ASG

Hi everyone ASG is providing the Kremetart with an on-line entry solution at cost and we’ll be marketing the event free of charge on our channels. We will also assist in whichever other capacity we feel we can add value, in particular with some of our service providers which might help in reducing costs. ASG does not own the event. We’re not surprised that the event cannot carry on with an entry fee of R550. An entry fee of R550 for 4 stages of racing with all meals included is way off – nobody caters for less than R100 per person per meal these days (at the very least, with the exception perhaps of the pancake stop), so just the meal cost already places the event in a precarious financial position. If you add other presentation costs of probably just on R500 000 the picture doesn’t look good. Even with a reasonable sponsorship amount and based on 800 riders, an entry fee of R550 will leave the event struggling to make budget. Entry fees include Vat – 14% - on-line entry and bank charges – anywhere between 10% and 17% - and CSA rider levies - R6 per stage. This effectively brings it down to around R350-R400 depending on whether you’re Vat registered. Without sponsors events won’t take place because they simply cost too much to present. In this regard the Kremetart is in a difficult position because the race is in a remote area that isn’t densely populated, so it’s difficult to show value to a sponsor. We don’t want to see the Kremetart fall away after 27 years, but if the current economic situation coupled with an increase in race presentation costs lead to entry fees increasing above levels of affordability - there isn’t much anyone can do and the event will stop. Come on guys, those of you that have ridden the Kremetart know what an absolutely stunning job they do with the event, and what a lekker kuier it is in the beautiful town (especially the Potjie evening). At R950 I believe you get good value. It really is one-of-a-kind special event.

Hi guys Apologies for this. Louis’ bakkie got a flat tyre up Hekpoort on his way to replenish the waterpoint. As I got to the waterpoint there was 25 litres of water left and I stuck around until Louis arrived, which constituted a window of ten minutes during which the waterpoint was only serving Coke. All riders before and after this window were hydrated and had the option of Coke, water and PowerAde.

Event Name: Tour Of Good Hope 2017 When: 6 March 2017 - 10 March 2017 Where: La Paris, Western Cape Category: Road Entries for the 2017 Bestmed Tour of Good Hope, presented by Scicon, are now open. The Tour will take place from 6-10 March 2017 in the lead-up to the Cape Town Cycle Tour and cover 5 stages of racing for a total distance of 522km and 6168 vertical ascent. For entries, route and venue info visit the event website. The Tour format, venues and stages will remain the same for next year, with the exception that the three stages that toured through the centre of Paarl this year will follow their original routing on the ring roads around Paarl with all road works on these sections having been completed by then. Franschhoek Pass, Du Toit’s Kloof Pass and Bainskloof Pass present themselves again on the two queen stages of the tour (stage 3 and 4) while the iconic finish on the final stage remains on the slopes of the Paarl Mountain at the Taalmonument. All entries will be allocated on a first come first paid basis and close as soon as we reach the rider total of 500. To eliminate the timing and registration challenges for next year we are putting a few measures in place. We are using RaceTec timing and their timing technicians as time keepers at the event and not implementing time bonuses at hotspot sprints and stage finishes. This will makeRaceTec the sole judge of times and eliminate the need to use the CSA StageRace program. CSA will manage line judging for positions at sprint primes, King of the Mountain primes and at the finish line, but riders times in the tour won’t be dependent on this. We are creating and driving a strong awareness campaign about CSA licensing and which licenses are applicable to which category. We will also make riders aware that they have to produce their affiliation license of their applicable country at registration. This will avoid cues created by CSA checking licenses and selling day licenses. The registration process will further be aided by the fact that the great majority of riders have RaceTec chips and they don’t have to be linked at registration. RaceTec will have chips on sale at registration for those riders who don’t have chips. Then, we have received many phone calls and emails about the new 03h15 qualifying criteria (participants having to complete a 100km road event in under 3 hours 15 minutes). The 03h15 qualifying was brought in mainly to try and limit the total time period of intersection control that we need to enforce daily. This year, on some days, traffic police and our marshals were on duty until 16h00. Traffic Police said they won’t be able to assist again next year in the same fashion and we need to ensure that their pointsmen aren’t put in the same position having to be on their feet (on some days in 38 degree heat) for 7 hours. Secondary to this, the qualifying measure was also put in place to ensure riders do the required training to meet the demands of the tour. It’s a very tough event and a rider can really damage him/herself if they come into the tour without the proper training. However, to try and be lenient and accommodate as many of the participants as possible, we are relaxing the qualifying criteria to 03h30, in particular to cater for women but it will also be applicable to men. Some more good news is that we will consider times in all events from 94km and up. If you have achieved this qualifying time in an ASG event, you can simply email us with the event in which you rode the time and we will check it in our back-office. If you rode this time in an outside event, riders have to email us their time and we will check it with the relevant time keeping company. These emails can be sent towynand@asgworld.co.za. To cater for our mountain-bikers who would like to give the tour a go, we will also allow official finishers in South Africa’s top MTB stage races – Absa Cape Epic, Sani2C, Old Mutual Joberg2C, FNB Wines2Whales and the Liberty Encounters. If you have finished a similar event either locally or abroad you can send us the details thereof and we will consider. Logistically on the road we will bulk up all the waterpoints on the route as well as at the finish line. We are on the verge of concluding a blanket waterpoint sponsorship deal for all our events with a well-known South African company and this will include the Tour of Good Hope. The strong elements in the tour will all remain and we will continue to be vigilant and try and better on these elements – intersection control, on-route neutral service, sweeps, leads, road ranger assistance, venue, parking, ablutions, catering and goody bag items. Besides receiving a Columbia event jacket, all riders in the 2017 will also receive a Scicon Rain Bag valued at R1800. The entry also includes 5 meals and various other race pack items. An essential part of any cyclist's luggage is their race rain bag. The Scicon race rain bag has several compartments to it which are all labelled and contain the important pieces of clothing a rider needs in the wet. The difference to other cycling kit bags is this one has a compartment for every item you would need. This race rain bag has space for your shoes and covers, warmers (arm and leg), gloves, helmet, jersey, jacket. Look like a pro as you pull your rain jacket out of this bag while your buddies are fumbling with their old rucksacks. Go to Event Page

