I don’t know what to say, you start the year pumped and ready then the news of Burry’s death makes its way into your world.
Gutted doesn’t quite fully cover it, this was an incredible athlete ripped away from his family and friends and his army of admirers, cruelly, brutally.
Road traffic accidents, road rage incidents and hi-jackings of cyclists have become an ever increasing cancer in South Africa. Burrys death highlighted something that is festering under the surface for almost all riders in South Africa.
Unroadworthy cars driven by callous drivers who, would in any normal circumstance at the very least be banned and have had their cars instantaneously impounded run rampant. And of course how do you impound a driver who fails to stop at the site of an accident, right?
Road rage in South Africa takes on new meaning, ‘have 4×4, must intimidate, must endanger’ is the unfortunate logic of many.
Hi-jackings, I sigh huge sighs of regret, how have we come to this, where we have action-based communication networks set up on social media to warn cyclists of potential hi-jack hotspots on well loved trails or routes, how guys, why?
All these stupidities beside the news of Burry’s death hit home for many reasons, he was a gent, an inspiration and typically South African.
I watched from the wings as Burry did battle with a younger Darryl Impey at MTB Nationals and was always blown away at the speed the ‘Juniors’ would pass us haggard old ‘Elites’, hungry and ambitious and totally committed is all I saw….and lots of dust!
Christoph Sauser and Burry Stander of team 36One Songo-Specialized celebrate the overall win during the final stage (stage 7 ) of the 2011 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley to Lourensford, South Africa on the3rd April 2011…Photo by Karin Schermbrucker/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
I have an endearing image stuck in my head from an old ‘Ride’ publication, one of Stander crashing into a fellow competitor as they fought tooth and nail for the finish line, both flattening themselves as they crossed the line, this was way before sponsors noticed, total commitment!
Years ago I was sitting out here in murky old London contemplating an attempt at a National Trophy series up in Thetford Forest (in the knuckle draggers category), I missed it, Burry didn’t, he’d flown out from SA under his Diamond Back sponsorship to gain vital XC UCI points, Oli Beckingsdale was there. His comments after almost getting pipped were roughly ‘next thing I see this kid behind me, I couldn’t let some unknown guy take my National’ (well thereabouts) Burry made waves that were overlooked by the locals but gave HUGE pride to the expats, ‘hell yeah Burry’ we all chuckled ‘kick ’em hard!’.
My last vague interaction with this mans skill and humility was at the MTN Marathon Series 2012 in Tulbach South Africa, Burry turned up as low key as any other and proceeded to prep his bike, his kit and himself the same way we all do. I lined up in the front pen, which is a bit like a Jack Russell turning up to a greyhound race, all these kings and queens of long distance fired up and ready to lay it down. I can’t describe how cool being at that start was, top riders, helicopters and the back wheel of Burry, I waited for the inevitable, it came at the 5km and I was left to marvel at the speed of the Pro peleton as they left the rest of us for dust!
You need to understand South African mentality for my next note, the Olympics, oh my God, if Burry had been 37th we’d have been yelling at the TV in excited fury, we support, to the bitter end, we don’t quite admonish sportspeople the way the Brits do, maybe it’s a remnant of our years of exclusion but honestly you see a Saffa giving it everything, you tell everyone to ‘watch, watch, watch COME ON YOU LITTLE BEAUTY!!!!’ Total pride.
The stage podium: Burry Stander, Karl Platt and Johnny Catteneo Photo: Team Bulls
What Burry gave us at the Olympics was beautiful, a terrible start followed by gurning, workmanlike fluidity, taking nothing away from his competitors, they were huge, but it was a total triumph watching the top 5 and having Burry within spitting distance of a medal, oh man, I was a wreck after that. He missed out but he made people wake up, the bar is high down South and riders give everything to train, even when it means they must face these avoidable challenges.
I’m sure I’m not alone in wishing Burry’s family nothing but the best, a fine rider and person no doubt. And to all you guys n girls heading out to SA, take time to admire that beautiful part of the world but please take care, hook up with the locals and take it easy!