Event Name: Trans Karoo 2012 When: 28 April 2012 Where: Eselfontein, Ceres - Sutherland (Northern Cape), Western Cape Category: MTB Event format The Trans Karoo is a single stage endurance mountain bike event. Riders will face the challenge of a 240km trans-karoo journey from Ceres to Sutherland. All in under 20 hours with limited external support. Participants will be required to pass through four specific checkpoints within given times in order to avoid being eliminated from the event. Two of these checkpoints will also serve as service and backup points at which teams may receive assistance from their backup crew and supporters. The remaining two checkpoints will be serviced by event vehicles. Route Description Leaving Eselfontein riders will cross private farms and head up towards Bo-Swaarmoed, including the only significant tar section of the route, where they will reach an elevation of 1 200m before starting their decent towards the first check point at the 38km mark. Heading through the Karoo Poort the road swings towards Sutherland and takes the participants into the heart of the heart of the Karoo. The next two legs of the journey will be fast and flat open roads, crossing the Doringrivier and skirting Fonteinskop, as riders then start to ascend, passing between Gifkop and Tafelkop, before dropping down to the second last checkpoint at the 142km mark. Leaving the checkpoint participants will now be heading north-west and will descend to the lowest elevation of the entire journey before looking east and seeing the mammoth Ouberg Pass. Following the same route as Pioneer Farmers back in the day, participants will ascend the pass up to an elevation of 1 400m and into the Karoo Hoogland where they will be able to see an unparalleled view across the extent of the Ceres Karoo from the Hex River Mountains in the South, all the way to Calvinia and the Cedarberg in the north. Passing through the last checkpoint at the summit of Ouberg Pass riders will tackle the last 49km, through the Roggeveldberg and the highest elevation of the ride at 1700m, before the they descend down into Sutherland and the finish line. Visit our website for all the details: www.transkaroomtb.co.za Go to Event Page