Hi guys, RRP is R56 000 with Shimano 105 and Fulcrum Racing 7 wheels and we are getting these bikes in the 1st week of December. ASG

Being dead serious - 'opt out option' is the answer I think...already discussed it with the developers to spec...seriously did not mean to offend you

Opt out option sounds like a workable solution!! Thanks - great idea...We can call it 'Shaper's Opt Out option' ????

Do you want a job ????????. Will provide the feedback to the powers that be!! Enjoy the race!

That's not nice ... soooo many people have asked for more good deals at point of entry ... now its there you are not happy. Is it really that bad? Seriously, any ideas on how to handle it better?

Please note that all the results for the Barden 24HR race will be up on the ASG Events website by the end of today. ASG

Hi kingalton That is correct, late entries will be possible on raceday, however, they are limited, and you will then not receive a t-shirt and buff. ASG

Remember that entries close tomorrow at 12!! ASG

Hi Mikesa9. We sent you a PM. ASG

Hi brentcgp We sent you a PM. For a good guide, see attached: ASG

For all those interested in the more technical information and scope, here's a link to Pinarello's released F8 Whitepaper. http://www.asgsport....8_ENG_OK_LR.pdf

Well done Andrew - we're proud of you!!

Event Name: Sondela MTB Classic When: 28 June 2014 - 29 June 2014 Where: Sondela, Limpopo Category: MTB The Bushveld & big MTB bash is back! The Bestmed Sondela Mountain Bike Classic hosted 1400 riders last year and this year & event again sees an array of mountain bike and other activities planned for the weekend of 28 and 29 June 2014. Distances on offer this year are 60km (which, for the first time goes outside the Sondela border onto neighbouring farms), 40km, 20km and a kiddies ride. The 20km, 40km and kids ride take place on Saturday 28 June and the 60km ride takes place on its own on Sunday, 29 June, affording long distance entrants a user friendly experience without slower riders to contend with on the route. Entries for all the rides on the weekend will close one week prior to the event to enable the organisers to properly seed riders according to the SASeeding system. Riders will still be able to enter at the registration venues, but no entries will be accepted on the morning of any event. Riders who enter at registration venues will pay a R50 late entry penalty fee and wont be seeded Sondela operations manager Ranger Mel "Meyer, has created an absolutely stunning mountain bike course at the well-known nature reserve north of Pretoria. This year sees the third running of the popular event. Situated only 45 minutes north of Pretoria on the N1 Highway, Sondela Nature Reserve has been a popular bushveld getaway for many years running on a high occupancy rate - and the mountain bike fraternity is privileged that the resort still makes itself available for a mass participation mountain bike event, which is now a major winter stop-over on the local cycling calendar. The total ascent on the 60km ride is 266m while the 40km presents 186m of climbing. The 20km ride has a total gain of 100m. It all adds up to fast riding and routes that are suited to all abilities. Its exhilarating on the almost endless flowing single track sections on which you can wiz along at a comfortable pace. It really is an experience to behold and the perfect winter ride to keep the legs going. Sondela boasts stunning facilities, ample parking and wonderful entertainment along with a huge race village which sells eats and drinks throughout the day. The event start and finishes on the polo field adjacent to the Sondela caravan park, which has been bolstered with almost 40 new stands with their own private ablution facilities. Riders will be able to use the neat ablution facilities when they attend the event. Numerous vendors will sell all sorts of eats and drinks and a beer garden with live music will provide the necessary post-race hydration for riders after their trip amongst the wonderful bushveld surroundings. Riders will spot various game species, including Warthog, Impala, Zebra, Wildebeest, Nyala