
Naledi Fodo & Precious Dimba’s E-Bike Debut
Naledi Fodo took on her first mountain biking event at the Glacier Waterberg Traverse, in May. To ensure she had company for the 17-hour drive from Durban to Summerplace Game Reserve Fodo roped in her friend, Precious Dimba. The pair soon impressed everyone with their enthusiasm and infectious laughter and were subsequently invited to join the Glacier Storms River Traverse fun.
Glacier, Avis and Dryland Event Management came together to sponsor the team’s trip from Durban to the race, with flights, car rental, accommodation, race entries and bike rentals being provided to Fodo and Dimba. The only problem team E-Legs and an E-Bike faced was the fact that neither of them had ridden an e-bike before. To make matters worse Fodo had only recently switched from flat to SPD pedals…

Within 500 metres of Stage 1’s start Fodo had had the first of a series of minor crashes, the type every rider has when graduating to clipless pedals. Stage 2 started in a similar fashion with Fodo falling into the soft undergrowth alongside the start chute. Despite the falls, and Dimba’s first mountain bike race experience, the pair still thoroughly enjoyed their first two days at the Glacier Storms River Traverse.
“It’s been amazing, the people are so welcoming and the water points are great. The riding has been challenging at times though,” Fodo smiled. “But we’ve been helped all the way. Liezel [van der Westhuizen] sacrificed her own race completely to guide us yesterday and coach us through our first rides on e-bikes. It’s her, and all the other friendly people at the Glacier Storms and Glacier Waterberg Traverses which make events truly special.”

Fodo’s coaching, motivation and enthusiasm helped her friend prepare for her first stage race, but Dimba needed her own reasons to endure on Stage 2. “By the time we got to the last water point today I was done,” she confessed. “I didn’t just want to stop I wanted to go home. But that wasn’t an option, so I kept going. I started to sing to myself – some song I had stuck in my head – and that got me through the last 7 kilometres of the stage.”
“She wasn’t singing a real song! It was just words, it made no sense,” Fodo laughed.

Regardless it was effective and the E-Legs and an E-Bike team completed the stage and maintained their third spot in the women’s e-bike category. Tomorrow, for Stage 3, they have a final 41 kilometres to conquer. To follow the action as it unfolds, like the Storms River Traverse Facebook page, or follow @stormsrivertraverse on Instagram.

2024 Glacier Storms River Traverse Results
Women’s Teams General Classification | After Stage 2:
- #Sheovita: Nicola Freitas & Megan Scribante (5:01:23)
- Swans Agrofors: Yolande & Chantel de Villiers (5:27:25)
- Skud Skud Daai Bene: Iliska Verwey & Tanja Schutte (5:55:15)
Men’s Teams General Classification | After Stage 2:
- MTB Goats: Paul Serrao & Eckhard Visser (5:08:22)
- Not Here To Find Spiders: Roelof Schutte & Janos Kaszas (5:31:50)
- Double Trouble: Jacques Steenkamp & Marais Pienaar (5:45:32)

Mixed Teams General Classification | After Stage 2:
- Potties: Cobus Potgieter & Midee Buizer (5:23:43)
- Chemchamp Africa: Biance Bekker & Daniel Tenner (5:40:10)
- Invicta Mixed: Gerhard Luther Hattingh & Elizma Kock (5:44:44)
Solo Women General Classification | After Stage 2:
- Liezel van Niekerk (6:05:37)
- Brigitte Aubery (7:48:02)
- Tanya Hill (8:20:08)
Solo Men General Classification | After Stage 2:
- Herman Hattingh (4:51:30)
- Hardus Jansen van Rensburg (4:53:21)
- JN Smit (4:56:37)

For the full results from the 2024 Glacier Storms River Traverse, click here.