The annual Stellenbosch Mountain Bike Challenge welcomes Die Burger on-board as a principal sponsor this year. The Die Burger MTB Challenge will take place on Saturday 1 August and start and finish at the Markötter Fields (Paul Roos Gymnasium) in Stellenbosch.
The challenge, renowned as a favourite competitive and picturesque route by the mountain biking fraternity, will again coincide with the Stellenbosch Wine Festival, which means this Boland town will be a hive of activity offering something for participants and spectators alike.
The Routes
Meurant Botha of Dirtopia, who has been designing and maintaining trails for more than nine years, says that riders should expect “some surprises” along the way. “The route passes through 21 wine farms and is considered one of the best and most beautiful in the country. “
In the spirit of welcoming all riders – from novices to champion cyclists – the event boasts four scenic routes, each with its own unique challenges to test every level of mountain biking expertise.
The 60km route will traverse several local mountains and is not for the faint hearted! After a start through the back of Stellenbosch, the first climb will quickly sort out the field before the first single-track sections. Riders must contend with 2 major ascents, that of Botmaskop, as well as the climb from Rustenberg up the lower Simonsberg mountain to reach Delheim Estate, where technical descents and lots of single-track trails await. After the mountain sections the riders can expect fast, flat riding for the next 20km before a final ascent around the hills of Papegaaiberg and a rather innovative, traffic-free entrance into Stellenbosch to complete the course. While the winner is expected to conquer the route in around three hours, the average participant will take between four and five hours to complete the race.
The 42km is a tough challenge and not for beginners. The route mirrors the 60km route up until Delheim Estate where a 'short-cut' takes riders back to the R301 to meet up with the 60km where they continue together into Stellenbosch.
The 30km ride follows a relatively flat route towards Spier Estate and is perfect for those who feel that the 15km will be too short, and don't feel like tackling the climbs of the 42km. Introduced in 2008, this option is going to be the most popular route this year and numbers will have to be restricted.
The 15km have proven itself as perfect for novices and follows a shortened version of the 30km route with identical start and finish sections.
Entries
Entries for Die Burger MTB Challenge are open and will close on the 17th July. Early Birds who enter before the 30th of June stand a chance to win a two-night stay in the luxurious and historic d’ouwe Werf Hotel situated in the heart of Stellenbosch. For more information, visit www.mtbchallenge.co.za.
Queries
Entry queries: 021 685 6551 or info@cycletour.co.za
Route queries: 021 884 4752 or theteam@dirtopia.co.za