After Venterskroon it is only the Groot Kloof climb that is the stoney/mountainous corser gravel. At the top we turn along the river, away from the mountains, away from the crater. In the past we returned towards Parys on the Free State side, back into the corser gravel. Beside the 20km tar road that follows, there is a 88km loop along the banks of the river with very smooth gravel (flatland). These roads are also very rural with no corrugations to speak of). We go past Skandenawiedrift towards Kromdraai Drift where we will cross over to the Free State side and return all along the river with similar gravel. I predict an average speed of 37-38km/hour.... for the racers. The rain damage is a little less of a problem than some corrugations on that 10km stretch past Venterskroon that riders will do twice to return. But the road is wide and there is always a smoother part
