Gamalakhe’s Piwe Zulu talks ‘Roof of Africa’ challenges
It takes a fit, well-nourished body, a strong mind and a positive attitude towards testing circumstances to survive the Motul Roof of Africa.
The Motul Roof of Africa, raced over three days in Lesotho, is known as one of the most gruelling and toughest enduro races in the world, earning the nickname ‘Mother of Hard Enduros’.
Development rider, Piwe Zulu (Herbalife bLU cRU Yamaha Racing Team) took part in the silver class of this year’s event.
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Q: What were the physical demands of the race?
A: Cardiovascular fitness and upper body strength are vital elements. It also takes a lot of skill to stick to the GPS mounted to your motorbike to guide you through the route.
Q: How did you train for the race?
A: I had to spend the biggest part of every day of the week in the gym where my training regime mostly included weight training and spinning. I also had to spend many hours in the saddle and do technical rides every night.
Q: How did you mentally prepare for the race?
A: Training in the gym assisted with mental fitness. I also surround myself with mature and skilled riders who play a big part in my attitude towards challenges.
Q: What were the terrain and weather like?
A: The terrain demanded a lot from riders on a technical level. The weather was extremely cold in the beginning as it snowed in the Maluti mountains and temperatures dropped to as low as minus 4 degrees Celsius.
Q: Will you take part next year, and what are your goals?
A: Yes, I would love to go back again next year and race again. My goal for 2018 is to finish among the top 20.
Q: What would you change in your training?
A: I would like to up my speed with specific training methods to add to my endurance. I also want to include swimming in my training regime to optimise my upper body strength.
Q: Why did you choose this race in particular?
A: It was a dream of mine since I first started endurance riding and hearing other riders speak about the event. I wanted to live the cultural experience in Lesotho and ride the challenging terrain the mountains present.
Q: Which of your competitors did you look up to at this year’s event as a development rider and why?
A: I would say my Herbalife bLU cRU Yamaha team mate Thabang Katees. He is a very fast rider and I could not keep up with him in the national races ahead of the Roof.
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