Monumental new MTB challenge awaits

MOUNTAIN BIKE NEWS - The exciting new 100-mile MTB and gravel bike challenge, the Prince George, takes place on Saturday 15 October.

The challenge is hosted by Dryland Event Management and race director Henco Rademeyer is very excited about the prospect.

"With the Karoo as our backyard, a 100-mile race to the Indian Ocean was always imminent. South Africans have an appetite for endurance events, more so when such an event crosses two major mountain ranges, takes you from the arid desert-like landscape of the Great Karoo and drops you in the heart of the breathtaking Garden Route coast," he says.

"The idea originated from a friend. For years he insisted that we have to do it, and here we are."

Prince George will be the most diverse one-day race riders can experience in terms of its change of route geography over 165km.

It is a monumental race starting in the picturesque town of Prince Albert in the Great Karoo, over two mountain ranges - which are also national monuments, through the Klein Karoo, with an oasis-like finish at the coastal town of George on the Garden Route.

The route starts off with a 20km climb from the dark, more challenging side on the northern slopes of the Swartberg Mountain Range.

With never-ending views over the Great Karoo plains, riders will reach close to 1 700m above sea level, before a welcome descent takes them towards their first water point on the southern slopes.

Riders will toughen it out through the hardy Klein Karoo, passing iconic names and tourism destinations such as Wildehondekloof, Grundheim, Highgate Ostrich Farm and the sleepy town of Herold.

Approaching the Outeniqua Mountains, another national monument awaits as riders tackle the spectacular Montague Pass. They will fly their way down a steep descent through contouring pathways and majestic forest plantations, concluding the perfect biking expedition to the finish line at Blanco Primary School in George.

The vast landscapes and diverse overload of these non-technical routes form the perfect race for mountain- and gravel bike enthusiasts alike. With ample opportunity to appreciate the unique surroundings, riders might easily forget about those weary legs.

The race starts at 07:00 at the Mont d'Or Swartberg Hotel in Prince Albert, and ends at Blanco Primary School in George. Cut-off time is 20:00 (a total of 13 hours).