Former Jock Wins The ABSA Cape Epic

It’s been over two decades since an accident while riding work at Milnerton ended the promising career of the first lady jockey to be trained at the SA Jockey Academy.

Now 45, and a mother of two, the Gr1 winning Genevieve Michel also wrote her name into the history books when she became the first female jockey to ride in the Met when partnering King Shore in the Cape flagship in 1999.

Just over two years later at Milnerton on the cinders, a fresh youngster pig-rooted and bucked, catapulting her over the top. Genevieve landed on her head and broke her neck. She never rode horses again.

Fast forward to March 2022, the Namibian-based Genevieve Weber-Michel and her riding  partner Mannie Heymans were crowned mixed doubles winners of the 2022 ABSA Cape Epic.

The Epic is run over seven stages and starts in the Lourensford Wine Estate, before traversing the Hottentots Holland Mountains to Elandskloof.

After two stages of rugged riding on the trails of Greyton, the race heads towards the mountain biking mecca of Stellenbosch. There is 681-kilometres and 16 900-metres of climbing after setting off from Lourensford. The Absa Cape Epic ends at the Val de Vie Estate where the winners were crowned.

An elated Genevieve told the Sporting Post on Tuesday afternoon that she was thrilled and over the moon to have won the mixed category with her Windhoek-based ‘boss’.

An Olympic and Commonwealth Games performer, Mannie Heymans, who is known in the sport’s circles as ‘Mr Africa’ was cycling the ‘Epic’ for the eleventh time. He is the proprietor of a cycling business in Windhoek and Genevieve does the spinning training for his customers.

It was Genevieve’s second bash at an event that most of us would probably consider more punishment than fun!

“Wow, now this was truly an epic adventure,” Genevieve tells the Sporting Post.

“Mannie asked me if I would consider doing the Epic with him. That was late February, so it was very last min dot com,” she laughs as she explains that she was able to do it as she has always maintained an overall level of fitness.

She adds that the seven day adventure was ‘insane, brutal, hectic… and mind blowing!’

“I have never cramped as much as I did on day 1. It felt as if I was giving birth to a 100 babies!”

“On Tuesday we enjoyed a solid ride. Mannie is just world-class. He paced us so well. We were up against the Costa Ricans. They were just next level – super strong and amazing to ride and race against – it’s just so sad they couldn’t finish due to a bad tummy bug.”

Genevieve says things started well on the Wednesday, but then at 46km, things went awry.

“I had a really bad crash. And to be honest I thought that was the end of me and for this epic adventure for us as a team. I sat up, caught my breath and didn’t feel anything major broken, except my chest and head were pounding. I had abrasions on my legs and arms. But I was breathing and we got going again. And it’s amazing just what adrenaline can do and where your mind can go if you keep telling yourself that you never know what your body can do till you try! Mind over matter, maybe?”

Genevieve hails from fighting stock. Her Mom Wendy was a top amateur rider, while Dad Kenny was a top heavyweight jockey in his day.

Gen says that she kept hearing Dad’s voice throughout the next four days after that fall.

“I was really really broken by then and every day I was just surviving for dear life and hanging on!”

She recalls that as a female jockey, she had to break through many barriers where women were not welcomed in a man’s sport. “And I was always having to show and prove to the men that women can do this just as well as they could! So when falling off a horse at high speed, or being thrown off, I wasn’t allowed to sit and bawl my eyes out like a girl! I was encouraged and urged by my Dad to get back on as quickly as possible. So I had no choice but to get back on the bike!”

Genevieve placed all the credit for the superb achievement in her personal faith, and to the motivation and encouragement provided by her partner, Mannie.

“He pulled me and pushed me. And I am sure he also had to swallow some choice words when I was having some of my little meltdowns. But he really took care of me all the way to the finish and I am so grateful for his patience and guidance. His chief words of encouragement were, ‘lekker lekker, you doing great, we almost there’. Afterwards I was in massive pain with my cracked ribs punishing me big time!”

So Genevieve, who has won two World Champion Masters Mountain Biking titles – one in Norway and the other in KZN – could not enjoy the pinnacle podium moment of spraying the champagne and jumping up and down. But that is not bothering her too much.

“I’m relaxing for a few days at Mom’s house in Blouberg before we travel back to Windhoek on the weekend. I rode along the beachfront staring at beautiful Table Mountain on Tuesday, and had serious pain and issues breathing. But there is something about conquering one’s own little Everest that is so satisfying. I hope to be back in 2023!”