Sabie Experience 2012

[AfterDark]

I have read on the newsletter from www.gocyclingsa.co.za that the 'Experience' is now a seriously dumbed down version or in my view actually no more.

You can't seriously be calling it the Experience any more with the news that: the traditional Experience is still over four days with a Prologue of 30km and three subsequent stages of 40km each.

 

Have these distances been confirmed?

 

I have done three so far and planned to do my fourth this year. But the race defnt wont see me if all the Experience is destined to become just a souped up Lite version. I wonder if the organisers have you sold out the Experience in the name of more entries?

 

What ever the reason - the experience is traditionally a race that tested your mettle a bit. With these planned distances it seems to be just another joyride in the woods.

 

If this is the case I sadly will have to look around for true 'experiences' then because this race will no longer be on my end of year calendar.

[DawieO]

That would be very surprising. Also, it is a bit early. Normally routes etc only start being discussed around mid-year.

[AfterDark]

Montainbiker.co.za ran with the following update regarding Sabie Exp 2012.

 

Revamped Sabie Experience Format for 2012

The Sabie Experience returns in a revamped format for this year, from 14th -17th December 2012.

The traditional Experience is still over four days with a Prologue of 30km and three subsequent stages of (was 40km each - changed due to popular demand) 50km, 60km and 55km.

 

Good to have the 'experience' back.

[=Bones=]

I was under the impression that there were 2 races. The Sabie Experience (50, 60, 50km) and a Sabie Lite (30-40km each) ??

Was rather looking forward to doing a lite one as an intro to stage racing at the end of the year. Short days but still get the experience of stage racing.

[Sharkie 2]

One so one of the original stage races has totally lost its appeal

[=Bones=]

One so one of the original stage races has totally lost its appeal

??? Maybe Im just slow after the long weekend ??

[Li Mu Bai]

if its rainy and muddy you will get all the 'experience' you need

[Nettie R]

I have the pamphlet at home. Xperience is as 'AfterDark' said, and the Lite is now only 2 days: prologue of 30km and a 40km or something.

[IdeJongh]

Yeah its tricky, will be my 3rd and even distances of 50-60 seem like a bit of a waste, Sabie used to be quite a tester (like the classic was this year) BUT then again the missus wants to do a stage race with me and the two day lite is not on, so the slightly more 'managable' distances for the experience might get her comfy enough to jump across to that.

 

Different strokes I guess...

[Goodbadugly]

Maybe it is a supply and demand thing. Maybe the demand for the Lite was so good and demand for the Experience low. So they decided to go with the flow. An Experience with 40 or 50km stages? Nooooooo. An _experience.

[=Bones=]

I have the pamphlet at home. Xperience is as 'AfterDark' said, and the Lite is now only 2 days: prologue of 30km and a 40km or something.

that seems like a bit of a waste to go all the way to sabie for...

[G-Unit]

The last one was already a slightly watered down version as day 3 was shortened by about 10-15km.

 

I think the (obviously flawed) logic is to change the race into something that appeals to a weekend rider who can manage about 40km. The flaw in that logic is that the 'average' weekend rider won't manage 40km 4 days in a row.

 

All that they are doing is alienating those who are up for the challenge of the original hardcore race. Also it is no longer a viable halfway test for Epic preparation.

 

Death of a legend, I would say...

[Doggone]

I did the lite version 2 years ago and have been planning to get fit enough to ride the full experience this year. Disappointing if it is being watered down. Probably just being forced to give what the market demands. I know they ask all competitors for their preferences.

[DunMan]

Check out the Sabie Exerience website, some major changes.

Sorry to say will not be the same any more.

 

http://www.sabiexperience.co.za/

[Cyclejunkiejake]

Absolutely right DunMan, but that might not be a bad thing! Yes the Xperience is under new management and is undergoing major changes, but the race organisers are being led by what the market demands.

 

In '08 entries dropped by almost 30% and in 09 the ''X Lite'' was introduced which was successful.

 

In '10 entries for the full X dropped by 50% and the Lite increased by over 100%...

 

Was the full X too tough or were the guys just in holiday mood?

 

Whatever the reason for this shift, changes had to be made. Negotiations with the new title sponsor "My Spar" , they decided to go the Family route and designed it accordingly.

 

The big idea is to make the event family friendly and give those 'lite' riders a bigger challenge over 4 days (like IdeJonge said previously: "BUT then again the missus wants to do a stage race with me...")

 

So why is this not such a bad thing? well... plans are already underway to do an Extreme Sabie Xperience stage race at a different time in the year to cater specifically for the harcore riders... think ave 100km pd (6-8hrs in the saddle) for 4 days... but jeez just keep this quiet cos the non hardcore riders might get up in arms...!

[RABUBI]

2012 Sabie Experience

 

14 to 17 DECEMBER 2012

 

SABIE SOLO XPERIENCE (4 DAYS) - 30km/40km/60km/55km - Total of 185km (Approx 4,200m of climbing)

 

 

 

14 to 15 DECEMBER 2012

 

SABIE TEAM LITE & SOLO - (2 DAYS) - 30km/40km - Total 70km (Approx 1,450m of climbing)

 

So no more teams on the long(ish) 4 day event???