Gravel racing has grown and matured in recent years, stand alone events and series have gained popularity, and now the time has come for a truly world-class gravel stage race. The Garden Route Giro promises to be that and more. A six-day stage race through the stunning Southern Cape region, featuring ascents of some of [...]
The 2024 Trans Baviaans marks the 20th edition of the country’s favourite single-stage marathon mountain bike event. Over the last two decades the Baviaanskloof has presented challenges as varied as the magnificent nature reserve itself; from sweltering heat to icy cold, torrential flooding to arid droughts. This year’s traverses of the largest wilderness area in [...]
The Lions Karoo to Coast will be a Cycling South Africa sanctioned event for the first time in nearly a decade when it takes place on Sunday, 22 September 2024. This will allow riders with racing licences to take part again and ensures that the local development riders are able to compete, on home turf, [...]
On the 14th of October gravel racers will gather in Prince Albert, at the northern foot of the Swartberg Pass for the grand finale of the inaugural Western Cape Gravel Cup. The second edition of the Prince George Monumental 100 Miler will take them up and over the Swartberg Pass, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, [...]
The call of the bugle heralded one of the success stories of the burgeoning gravel scene in 2022; the Old Hermon Gravel Ride attracted more than 800 riders to the heart of the Swartland for a choice of three distances, ticking the box for gravel and mountain bike riders of all abilities and making the [...]
22-year-old Wayne van der Walt gambled on his gear choice, racing a gravel bike at the 2023 36ONE MTB Challenge. Despite warnings against it and being the only rider in the elite group to be on a drop-bar bike he prevailed. Perhaps in fact because of his bike choice. Though doing so required a significant [...]
The R355 is South Africa’s most famous gravel road. Or most infamous rather. Famed for shredding the tyres of pilgrims on their way to Africa Burn, or those of motorcycle adventurers seeking isolation in the heart of the Tankwa Karoo. For cyclists it holds a special attraction. It is the longest uninterrupted gravel road in [...]
A vast network of gravel roads criss-crosses the Bergrivier Tourism Region and Swartland surrounds. From the economic hub of Piketberg cyclists can explore the mountain bike mecca of Piket-Bo-Berg or grind along district road and jeep tracks to towns like Aurora, Goedverwacht and Redelinghuys. Accommodation option abound too, as do cyclist friendly restaurants, farm stalls [...]
Is there a more Eastern Cape phrase than “Hell’s Teeth”? It also happens to accurately describe the inaugural Maloti 100. It was without a doubt the toughest day I’ve ever spent on a bike. But it was still incredible and I’ll definitely be back in 2020. Truly Unique What makes the Maloti 100 so special [...]
“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” – Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows. Certainly. And who am I to argue with Grahame’s legendary Ratty? But I will present, as a close second, bicycles. To subvert one of the [...]
