South Africa’s Greg Minnaar was the 2008 World Cup Downhill Mountain Bike Champion. He decided that he needed more challenge after he had completed his campaign to win the title. He decided to enter and complete the Roof of Africa Rally, Africa’s most difficult off-road motorcycle race.
The Roof of Africa is classified as a hard-enduros and has been mentioned in the same hollowed voice as the Ertzberg Rodeo (Austria), the Romaniacs in Romania and Last Man Standing in America. For the past forty one years, the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho hosted the Roof of Africa. This landlocked independent Kingdom is located in central East South Africa.
It started as a rally car race. But it didn’t take long before motorcycles were included in the annual sprint across the Maluti Mountains. These mountains offer spectacular views, incredible altitudes (3500m above sea level in places), unpredictable weather patterns, stunning vistas, more rocks, goat tracks, and extreme rocky mountain passes that one could ever imagine.
The Roof of Africa, which is a motorcycle-only rally, puts riders and machines up against the most difficult and arduous riding on a distance of 500kms. Riders spend up to 13 hours per day in the saddle. It is evident how difficult the riding is by the slow average speed.
Minnaar is a veteran of motocross but has never attempted an off-road motorcycle endurance race. This was his first attempt at extreme sports.
Minnaar crossed the Lesotho border in Maseru, 26 October 2008, with some trepidation about what he had undertaken, but with no doubt about his ability to dig deep and face the most difficult challenges that were thrown at him by the organizers.
Minnaar finished Thursday’s racing section. This consisted of a Round the Houses sprint run on the streets in Maseru. The race was not only for spectator value but also to determine starting positions in the 98km time trials which followed. Friday’s 200km section saw Minnaar finish in a respectable 4th place in class and 18th overall. As organizers decided this year that the time trial would accurately reflect what riders can expect in the mountain sections on Friday and Saturday, it was a relatively fast ride in Lesotho’s lowlands. Riders embarked upon one of the most difficult 98km rides they’d ever done. Some competitors took up to six hours to complete and some came in after dark.
Minnaar, after having completed the first day of racing section: It was much more extreme than I anticipated and I feel exhausted after just 98kms! If this is any indication, tomorrow will be a battle between the boys and the men, that’s for sure. I’m up for the challenge, so let’s go! !
Friday and Saturday’s racing sections saw riders ride what is now being called the most difficult Roof of Africa. New, previously unridden passes, such as The Keyhole, Donkey Pass and Pressure Cooker, were added to the challenge. Many riders enjoyed the beautiful scenery and stoked about how hard it was to ride.
Only 89 of the 287 participants finished the race. Minnaar crossed the finish line after racing his Yamaha for 21hrs and 34 minutes. He was 19th overall and 5th in 200cc (for 200c two-stroke and 250cc four-stroke machines), beating many experienced road racers.
Although I’m exhausted, I am elated to have completed the Roof. This was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. It was amazing to me that a motorbike could go up the mountain that organizers wanted us to ride. It is a great feeling to be able to satisfy my sponsors and bring it home. Yamaha, RED and Alpinestars are all very grateful to me for their support and assistance with the Roof. Every competitor who finished the race deserves my congratulations. It is clear that even the most difficult challenge of racing the Roof requires dedication and fortitude. Finishing the race is a tremendous feeling of accomplishment. Minnaar, exhausted at the finish.