and Eland and they'll be hydrated by vibrant staff at the sponsored waterpoints on the route. The Classic on Sunday will start at 9:00, which will not only give the day time to warm up before riders set off, but it also affords riders the opportunity to drive to the venue on the N1 highway from Johannesburg or Pretoria on the morning of the event. Sondela have reserved the entire lush caravan park for mountain bikers who would like to sleep over for the weekend. Because of the high occupancy rate at Sondela, chalet accommodation is open to the general public over the race weekend, which means mountain bikers who would like to book in these luxury self-catering units have to get cracking as soon as possible. After the much publicised veld fire which ravaged through Sondela last year, the rebuilding of the chalets are complete, which means there is ample accommodation for riders, provided you book your spot early. Ranger Mel, a self-confessed mountain-bike addict, set out to create a riding culture at Sondela seven years ago. In the process he has cut more than 80km of mountain bike tracks on the splendid 4700 hectare farm. He is an absolute perfectionist and it shows in the trails, which have been handcrafted to offer the best possible - quick and flowing experience on a mountain bike. While the Sundays event is geared towards those individuals with a racing attitude, Saturday, 28 June offers two distance options for the family and the not-so-serious wheel wobblers. Saturday will feature a kiddie’s race for 3-5 year olds on a specially built trail with ramps and cool berms while 6-8 year-olds can try their hand at the 5km circular smooth single track MTB course. The kids will be accompanied by skilled riders who will be spread on the course. There are a few interesting prizes up for grabs in the kids event. Typically a youngster, who crosses the finish line in tears, will receive the award for the toughest rider on the day. And a special surprise awaits the child who finishes last and the youngest competitor. The 20km and 40km rides on Saturday afford Sunday's serious racers the opportunity to do a twirl with their loved ones among the beautiful Sondela surroundings. There is a special deal offered to riders who would like to enter events on both days. Of course all accompanied by great entertainment and famous Sondela hospitality. The resort boasts a heated pool and many scheduled activities for kids, which include kleilat-throwing, quad bike rides, tug of war and excursions to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and farmyard. Kids who get up early enough can even help milk the cows! Proceeds from the Classic will go to the Sondela Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Medals to all finishers and big lucky draw prizes are on offer at the prize giving, sponsored by RCI, Sondela and ASG. The resort has won numerous awards for excellence and the mountain bike classic reflects this same culture of excellence. For bookings at Sondela on 014 736 8900 or email info@sondela.com. Further info on Sondela and directions www.sondela.com Sondela MTB Classic; All the Facts: Date: 28 and 29 June 2014 Times: Saturday - 40km: 8:00; 20km: 11:00; Kiddies rides 13:00. Sunday: 60km: 9:00. Distances: 60km, 40km 20km, kiddies rides (500 metres for 3-5 year-olds and 5km for 6-8 year-olds) Entry fees: 60km: R190 40km: R170 20km: R130 Kiddies rides: R50 Combined entries: 20km and 60km: R280 40km and 60km: R320 Pre-entries close: 22 June 2014 Timed by: Spectrum Sport Programme: Saturday 28 June: 8:00 - 40km start 11:00 - 20km start 13:00: Kiddies 3-5 year-olds 13:20: Kiddies Ride 6-8 year-olds 14:00: Prize Giving Sunday 30 June: 9:00: 60km start 13:00: Prize Giving Registration: Solomons Cycles, Gift Acres Shopping Centre, Lynwood Road Pretoria East: Thursday 26 June 10:00 - 16:00 Sondela Caravan Park Pub: Friday 27 June 14:00 - 18:00 Sondela Caravan Park Pub: Saturday 28 June 7:00 - 12:00 For further info on Sondela and directions go to www.sondela.com For race enquiries email eventsupport@asgworld.co.za or phone 076 621 1807 Go to Event Page

