Article from the February 2015 issue of Ride Magazine.
When you get an invitation to head off to the beautiful island of Mauritius, it’s not something you easily turn down. As Paul Nielsen discovered – the day before he departed.
Two years after my last visit, I found myself boarding a plane and heading to paradise in the Indian Ocean. My first experience of Air Mauritius had been memorable and, once again, the ground staff and crew were an absolute pleasure. Superb inflight service, combined with one of the smoothest flights in many a month, ensured I was relaxed and ready for the three-day stage race that had lured me over.
A quick shuttle bus to the Holiday Inn Mauritius Airport and it was time to get the bike sorted, the legs ready and a good sleep under the belt. First impressions always count and the Holiday Inn experience was top-class. The hotel was in immaculate condition, the surroundings comfortable and the local cuisine amazing. Oh, and the staff were super efficient – so much so that it took some gentle persuasion to prevent a very friendly porter from putting my bike together for me!
The airport Holiday Inn was the start point for the Salchain Vets and Masters Tour de Maurice. This was the fourth edition of the event, which is hosted by CRA World Events. These are the same guys who put together the Coast 2 Coast MTB as well as the Deutsche Bank Mauritius 100km Cycle Tour, so they know how to put on a good show.
The beautiful scenery along the 230km of Mauritius roads and the decent prize money on offer had enticed some worid-class riders, including Deno van Heerden (35+ SA road champion), Jacky Durand (winner of the 1992 Tour de Flanders and three TDF stages) and David Moncoutie (King of the Mountains, Tour of Spain, four times). These were certainly not guys out from the frail care home looking to make up the numbers. With legs of steel – and heaps of experience from many hours in the saddle – these boys were here to show off their skills on the bike.
Around 70 riders started Day One. Many came from Mauritius and Reunion, but a good number were also from France and South Africa. Many had ridden the race in previous years and were eager for another chance to challenge for the yellow and polka dot jerseys on offer. We started off at a relatively neutral pace as the peloton weaved its way from the airport in the south all the way up the island’s east coast. October can be extremely hot in this part of the world, and within a few minutes of departing, it was clear that it would be a testing day. Rain in the summer is not common and the temperatures can rise well into the 30s.
The roads in Mauritius are in excellent condition and the locals have witnessed many similar races in the past, so traffic was not going to be a cause for concern. Riders are initially escorted by the police and there are numerous marshals stationed across the course. The backmarkers would be continuously followed by an ambulance, so all the safety precautions are in place.
We passed through endless rows of sugarcane, dipped into rolling valleys flanked by large oak trees with the glorious sunshine beating down on our brows. Mauritius has a unique mix of Indian and French culture, which is reflected in the many temples scattered along the route, the continuous strains of incense wafting through the air and the pleasant smells of baguettes seeping through open bakery doors.
It certainly made the first day’s 95km pass quite easily as we glided through small towns with the locals going about their business.
Streets lined with hedges of bougainvillea and blazing red flamboyant trees brought colour to our surrounds.
Even with such pleasant distractions, many of the riders were glad to see the sight of the Mont Choisy shopping centre at the outskirts of Grand Baie in the north – the finish line for this leg of the race.
A great day in the saddle and after cooling down at the finish, it was a pleasure to be greeted by the friendly staff at the Merville Beach Resort. This is one of the Lux resorts, which offer great packages for those cyclists and families coming over for the race. CRA, in partnership with Lux resorts and Air Mauritius, offers a really good deal on a flight/ accommodation basis and its well worth taking advantage of this when trying to get the best value for money when coming over from South Africa. It’s positioned a stone’s throw from the main tourist jaunt of Grand Baie (which is fondly known as the St Tropez of the Indian Ocean) and it’s easy to get around – either by foot, a rented bicycle or the resort shuttle.
The Merville Beach Resort offers three-star accommodation with beautiful views of the lagoon and the tropical gardens within the walls of this fantastic place. Each room has a sea-facing balcony, free Wi-Fi, satellite television and air conditioning to cool down tired bodies. There are various water sports on offer in the form of kite-surfing, catamaran sailing, diving and snorkelling… so there really is no excuse to not spend a few hours in the warm, blue waters. Several bars and restaurants line the hotel and I gladly settled on a cold Phoenix beer to welcome the cracking sunset while resting my feet in the soft, white sand. Life can be tough at times.
Suikerbossie? Pah!
After a good night’s rest, the riders were greeted by a perfect sunny day. A slight tail wind accompanied us as we headed out on a 65km loop, starting and finishing in Grand Baie. Both the yellow and King of the Mountains jerseys led the riders out on a fast and flat course with a blistering pace to start with. Once again, as per the first day, the terrain was undulating but with plenty of flat sections for the more risk-averse to attempt a breakaway.
These breaks were quickly sucked up by the main peloton and the lead pack was made to battle it out on an extremely energy-sapping hill, which was a beast to say the least. Let’s take Suikerbossie and double that gradient at its steepest part. There were plenty of shattered riders after that ascent, but what goes up must come down and the scenery which greeted us on the winding descent was breathtaking.
The coolness of the banana trees which caressed the winding road was a welcome respite from the heat and the flat stretch across a vast lake was a lasting memory, it was all flat roads from the bottom of the climb and the stage ended with the overnight leaders unchanged.
Back to the luxury of the Merville Beach Resort and some downtime on a pool lounger, before a good night’s rest and the final stage.
Stage 3 would entail another 70km of very fast and flat terrain. What made this final stage special was the inclusion of many of the island’s young up-and-coming riders. Their joy and excitement at meeting some of their heroes was clear to see. They were also here to test themselves against these old boys of the cycling circuit.
After a straight in-and-out neutral section, the pace picked up and the main peloton was eventually split up after a testing section in the nearby mountains surrounding Grand Baie. Deno van Heerden decided to.show his mettle and carved out a solo breakaway after the climbs and sealed a victory. The main honours, however, ended up with Laurent Mangel, who recently retired from the professional circuit. There were loads of happy smiles from the riders and many compliments for the organisers of this challenging, but fun, event.
Overall, a special experience of three challenging days of fantastic racing, great camaraderie and top-class hospitality by Mauritius and its people. Definitely one of those races to put on your calendar – bring the family, pack the gear and indulge yourself in some island magic on two wheels. You won’t regret it.-HS
For more information on the race and packages that CRA events offers, please visit the following website: www. craevents.co.za
Other links:
■ www.mervillebeach.com
■ www.airmauritius.com
■ www.holidayinnairport.mu