5th Roof of Africa win for Wade Young

Chris Theko

South Africa’s Wade Young won his sixth Motul Roof of Africa title after leading the race from the start to finish in the gold category class. 

The race began with time trials held at Thaba Bosiu followed by the first day race on Thursday and Friday respectively with the final race of the extravaganza taking place at Khalong-La-Baroa. 

Young won the race finishing the 80.3 kilometer final day race with in 4:34:41 while his compatriot, Chayse Orsmond came second, clocking just 6:41:39 and in third position was another South African Tristan Tamsen who clocked 6:41:40. 

Roof of Africa “Mother of Hard Enduro” returned after a year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic that saw the event not taking place last year.

Young said this was one of the toughest and most challenging races he has had while also expressing his delight at being able to defend his title.

“I am really happy to have been able to defend my title and also to be back in Lesotho. This was a long and very tough race in unfamiliar cold and rainy conditions,” Young said. 

Despite having prepared for the race and worked hard, he said the level of competition during the race he was not too very confident of a win until the he saw the end. 

“I was not so sure of the win at some point during the race but I have been racing a lot in Europe in preparation for this race. That really boosted my level of completion,” he said.

“The first race I pushed myself really hard to open the gap ahead of the previous installment and today’s race and from there I had to manage my lead”. 

Despite the absence of long-time rival and veteran of the Roof of Africa, Graham Jarvis, who is currently nursing a knee injury, the young rider said the other racers still gave him a run for his money. 

In the silver category, another South African, Cameron McBean took first position finishing ahead of fellow compatriots Adam Bac and Kevis de Kock who finsished in second and third position respectively. 

On his second race ever, Lesotho’s Sechaba Chabeli finished as Lesotho’s top performer in the event finishing 16^th in the silver category.  This was Chabeli’s debut feature in the silver class and his first time finishing the race. 

“Having only started racing in 2019, this is a very big achievement for me. I did not finish in the race in the bronze class then due to mechanical failure and this year I decided to move to silver as I believed I was fit enough. I am highly grateful for the support I got from my team and Basotho that got me going,” Chabeli said.

In the bronze category South Africa’s Anru Mostert with Lesotho’s Shabeer Moosa finishing 19^th whith other Lesotho riders Andrew Bothma and Timello TÅ¡olo finished 127 and 139 respectively.