Event Name: Sondela MTB Classic When: 28 June 2014 - 29 June 2014 Where: Sondela, Limpopo Category: MTB The Bushveld’s big MTB bash is back! The Bestmed Sondela Mountain Bike Classic hosted 1400 riders last year and this year’s event again sees an array of mountain bike and other activities planned for the weekend of 28 and 29 June 2014. Distances on offer this year are 60km (which, for the first time goes outside the Sondela border onto neighbouring farms), 40km, 20km and a kiddie’s ride. The 20km, 40km and kid’s ride take place on Saturday 28 June and the 60km ride takes place on its own on Sunday, 29 June, affording long distance entrants a user friendly experience without slower riders to contend with on the route. Entries for all the rides on the weekend will close one week prior to the event to enable the organisers to properly seed riders according to the SASeeding system. Riders will still be able to enter at the registration venues, but no entries will be accepted on the morning of any event. Riders who enter at registration venues will pay a R50 late entry penalty fee and won’t be seeded Sondela operations manager, “Ranger Mel” Meyer, has created an absolutely stunning mountain bike course at the well-known nature reserve north of Pretoria. This year sees the third running of the popular event. Situated only 45 minutes north of Pretoria on the N1 Highway, Sondela Nature Reserve has been a popular bushveld getaway for many years – running on a high occupancy rate - and the mountain bike fraternity is privileged that the resort still makes itself available for a mass participation mountain bike event, which is now a major winter stop-over on the local cycling calendar. The total ascent on the 60km ride is 266m while the 40km presents 186m of climbing. The 20km ride has a total gain of 100m. It all adds up to fast riding and routes that are suited to all abilities. It’s exhilarating on the almost endless flowing single track sections on which you can wiz along at a comfortable pace. It really is an experience to behold and the perfect winter ride to keep the legs going. Sondela boasts stunning facilities, ample parking and wonderful entertainment along with a huge race village which sells eats and drinks throughout the day. The event start and finishes on the polo field adjacent to the Sondela caravan park, which has been bolstered with almost 40 new stands with their own private ablution facilities. Riders will be able to use the neat ablution facilities when they attend the event. Numerous vendors will sell all sorts of eats and drinks and a beer garden with live music will provide the necessary post-race hydration for riders after their trip amongst the wonderful bushveld surroundings. Riders will spot various game species, including Warthog, Impala, Zebra, Wildebeest, Nyala and Eland and they’ll be hydrated by vibrant staff at the sponsored waterpoints on the route. The Classic on Sunday will start at 9:00, which will not only give the day time to warm up before riders set off, but it also affords riders the opportunity to drive to the venue on the N1 highway from Johannesburg or Pretoria on the morning of the event. Sondela have reserved the entire lush caravan park for mountain bikers who would like to sleep over for the weekend. Because of the high occupancy rate at Sondela, chalet accommodation is open to the general public over the race weekend, which means mountain bikers who’d like to book in these luxury self-catering units have to get cracking as soon as possible. After the much publicised veld fire which ravaged through Sondela last year, the rebuilding of the chalets are complete, which means there is ample accommodation for riders, provided you book your spot early. Ranger Mel, a self-confessed mountain-bike addict, set out to create a riding culture at Sondela seven years ago. In the process he has cut more than 80km of mountain bike tracks on the splendid 4700 hectare farm. He is an absolute perfectionist and it shows in the trails, which have been handcrafted to offer the best possible - quick and flowing – experience on a mountain bike. While the Sunday’s event is geared towards those individuals with a racing attitude, Saturday, 28 June offers two distance options for the family and the not-so-serious wheel wobblers. Saturday will feature a kiddie’s race for 3-5 year olds on a specially built “trail” with ramps and cool berms while 6-8 year-olds can try their hand at the 5km circular smooth single track MTB course. The kids will be accompanied by skilled riders who will be spread on the course. There are a few interesting prizes up for grabs in the kids event. Typically a youngster, who crosses the finish line in tears, will receive the award for the toughest rider on the day. And a special surprise awaits the child who finishes last and the youngest competitor. The 20km and 40km rides on Saturday afford Sunday’s serious racers the opportunity to do a twirl with their loved ones among the beautiful Sondela surroundings. There is a special deal offered to riders who would like to enter events on both days. Of course; it’s all accompanied by great entertainment and famous Sondela hospitality. The resort boasts a heated pool and many scheduled activities for kids, which include “kleilat”-throwing, quad bike rides, tug of war and excursions to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and farmyard. Kids who get up early enough can even help milk the cows! Proceeds from the Classic will go to the Sondela Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Medals to all finishers and big lucky draw prizes are on offer at the prize giving, sponsored by RCI, Sondela and ASG. The resort has won numerous awards for excellence and the mountain bike classic reflects this same culture of excellence. For bookings at Sondela on 014 736 8900 or email info@sondela.com. Further info on Sondela and directions www.sondela.com Sondela MTB Classic – All the Facts: Date: 28 and 29 June 2014 Times: Saturday - 40km: 8:00; 20km: 11:00; Kiddies rides 13:00. Sunday: 60km: 9:00. Distances: 60km, 40km 20km, kiddie’s rides (500 metres for 3-5 year-olds and 5km for 6-8 year-olds) Entry fees: 60km: R190 40km: R170 20km: R130 Kiddies rides: R50 Combined entries: 20km and 60km: R280 40km and 60km: R320 Pre-entries close: 22 June 2014 Timed by: Spectrum Sport Programme: Saturday 28 June: 8:00 - 40km start 11:00 – 20km start 13:00: Kiddies 3-5 year-olds 13:20: Kiddies Ride 6-8 year-olds 14:00: Prize Giving Sunday 30 June: 9:00: 60km start 13:00: Prize Giving Registration: Solomons Cycles, Gift Acres Shopping Centre, Lynwood Road Pretoria East: Thursday 26 June 10:00 – 16:00 Sondela Caravan Park Pub: Friday 27 June 14:00 – 18:00 Sondela Caravan Park Pub: Saturday 28 June 7:00 – 12:00 For further info on Sondela and directions go to www.sondela.com For race enquiries email eventsupport@asgworld.co.za or phone 076 621 1807 FOLLOW THE RACE ON FACEBOOK at facebook.com/sondelamtbclassic <br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /> Go to Event Page

