Event Name: Rhodes Xtreme - SA's Highest MTB Race When: 29 September 2012 - 30 September 2012 Where: Rhodes Village in the Drakensberg Highlands, Eastern Cape Category: MTB Entries are open for Rhodes Xtreme - only 200 spots available! Beware: before you enter for the Rhodes Xtreme ask yourself – do you regard yourself as one of the toughest riders in the sport, a person who revels at the idea of suffering; someone who prescribes to the philosophy that pain is merely weakness leaving the body? If your answer is yes, then read further… The Rhodes Xtreme, presented by ASG and antonapps, is an extreme high-altitude race which takes place in the Rhodes Village in the Drakensberg Highlands - and many say you can’t lay claim to being a true mountain biker until you have completed this arduous two-wheeled journey. The magnificent event takes riders back to the roots of true mountain-biking; man alone against the elements with rough, rugged natural tracks and trails at extreme altitudes. It does not get any tougher, or any more satisfying! And it’s not for the faint hearted. The event takes place on 29 and 30 September 2012, which enables riders who want to stay a while to enjoy the famous Rhodes hospitality to do so. The event falls over the first weekend of national school holidays in every province. The route, surrounded by crystal rivers and magnificent, albeit agonising, mountains, makes for one of the most sublime off-road experiences on offer anywhere in the world. On Saturday, 29 September, a 15km night ride (18:30) is presented which will loosen the legs in anticipation of the next day’s main event – a gruelling 85km journey with a total ascent of 1700 metres, climbing at times at a 30 per cent gradient to a lung clenching 3001 metres above sea level. The organisation of the Rhodes Xtreme is a tough task in tough conditions. To assist the organisers in ensuring rider safety in these very difficult organisational surroundings, entries are limited to only 200 riders. Entries are now open on www.asgevents.co.za and ONLY 200 entries will be accepted. On Sunday, 30 September, participants have the opportunity to ride South Africa’s highest rideable peak, Ben MacDhui (nearTiffendel Ski Resort) which is 3001 metres above sea level, on the boundary between South Africa and Lesotho. Halfway to the top, most riders will start finding it hard to breathe as the “thin air” hits them. That is where they will realise they have to stay calm, maintain a consistent pace and forget about sprinting to the top. Willem Jansen, a former organiser of the event, says the Rhodes Xtreme is one of the ''lucky-packet races" on the local calendar. “There are almost no words to describe the emotions and the sense of achievement when the riders reach the top and start racing down to the finish.” “The weather is always a major factor,” Jansen says. “One never knows what the conditions will be. It could be cold, with snow, rain and wind, or extremely hot. One year a gale-force wind forced the riders to get off their bikes and push for long stages at a time. But the routes for both stages are not overly technical, only tough! Riders will mostly be cycling on dirt roads or jeep track. There are a few technical sections, but nothing serious. The Rhodes Xtreme was first held in 1993. Experienced riders have described it as one of the most adrenalin-filled rides in Africa; a“must do” for any mountain biker. Why is the Rhodes Xtreme a must-do ‘cult ride’? The Rhodes Xtreme is the oldest mountain bike classic in the country. 2012 will see the 20th staging of the event. The Rhodes Xtreme is the highest MTB race in South Africa: summiting at 2678m on the boundary fence with Lesotho and again at 3001m on Tiffindel’s Ben MacDhui, South Africa’s highest rideable peak. Ranked in ‘Best Mountain Bike Rides in South Africa’ as one of the country’s top 20 rides (Struik ISBN 9781868728251) Described in Tim Brink's article 'The Entry List' as one of 11 rides to do before you die, published in Bicycling Magazine. The 2012 racing format: 1. Rhodes opener: Night-ride on Friday 18h30. 15km festival night ride around the village. This is a fun ride only and will not count towards a rider’s overall time in Saturday’s “Grandmother” event. 2. “The Grandmother”: Saturday 06h30. 85km extreme alpine ascents and thrilling downhills Entry fee: R2500 (entries limited to 200 riders) What your entry includes: - Customised special edition Rhodes Xtreme Rudy Project helmet - Rhodes Xtreme Fleece Jacket - Rhodes Xtreme Cycling Shirt - Bike light and saddle bag - Draw string bag stocked with ample energy aides to get your through the journey - Well stocked refreshment points with eats and drinks. - Famous Rhodes hospitality including healthy rider meals, clean spring water and free beers after each event - Membership of the Rhodes MTB Club for 12 months –enabling you to ride the trails and routes on www.wetu.co.za - World-class disaster management support, including a helicopter route escort - The satisfaction of testing your body against the elements like in no other mountain bike event! Medical back-up: Medical back-up is provided by MMC Event Medical Specialists, South Africa’s foremost event disaster management company. Advanced life support specialists and an evacuation chopper will ensure that cyclists are well taken care of in oxygen deprived conditions. We must underline that this event is not faint hearted. About Rhodes Village: Rhodes Village is a secret Victorian village –declared a Conservation Area in 1997 – and reminiscent of a bygone era. Hidden away in the Eastern Cape Highlands on the southern-most tip of Lesotho, Rhodes Village exudes the timeless charm and quiet of yester-year. ‘Off the bike’ activities include snow skiing, fly fishing, hiking, horse riding, trail running, wing shooting, rock climbing, hunting, walking, San rock art cave tours, alpine flora, 4x4 trails, stargazing, buying local ceramics and textiles or simply relaxing with a coffee and absorbing the village atmosphere. Uniquely positioned on the Freedom Trail, the village hosts Freedom Challenge MTB riders refuelling during their mid-winter 2300km 26-day cut-off epic 'Ride Across South Africa' as well as being the final destination of the ‘Ride to Rhodes’, a 550km six-day supported stage race in the southern and south-west Drakensberg. For accommodation options log onto www.rhodesvillage.co.za or call accommodation co-ordinator Jill Steynberg on 045 974 9298 or email fred@linecasters.co.za . It is essential to book your accommodation as soon as you secure your entry as the Village has limited accommodation For more information about the event log onto www.rhodesxtreme.co.za For on-line entries, go to www.asgevents.co.za Race enquiries, email eventsupport@asgworld.co.za or phone 076 621 1807 Go to Event Page
