This week Fairtree announced their mountain bike sponsorship of current Swedish MTB marathon champion and 2017 Absa Cape Epic winner, Jennie Stenerhag.
“Jennie is a wonderful ambassador for Fairtree. She has overcome tremendous challenges and her tenacity, commitment to excellence and achievement are qualities we embrace in our business,” said Herman Sandrock, head of Distribution.
Jennie Stenerhag. Photo credit: Chris Hitchcock.
“It’s important to have a good sponsor, cycling is a very demanding sport and I am very fortunate to have Fairtree as a partner that believes in me. The more I get to know them the better it feels. It’s a really good fit,” said Stenerhag.
She added she was made to feel extremely welcome, and part of the Fairtree family.
Stenerhag suffered a hamstring injury in the Cape Town Cycle Tour MTB Challenge and recently returned from injury. Her recovery has been slow since it was a big injury that has taken time to heal.
“I have often wished it was a broken bone, that takes six weeks to repair. The muscle had to be re-attached to the bone and the healing process has taken time, rehab and patience,” she added. She competed in her first race after four months, although she felt fine, the injury didn’t improve.
“I had to take another break to fully recover. I will start my proper Epic training and go onto a full load programme for the first time since my accident.”
Stenerhag’s career has been littered with injury but she keeps coming back. “I love riding, I love being at races and pushing myself.
Cycling is such a big part of my life. To be out in nature and physically active, plus I come from a very sporty family,” she said.
She is looking forward to returning to her usual training regime that is an average of 20 hours on the bike per week. “I have done nothing close to this since my accident.”
When at her peak, Stenerhag rides about 50 race days a year, 15 in home country, Sweden and Europe and the remainder in South Africa. She will be wearing the Fairtree strip in the Dryland Attakwas Extreme, the Tankwatrek and the Fairtree Simonsberg Contour Race in the early part of 2019.
