The friendliest race on the MTB calendar

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Thursday, 26 August 2010 19:08

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Tour de Ghaap – the friendliest race on the MTB calendar

by Ryan Hodierne

The weekend of 21 - 22 August saw the sixth edition of the Tour de Ghaap stage race. Being my first event in the region and not knowing what to expect, I was far more than pleasantly surprised. Race rule #1: “watch out for the kudu!!”

On our arrival in Lyfontein the evening prior to race day one, all mountain bikers are greeted as if long lost friends and everyone is invited to tuck in to a big pot of scrumptious potjie kos with a side plate of pot brood and grape jam – a combination that South African food lover’s often dream about. I proceeded to eat way more than was necessary but comforted my bout of gluttony with the thought of the following one hundred odd kilometers of racing over the next two days, I needed the energy!

After a short bus ride to Ulco and the start of a 68km day one, we were introduced to family and friends as we lined up for the start line with all shapes and sizes present. In my history as a mountain biker, I have never seen so many riders in takkies on the start line of a 60km + race. This made it evident that everyone including farmers, their wives and children were there for a fun day out.

The route was a combination of flowing dirt road (minimum corrugations), with some rocky jeep track intertwined with twists and turns of single track on animal paths with lots of thorn bushes to dodge. The game viewing was great as we lost count of the number of antelope species seen. Day two was a 40km loop that included more technical riding over dried river beds and through the rocky kloofs of the Baviaanskrantz, with one light portage about 10km from the finish with a few more thorn bushes here, there and…!

The refreshment tables were sent from heaven as they included everything from water to beer, chocolates and boerewors rolls, in other words everything needed to keep a weary cyclist content and willing to carry on. I didn’t think it could get better than Sani2C, the Tour de Ghaap proved me wrong.

On the final day, corporate teams and individual winners received their prizes and trophies after which every participant received their own finisher’s medal, race cap, race t-shirt and best of all a parcel of droewors and biltong. It became clearly evident that no “bokkie” was spared with the amount of biltong that was awarded as prizes. I suppose that was what happened to the kudu, it was probably the only antelope species we didn’t see and kept watching out for?

The Berg Farmer’s Union and the families involved were truly the most organized, hospitable and generous people I have come across. Many thanks to everyone, cyclists included, that made the Tour de Ghaap such a memorable 3 days. I will starve myself of biltong till next year…