LATE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE RACE! Important Announcement!: ASG Events has decided to expand its Night Rider Series by introducing a Night Runner trail run at the same event, which will now be known as The ASG Night Series! The Trail Run will be staged over the first half of the traditional Night Rider route, making it 8km in length. These events will be hosted at the picturesque Rosemary Hill farmland just 10 minutes from Pretoria East - the home of the Night Rider Series. The Night Series is the highlight of the Rosemary Hill event calendar, creating a safe, family friendly environment. Bon fires, kiddies activities and entertainment can be enjoyed by all, whilst waiting for friends and family to return from their ride or run. The race will pass through rosemary fields, past dams, across streams and through indigenous vegetation, not to mention some wicked single track and interesting man-made obstacles for the more daring rider. Our ASG Night Series caters for family and friends as well, with lots of entertainment for kiddies and safe play areas. Back at the ‘basecamp’, guests can enjoy good food and drinks whilst relaxing around the massive bonfire. Please take note that all kids under the age of 10, must be accompanied by an adult for the Kids Race. Limited line entries will be accepted at the event. Registration: Venue: Rosemary Hill Date: 03 July 2014 Time: 4-6pm (Riders and runners to collect their race numbers at the venue during registration times) We will be limiting the event to 200 participants SO… DO NOT MISS OUT… Log on to www.asgevents.co.za today to enter and avoid disappointment Follow us Facebook ( ASG Events) and Twitter ( @ASG_Events) to receive your weekly entry and race details reminder!

