Ceres

Spoke to the guy setting it up and he said he will try and do it tonight. I think it will be on the Eselfontein website.

Conrad has marked the whole route so you shouldn't have any problems. You can ride the route anytime it is not just for the race.

No there is no mailing list or facebook page, although I have been advertising this race from the 3 Oct also there were ads put up in bike shops and the Argus and Burger, also Eselfontein does have its own web site. We are having a meeting on Tuesday I will speak to the guys about a facebook page I think that is a good Idea.

I think thats why they scored the Lions players did not want to bind on it.

He is Deon Malherbe and the whole 65 km is all on his farm now that is blessed. My name is also Deon I help with the maintenance of the the route (with the help of 4 other farmers on the road) and built the new downhill after the pipeline. Good to hear some great feedback. Deon Malherbe is even looking at making some new great single track for next year. Congrats to Dominic Calitz who won, on the downhills Deon Malherbe said he was struggling to keep up with him on the motor bike (and Deon can ride a motor bike).

Thanks Bos we have just got positive feed back from everyone who rode the race. I think alot of people will be kicking themselves for not making the trip out to Ceres as the weather was near perfect for the race. As for deadman walking I guess you have to earn that 8 km baboons highway downhill but you would agree it was worth it.

65 km 8h30 35 km 8h50

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Weather is looking better and better for tomorrow. Drive straight through Ceres at the big Crispy Coolers coldstore turn right at the Ezelfontein rd (don't ask me why its not spelt the same as the farm). Just drive straight down that rd it will turn into a gravel rd, through the big gate and just keep going straight and you are there.

I agree with Buchu the forest sections are so fun to do fast and hard as they flow great that people tend to push themselves too hard there. Also you must remember there is little "free km's" on this race there is no place you can just put your head down and go, its alot of switches and nice turns.

Its mostly single track climbing so it is not the easiest, but once you have reached the top its mainly downhill with few little climbs (easy climbs not too steep). The long climbs gradient in places is quite steap and its not just a head down keep the same cadence kind of climb, there are here and there a few little down hills with some tight climbing corners. To put it to you this way you should ride about the same time as your Karoo to Coast time give or take a 10 to 20 minutes longer depending on your technical skills. (thats if you have done KtC). I ride the race pretty much the same time as that race.

Also look at a set of Tokens I still have to see a better price for the weight of those wheels give Francois at Manic Cycles in Worcester a call for a price. I stand corrected but I think my friend paid about R4000 for Carbon hubbed sealed bearings set that weighed about 1460g, I think he also sells non carbon hubbed for around R3500. I DO STAND CORRECTED!!!! Manic Cycles 0824138935 Francois.

I don't really think there is a cut-off. You finished when you back. Also if you are last and you think you can't make it, it is very easy just to turnaround and follow the track back to a water point or back to the farm. Also looks like YR.no is now predicting perfect weather for MTBiking for Saturday. For the 65 km race there will be 7 waterpoints 3 of them are loops that you go past we get businesses from Ceres to sponsor them.

No there is no seeding it is not a PPA event we just felt for the money you have to pay racetec and ppa it was not worth it. I think most people ride Eselfontein because its one of the best races in the Cape and not for a better seeding. I think its a race more for the hardcore MTBiker. Also I think the PPA wanted to tell us when we could have the event and it would have been more in the middle of winter which would have been a bit difficult as some water crossing might have been too flooded. You guys and girls must also know that all profits made from this event is given to the old age home in Ceres. The track maintenance is done by the farmers on the Eselfontein road. We send our workers there as sort of a donation and we also use the track the rest of the year. I think Deon Malherbe really needs to be congratulated for his efforts in keeping this race alive. We also have a great main sponsor in TruCape. Cheers hope to see you guys there Deon Meyer PS. Anybody who did the 65km race last year expect alot new track from about the 30km mark.

Thats a very cool movie Covie. Next time you guys must do the new downhill from past the pipeline that would look epic on a GoPro. That piece you guys climbed which was a bit overgrown was cleared and opened today. Also all the forest sections have been weedeatered and raked. Nobody the race will take place rain or shine, it probably will be a bit nicer with a bit of rain as it can get hot here.

I see the rain is getting less and less on YR so holding thumbs, the good thing is the track does drain well.

I saw that on YR but all the other weather websites are saying sunny, so I don't know who's wrong.

The short 35 km ride is perfect for SS but you really have to be hardcore to do the 65km, deadman walking is steap and the little stretch after the pipeline is close to 20% grade. Great to hear you enjoyed it but its sounds like you missed the best downhill the stretch after the pipeline to the end of Shapiro is epic.

Did you find that single track at the top (after the pipeline) before the gate?

No it is the 19 and 20 of October. The 19 Friday is the night race which normally starts at 8 and then Saturday 20 is the main race. My Avatar is last years poster I will remove it now.

Why would you want the same frame that has cracked before? I would take the new one you never know there might have been a build problem with that year.

My Garmin from last year gave me 1999m.

Hi sorry forgot to put that in, the accent is almost on the dot 1400m

Hi guys just did the whole 65km this morning its a bugger but great. My friend and I got three guys that were staying in the guest house on the farm and we took them down the new downhill after the pipeline. They all said it was the best downhill they have ever been down. Oh yes Stevief it is about 8km downhill single track. Here is the elevation file from my garmin.