Nine Krugersdorp mountain bike enthusiasts were among the elite 100 cyclists who obtained entry into the inaugural seven-day TransCape MTB stage race that started in Knysna and ended in Franschhoek.
The boutique stage race offered cyclists such as Jan van den Berg, Mike Thomson, Brian Bontekoning, Albert van der Berg, Izak Bezuidenhout, Terrence Steward, Frederic Strous and the father and son duo Charles (snr) and Charles (jnr) Steyn a testing mountain biking adventure through one of the most picturesque parts of the country.
While traversing a gruelling route of nearly 750km, which saw them tackle challenges such as the Rooiberg Pass, a section of the Klein Karoo, the Langeberg Mountains, Garcia Pass, the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve, Bontebok National Park, Riviersonderend mountains, Groenlandberg and Franschhoek Pass, they rode hard by day and were treated like kings at night.
Unlike other stage races where competitors stay in tents the TransCape field could enjoy their creature comforts staying in hotels and guest houses. They had renowned chef, Nic van Wyk preparing their evening meals after a long, hard day in the saddle.
Starting off at Knysna’s Waterfront on 8 February, the Krugersdorp cyclists and the rest of the field headed for George via Simola Hill, the town of Rheenendal, the dramatic Homtini Pass and the famous Seven Passes road before ending the 109km stage one at the NMMU Campus in George.
The pick of the local riders on the first day was Brian. Riding with his team mate Andries Gous of Roodepoort he completed the route in 6:15:39, which saw them finish eighth overall with the other Krugersdorp riders further down the field.
If day one was not a tough enough test then day two, from George to Calitzdorp, separated the men from the boys.
Arguably the toughest stage of the TransCape, day two started off in George, passed through Witfontein towards the Montagu Pass with a 65km fast-flowing route through the Klein Karoo taking participants to probably the biggest challenge of the TransCape, the stunning Gamka Berg.
While the section through the Gamka Berg Nature Reserve was relentless and temperatures topped the 40°C mark along sections of the 147km stage from George, old friends Jan and Mike fared the best, finishing sixth in the men’s team division in 7:38:24.
After these challenging first two days of the race, stage three’s route of 118km from Calitzdorp to Riversdal was easier, although just over 2 000m of climbing, including the stunning Rooiberg Pass. Strong headwinds through a stretch of the Klein Karoo may not have felt easy for many in the field, with a few riders such as Charles (snr) and Izak not finishing the stage.
And while it was a tough race the riders were in agreement that TransCape MTB 2015 had been organised brilliantly, with a spectacular route making it an experience of a lifetime.
With next year’s race following a reverse route – from the Cape Winelands to Knysna – local cyclists who think they have the daring to follow in these nine cyclists’ tracks can visit www.transcapemtb.com from April to get all the entry details for TransCape MTB 2016.
