BIRCH RETURNS TO MOTUL ROOF OF AFRICA  

The wait is over and an orange onslaught on the Kingdom of Lesotho is imminent. The annual Motul Roof of Africa will take place from 4-7 December with a brand new start / finish venue at Thaba Bosiu.  

This has been a watershed year for the event described as the ‘Mother of Hard Enduro’ as new owner Charan Moore has dared to take the race to places it has never been before.  

To kick off the festivities the traditional ‘Round the Houses’ race will return in 2019 – an event that takes riders through the streets of Maseru. In an attempt to bring the sport to the people, Gold riders will battle it out for a starting position on an enduro cross track instead of a time trial before the two main race days.

Adding a particular sense of excitement to the orange camp is the entry from Chris Birch, who will be racing for Brother Leader Tread KTM. The motorsport legend is a multiple New Zealand Enduro overall champion, three time Roof of Africa winner, and the 2010 Red Bull Romaniacs champion. He has also competed successfully in the world’s biggest enduro races like Erzberg, Red Bull Last Man Standing, Hells Gate, ISDE, WEC and EEC.  

With an unquenchable thirst for adventure, Birch commented, “I’m super stoked to be coming back to race the Roof of Africa. This is one of the ultimate adventures you can do on a dirt bike. The Roof comes with a lot of challenges, but it’s also brought some of the most fun that I’ve ever had on a dirt bike!”

Also on the Brother Leader Tread KTM squad is Scott Bouverie, a household name in the South African world of hard enduro. 

The rider has stepped onto the Roof of Africa podium twice in his career, finished third in the coveted Red Bull Sea to Sky, and placed fifth in Red Bull Romaniacs. He also managed to add his name to the handful of riders that conquered Erzbergrodeo in 2017 – only narrowly missing a top ten finish. 

After pulling out of the 2018 ‘Mother of Hard Enduro’ due to an illness, Bouverie is determined to make up for lost time and return to his former Roof of Africa glory on board his trusty KTM 300 XC-W. 

“Difficult times have built me as a rider and taught me to ride within my limits. My confidence is back and stronger than ever,” said Bouverie. 

A new name will be added to the list of elite riders lining up at the Roof of Africa this year - Bradley Cox, who will be entering the Gold Class for the first time in his career. While the multi-disciplined star is more widely known for his cross country and motocross skills, he is fast making a name for himself in South Africa’s world of hard enduro.

“I want to be one of the best enduro riders in the country, and I think I’m slowly on my way up there. I’ve always been known as the ‘motocross or cross country kid’, but I want to start building a reputation as the ‘enduro kid’ too,” said Cox.

Kirsten Landman, as always, is set to steal the spotlight.  

The Queen of the Mountains will round out the Brother Leader Tread KTM squad and has spent more time in the saddle than ever as she prepares for the 2020 Dakar Rally. 

As the first woman in Roof of Africa history to have finished the gruelling Gold route, she will line up in Lesotho as no stranger to the unforgiving terrain in store. 

“I’m so excited to come back here and race! The fitness we need for technical riding is even more than what we need for Rally racing, so doing enduro will prepare me in the best possible way. Just because my focus is on the Dakar doesn’t mean I’ve abandoned my passion for enduro. I love technical riding – it’s where I come from. I’m so excited to get back to my ‘smaller’ enduro bike, which is half the weight of my Rally bike!”  said Landman about her KTM 250 XC-W.