Hahn, Hough win Nedbank Rock and Rut XC4

30 July 2025

Hugo Hahn and Mimi Hough were crowned winners of the 2025 Nedbank Rock and Rut XC4 race which took place at Farm Bergquell last week Saturday.

This was the last race in the Nedbank Rock and Rut XC series this year.

In the men’s elite race, Hahn clocked one hour, sixteen minutes, and forty-four seconds (01:16:44), ahead of Xavier Papo, who clocked 01:24:41 in second place, and Nicolaas Swart, 01:31:49 in third place.

In the junior men's (17-18) race, Roger Suren clocked 01:00:21 in first place, followed by Nathan Chase, who clocked 01:05:53 in second place, and Matti Lukaschik, who was third after crossing the line at 01:07:01.

Theodor Janse van Vuuren won the youth boys (U16) race in a time of 00:54:50, while Dawie Greeff was second in a time of 00:58:21.

Speaking after the race, Hahn said he enjoyed racing at the Farm Bergquell trails, as they are challenging to navigate:

‘It was a good race. I had lots of fun on the trails, which have a good layout. I enjoyed this race more than the first one at the same venue earlier this year, where I suffered technical issues (broken chain) and had a crash. The conditions were perfect for cycling, as it had rained the previous night, so the trails were a bit moist, making it smooth for cycling.’

Hahn broke away on the first lap with Suren, and the pair kept exchanging the lead while maintaining a high tempo during the race.

In the women’s elite event, Mimi Hough was first, clocking 01:11:37 to claim first position, while Delsia Janse van Vuuren won the junior women's event in 00:55:19.

Nicole Suren won the youth girls' event (under 16) in 1:02:16, followed by Joadri De Beer in second place with a time of 1:05:28.

Claudia Suren won the women's E-bike competition with a time of 00:59:09.

Speaking after the event, Hough said she was happy to have won:

‘The route was very pleasant and challenging, and I enjoyed cycling here. It is different from what we are used to. The terrain offers different challenges than what we are used to. The weather also made it a great day to cycle. As a single entrant for the elite competition, I must say I enjoyed racing against the junior women. They keep me on my toes, as they are younger than me and have more time to train.’

Rock and Rut Mountain Bike Club, deputy chairperson, Nabil Robiati said the event was a success with 44 participants across all categories:

‘Everything went well. The cyclists found the tracks at Farm Bergquell refreshing.’

Robiati added that they had received amazing responses from the cyclists praising them for the innovation.

He added:

‘Farm Bergquell is so new to many people. Rock and Rut members get access for free as part of the benefits from the club. Others who want to use it for training can do so at a price, as we are still making improvements on these trails.’

He added that they are yet to decide on the dates and venue for their Annual General Meeting (AGM) and awards ceremony.

These will be communicated to members and stakeholders via social media platforms.

Hough took part in three of the four Nedbank Rock and Rut XC series, winning two of them.

Nedbank Namibia Chief Commercial Officer, JG van Graan, paid tribute to the athletes and organisers, saying they displayed incredible competitiveness:

‘Nedbank Namibia extends its congratulations to the Rock and Rut Mountain Bike Club for organising an exceptionally challenging XC4 race at Farm Bergquell. The cyclists displayed great cycling skills, making for a thrilling event, and we encourage all cycling enthusiasts to continue their strong support for the Rock and Rut XC series.’

Van Graan also commended the owners of Farm Bergquell for building challenging trails, saying they give local cyclists good training for world class events such as the Nedbank Desert Dash, where they expect to see cyclists who took part in this series at the finish line.

‘As the dust settles on the XC Series, we know that many of you already have your sights set on the ultimate challenge - The Nedbank Desert Dash. This event is fast approaching and is scheduled for 5-6 December 2025. We eagerly anticipate seeing many familiar faces from the Nedbank Rock and Rut XC Series taking on the grueling 401km journey from Windhoek to Swakopmund. We hope the XC series provided you with a perfect platform to hone your fitness and skill.’