Julian.Robinet

If you have a Gravel or mountain bike make sure you add some of the easy single track section in the park before going up the valley. This time of the year I would recommend riding up early as it gets quite hot in the day. The valley climb is pretty hard but well worth it. It's a very nice tar road up there but it has a very steep 800m long section in the middle. But you will be rewarded with great views all around. Highly recommended!

I think for south african riders the cost and the fact that the Kevin and his team took "inspiration" from other events that those riders attend and blatantly copied did not resonate too well... Look at local races like Tour of Ara, The Gallows, The Ceder, Road to Desolation, Tanqua Kuru and Stanford 100. And the Night burn last night is a replica of the the Mother Amateur Cycling Club Dust event. - Concept, Routes and aesthetics have been copied and sold to big brands to build a new epic. - Copy paste...

It's impressive to see the speed of the 50+ riders but I think it's important to notice that there are only 15 riders in the 19-34 age cat riding...

THIS! And the hard days are about to come... Three days back to back ok... Stage 6 with that distance after that finish on stage 5 tomorrow... I see there were already another 41 DNS today.

One would hope so otherwise this is a lot of money invested for very little attention and as sponsor who has given millions I would not be happy.

I really hope to be proven wrong. I just haven ridden a lot there... don't think many know what they are in for. The routes are very exposed and the weather on the day can make a massive difference but I really hope everyone has a great event and get's to call himself a real gravel rider after!

Agreed but them making akward posts on their social media points very much towards them being paid by the organizers and not their teams paying for it. Very late in their season for a very strenuous event. I agree with @milky4130 here...

For the elite field, this event seems poised for success, offering high prize money relative to what will likely be a small pool of participants. My only minor critique is that I wish the announcement had highlighted more of the highly competitive local athletes besides Matt as they will do well in the conditions. The timing of the event presents a serious risk of unpleasant and potentially dangerous conditions though. Given the typical wind direction and temperatures for that time of year, the weather will likely be far from ideal for all seven days. Frankly, if a non professional participant isn't 100% fit and trained to ride 4–6 hours on gravel daily , a DNF is practically guaranteed. Would be interesting to know if a time cut exist. Has the organizing crew actually completed a full test of the route? To my knowledge, it has only been ridden in segments of three stages at a time. Sending out participants essentially as guinea pigs is a an interesting choice. I sincerely hope everyone is prepared for the extreme weather that can strike the area in summer. Dealing with an unexpected thunderstorm or 40∘C+ heat is difficult. Just have a look at the forecast for the next couple of days in the area and think we are still 3 weeks out... I would be genuinely surprised if more than 50% of the starters actually finish. Specifically, those final three stages, likely heading straight into a strong headwind, sound brutal and will certainly not be a fun way to end the week.

Thank you. Great event and good fun to ride. Probably the smoothest gravel in SA which makes for a fast race. Did the 130k. Really fun route and the climb is a real one. It’s was only 122k though. I was more in the front of the race and there was no water point around the 85k mark which a few of the riders I was with suffered from. We passed the first one after a good hour of riding where we didn’t stop and the next one was the one where the 80k and 130k routes joined again. But that was as well at only 60km. a good spot for a water point would be around the 92km mark just before you tackle the road section.

Event Name: ROAD TO DESOLATION '24When: 13/07/2024Where: Graaff-Reinet, Eastern CapeCategory: GravelThe ROAD TO DESOLATION is a one day race in the heart of Karoo. Graaff-Reinet. Since you are most probably travelling to join us we are planning a whole weekend Event. Shake out rides, community dinners and sundowners at the top of the valley of desolation are just a few happenings to mention.  The little town of Graaff-Reinet sits neatly on a bend in the Sunday’s River surrounded by the Camdeboo national park and its inhabitants.   After a hugely successful inaugural event in 2023, We are looking forward to our second edition. The route takes you through the karoo heartland which you will share with animals and will most likely only see humans at one of the 4 waterpoints. This event is true south african gravel racing. Ask anyone who was there last year. The Valley of desolation is no joke. It has been built up from the ground with a lot of love to detail and the idea of uplifting a community and creating memories for the competitors at heart.  We ran a great raffle to win a bike frame last year, and we’re working on something just as exciting this year.  join us to find Desolation. Go to Event Page.

