Michelle Vorster ready to champion the Desert Dash

Michelle Vorster, National Champion and Olympic athlete, is wellknown within the cycling community. She’s completed the Desert Dash three times, twice in a two-man mixed team and once in a four-man mixed team. This year, she’s participating for Team KIA Elite, a four-man mixed team which includes team Piet Swiegers, Martin Freyer and Fanie Steenkamp. Taking on the Desert Dash is non-negotiable.

“The uniqueness of the event is what inspires me to take part each year. With the different formats, each year brings a different challenge, which makes the Dash really distinctive, so I am looking forward to see what 2016 has to offer,” Vorster said.

As a professional cyclist, training needs to be consistent to build endurance and power, but the core of it is consistency.

“I have a sophisticated programme to follow which was designed by my coach Deon Carstens. I train five days per week and have two rest days in between. Additionally I also do three workouts in the gym per week to build core muscle strength, which is key to endurance of longer distances,” confirms Michelle.

Carstens has been training with her since June 2014.

“Should someone wish to take on cycling, there are key things that they would need to take into consideration which are: 1. Frequency beats intensity; 2. frequency and intensitybeats distance; 3. frequency, intensity and distance – that is the magic combo and ride as many times as you can – not as much as you can.”

Michelle holds a pivotal role in her team. She is as strong, if not stronger than her team mates. Her effort is as important as every link in that chain. She has a proven record of giving her best performances when the going gets tough. And be reminded, the Dash is one of the toughest challenges available to any cyclist, Carstens said.

Johan Vorster, her husband and manager, is her greatest supporter.

“She never gives up no matter what! This is the one quality that brought her to what she has achieved to date. I will never forget her race in Rwanda to qualify for the Olympic Games, where Michelle fell in her first lap and gashed her knee in one of the muddiest conditions we ever experienced. She simply got up and carried on to take the bronze medal and eventually qualified for the Olympic Games. It was the proverbial ‘blood, mud, sweat and tears scenario’. If she had stopped in that race, things would have been so much different for her, for us as a family, for Namibia and Namibian cycling,” he says.

The Nedbank Desert Dash kicks off on the 9th December with many contenders ready to secure top positions. The competition is fierce this year. Johan believes that Michelle is one of, if not the strongest, Namibian female cyclist right now and has proven that on more occasions than one. In the Dash with the two-man and four-man formats, it is all about the team.

“TrainingPoint Cycling Studio has coached the winning combinations the past three years and we would like to extend that tradition. Michelle is again in a winning team combination. Chances are very good she will do herself, her supporters and me very proud,” adds Carstens.

“Like any other cyclist, I’m looking forward to seeing the finish line and listening to all the ‘war-stories’ afterwards. The camaraderie with friends after such a gruelling challenge is always special,” says Michelle.

The Dash and Michelle are made for one another. The best one day event deserves the best cyclists to attend. Being an Olympian for her country her contribution to the race is going to carry forward for years to come. More so, the youth look up to her, and she does not disappoint.