asked what the future may have in store for him, Mike said he hoped that during his career he would race in the Dakar and ultimately the Baja 1 000. “I would like to thank my sponsors, Bidvest Yamaha and my dad, Gary, for their continued support,” he said.