Hi! i have put the routes together there is a really fun 66km loop which by no means is easy but is doable without proper training - which I can't say for the long route. here are the STRAVA links to the routes - They are going through the Camdeboo national park and some private land but the farmers are very friendly towards cyclists in the area but feel free to get in touch to get more info. Taste of Desolation https://www.strava.com/routes/2867303519100854680 Road to Desolation https://www.strava.com/routes/3069339774123174186 there is loads more info on the website: https://roadtodesolation.cc/ :)

Event Name: ROAD TO DESOLATIONWhen: 07/10/2023Where: Graaff-Reinet, Eastern CapeCategory: GravelOCTOBER 7TH 2023 GRAVEL RACING IN THE HEART OF THE KAROO Graaff-Reinet, EC, South Africa two routes to choose from ROAD TO DESOLATION - 179km | 2,773m - Gravel bikes only TASTE OF DESOLATION - 66 km | 1,275 m - all bikes excl. E-bikes Heat And Cold In The Land Of Sheep & Goats Rocky columns extend their crooked fingers heavenwards as we stare out over the Valley Of Desolation. A vast eden nestled on the edge of the dry expanse of the Karoo in South Africa. The little town of Graaff-Reinet sits neatly on a bend in The Sunday’s River. Shafts of light spear down and and illuminate puddles dotted across the scrubland while small black dots on green hint towards shapes of wild animals. The skies seem endless, vast and mighty as distant thunderstorms litter the scene.  This forms the backdrop of our race. The Road To Desolation is a gravel race through the semi-desert area of the Karoo in South Africa. No exact definition of what constitutes the Karoo is available, so its extent is also not precisely defined. So too, our Race is slightly ambiguous and its rigours speak to the area itself. With two options available to test your mettle against the environment and other riders, The Road To Desolation is no mean feat. Two unique choices face interested participants, ROAD TO DESOLATION (179km) and A TASTE OF DESOLATION (66km), to choose your course and your approach. The longer version will only be open to drop-bar Gravel Bikes, whereas the shorter version can be raced on anything, as long as it doesn’t have a motor! No matter which you choose, the last 7km’s will be a reminder that you have taken on The Road To Desolation. ROAD TO DESOLATION As its name suggests, this one is going to empty the tank. An onslaught of 178km’s with nearly 2800m of vertical gain. Road to Desolation is a true test of racing in these vast expanses and is a real test of attrition. Restraint is key as the mountain-top finish up to The Valley Of Desolation will decimate anyone who hasn’t left a little in the tank for finale. Distance: 179km Elevation: 2,773m Surface: 85% Gravel 15% Paved Start Time: 5:30AM  Cut Off: 4PM for anyone entering the Climb to the Valley of Desolation Refuel Stops: 41km, 78km, 107km, 154km  TASTE OF DESOLATION At over 1200m of vertical gain in 65km’s suggests, this is no walk in the park, again a climb out of the valley awaits those who those who opt for the ‘easy’ route. With a late start and unique route, this one is going to sting. A high-paced affair from the gun is anticipated and one must make sure not to burn all their matches before the brutal ascent that will decide the victor. Distance: 66 km Elevation: 1,275 m Surface: 53% Gravel 47% Paved Start time: 11 AM  Cut Off: 4PM for anyone entering the Climb to the Valley of Desolation Refuel Stops: One at 36km Visit the website for more information. Entries open June 21st 2023 Go to Event Page.

The Erdgeschoss was found at adderly street, CBD, cycling on the Road yesterday. It was pure luck as we were out on the street handing out flyers to public safety officer, when the bike came past us and we chased him down the road. The new „owner“ claimed to have brought it of a tall skinny coloured guy with a pointy nose. He stated that he bought the bike close to the flower market by the cash crusaders there. A lady running one of the flower shops came forward and stated that she saw the original seller of the bike selling other bikes before (but couldn’t recall the red YT). The guy who bought the bike stated that those kind of stolen bikes mostly get sold of at the taxi rank at the main station or by the flowers on the street. So everyone keep your eyes open. There have been a lot of bikes stolen recently. We are excited to carry on with the project and I’m still looking for my personal YT. a Great Sunday everyone.

Hello everyone, we started an initiative together with Standert to share bikes within the community of cyclists in South Africa. This bike isn’t owned by us and we have been given it on a loan basis to manage and share it amongst people that might not have the means to purchase a(nother) bike to leave the tarred roads. It got returned from the one guy that had been using it last night and was supposed to go out to the next guy this morning. Unfortunately it got stolen this night out of our storage in sea point (it was loud shedding and we assume that the thieves made use of that to get into the secure compound and broke two pad locks and into neighboring garages as well) My personal Mountainbike got stolen as well. Both bikes are rather recognizable. The Standert Erdgeschoss though is only one of two bikes in the country. We are offering a reward of R3000 for any Leads that help finding the bikes. thanks a lot for considering Julian (community connect)