Hi Guys, thanks for the feedback and everyone that participated. We are working on a new 'late entry' solution that will allow seeding...some minor technical issues to overcome but we'll get there. As far as the 'rude' response to a cyclist at registration goes we'll make sure all staff/volunteers are properly debriefed and try to avoid this in future. Our sincere apologies to anyone who felt they did not get friendly and professional service at registration.

Subsequent to the fake Pinarello Carte Blanche broadcast as well as numerous mails received by concerned owners about the authenticity of their Pinarello bikes we felt it necessary to just make the following statement: ASG has been actively pursuing (through legal and commercial channels) ways to curb the importation of fake Pinarello frames for more than 2 years and will continue to do this. Instituting legal action against offenders will most certainly form part of this. Pinarello in Italy (for obvious reasons) has been raging an all-out war against this growing problem as well – with some success to date. Being a party to a transaction dealing with fake or counterfeit goods (branded, unbranded and/or differently branded copies) is illegal no matter how hard the perpetrators try to justify it. Without exception (and again, despite arguments to the contrary) we have found the quality of carbon used to be far inferior to the carbon used by Pinarello under license from Torrayca. Interestingly we have had several cases (in working closely with insurance companies) where individuals tried to claim for an authentic Pinarello replacement where they had a fake frame that broke. This obviously raises serious safety concerns as well as the possible rejection or limitation of claims from insurance companies. ASG is the only authorised importer of Pinarello bikes in Africa and all Pinarello bikes are only sold through authorised dealers in South Africa – a list of those are available on our website and are also listed below. If in doubt please contact Winston Clark at the ASG office on (012) 871 4130/1/2/3 or email him Winston@asgworld.co.za Anyone that is concerned that they may have bought a fake Pinarello can email the serial number (on the bottom bracket) to Winston@asgworld.co.za to verify. For a limited period, ASG and our dealers will try to assist people that have been caught out by these operators to replace their bikes for the real article – we have already supported many of the parties that came forward as a result of the CB broadcast. Again, feel free to contact Winston Clark or any of our authorised dealers to discuss the options open to you. We urge anyone out there to provide us with information on parties either importing or dealing with counterfeit/fake Pinarello bikes – we will obviously keep the identities of parties providing this information completely confidential. LIST OF AUTHORISED DEALERS:

In the light of the recent Carte Blanche report, ASG and Pinarello S.P.A denounce the practice of selling fake Pinarello bicycles. If you would like to confirm that your Pinarello is indeed authentic, contact winston@asgworld.co.za and supply us with the serial no (located under the bottom bracket) of your bike for verification with Pinarello in Italy. We are continuously working towards identifying the suppliers of fake Pinarello bicycles. We would like to remind parties participating in this illegal practice that it is a criminal offence and that we will not hesitate to pursue legal action against such parties. Regards ASG Team

Guys, thank you for participating in our competition! As a token of our appreciation and to celebrate Argus...we are offering 25% discount on SIDI Online today ONLY! Here's how to redeem your voucher: 1) Visit our website: www.sidionline.co.za 2) Select shoe type, colour & size 3) Upon checkout, enter promo code: Argus Happy shopping!

Congratulations Andrew Escott-Watson!! You are the winner in our SIDI Online “subscribe and win” competition and are now the proud owner of a pair of SIDI Sierra MTB shoes worth R1310!

Just a reminder guys...the competition ends soon! Winner will be announced tomorrow so get those entries in!