Stage Races: When, Where and How Much

[patches]

Whilst I have only done 1 stage race (Sani2C) and 1 Alps (Port du Soliel) trip, and an accurate comparison cannot be made for quite a few reasons (ie. different riding styles, I was sick for most of Sani, etc)...

 

But I can say this...

 

Cost per day of riding

• PDS - approx R1300 x 13 days (All Incl.)
  
• Sani - approx R2500 x 3 days (All incl.)
  

• PDS wins for value
  

Accomodation

• PDS - share little chalet with 2 beds, shower, basin, loo, desk and chair
  
• Sani - share tent with 2 matresses. Shower basin and loos you share with hoards of people
  

• PDS wins this one. I'm not big on comunal showers with 100's of nekkid dudes strolling around.
  

Food

• PDS - Fresh croisants, fruit, cooked breakfast every morning, and a 3 course gormet meal every evening.
  
• Sani - Buffet meals, good food, plenty of it.
  

• This is close... but PDS (Nantegue) narrowly takes it. Doug is one hell of a cook.
  

 

 

Luggage

• PDS - live out of a bike box and carry on.
  
• Sani - live out of the 100L trommel.
  

• Sani wins, as that 100L trommel excludes bike. However it does suck to pack up all your earthly possessions each day
  

Vibe/Cultural Experience

• PDS - The Alps are absolutely beautiful. The villages amazing. Clean, and rich with heritage. It's the sort of place one wishes they could move to. The people... not always that friendly. But the non-local riders are very pleasant.
  
• Sani - Seeing part our country while on a bicycle. Awesome! As for places I'd sell a kidney to luve in... didn't see any. The people however are more frienldy
  

• PDS wins it on this one. Alpine villages just do i for me.
  

And finally... the most important part (after the medals)...

 

The Riding

• PDS - Un-imaginable! One really has to ride there to know what Omega Man is talking about. over 650km of marked trail (and plenty more of "off piste" lines, on all levels (Green Family trails, through to the stuff one sees the pro's do in freeride films). Two weeks there and one doesn't even scratch the surface of what's available. So much variety. And hey ski lifts really are "all that" (even the XC riders there use them).
  
• Sani - Good trails. Well maintained (better than the PDS ones), some fun singletrack. But quite a bit of district road, and the boring climbs outway the fun descents by far. Also traffic jams. If one is slow on the uphills (like me) and gets seeded badly for Day 2, you will be pulling your hair out with frustration at the people walking obstacles on the Umko descent... and the only reason they're in front (putting a damper on your fun) is because they rode the district roads faster on day 1. (although in PDS... we are the traffic jam ) but there it doesn't damper others fun.
  

• PDS definitely wins for riding. Yes I'm biased as I prefer desents on a big travel bike. This whole post is just my personal opinion. But seriously... if I was to be told I could only use a 120mm bike and had to choose... I'd still choose PDS. One doens't need a couch-on-wheels to ride most of that stuff.
  

So overall, (again, my personal opinion), I would choose an Alps trip over a local stage race. That said, I haven't done any other races besides Sani. I personally am not that big into racing, I prefer the trail and fun of riding at my own pace, but I realize the majority of South African MTBers have a focus on racing, and that's fine. For those, stage races will bring more fulfillment.

Edited September 17, 2013 by patches

[hayleyearth]

 

 

And you do make a great race dinner companion..... I will vouch for that...

 

Chaps - she a) drinks beer.... and b ) brings beer and ice cream to the table...

 

What a winner.... :clap:

 

Hehe. .. Thank you

 

(Aren't you suppose to be doing pe2plett?)

[V12man]

Now if heyls will wash the bikes, fix mechanicals and carry bags to tents I reckon she might just be the perfect stage race partner

 

You might have to wait a while after you finish for her to bring the bags - but I know she did move her sick partners kit for him...

 

I think you just want a stage race slave...

[patches]

Yea...each have their own space, pros and cons...

 

@beans, if you have the moola, I say do both, both will give memories and in the end, that is what you pay for.

 

Totally!

 

Having done both I can say that each brings back very fond memories. Each also had it's lows (Sani was jippo-guts... France was a broken collarbone, haha).

[patches]

Now if heyls will wash the bikes, fix mechanicals and carry bags to tents I reckon she might just be the perfect stage race partner

You might have to wait a while after you finish for her to bring the bags - but I know she did move her sick partners kit for him...

 

I think you just want a stage race slave...

 

That she did... and his kit far outweighed hers

[rouxtjie]

That she did... and his kit far outweighed hers

Demmit, now that is a partner.

[DJR]

Totally!

 

Having done both I can say that each brings back very fond memories. Each also had it's lows (Sani was jippo-guts... France was a broken collarbone, haha).

 

Sometimes I think I'll take the collarbone over the "other thing"

[rouxtjie]

Whilst I have only done 1 stage race (Sani2C) and 1 Alps (Port du Soliel) trip, and an accurate comparison cannot be made for quite a few reasons (ie. different riding styles, I was sick for most of Sani, etc)...

 

But I can say this...

 

Cost per day of riding

• PDS - approx R1300 x 13 days (All Incl.)
  
• Sani - approx R2500 x 3 days (All incl.)
  

• PDS wins for value
  

Accomodation

• PDS - share little chalet with 2 beds, shower, basin, loo, desk and chair
  
• Sani - share tent with 2 matresses. Shower basin and loos you share with hoards of people
  

• PDS wins this one
  

Luggage

• PDS - live out of a bike box and carry on.
  
• Sani - live out of the 100L trommel.
  

• Sani wins, as that 100L trommel excludes bike. However it does suck to pack up all your earthly possessions each day
  

Vibe/Cultural Experience

• PDS - The Alps are absolutely beautiful. The villages amazing. Clean, and rich with heritage. It's the sort of place one wishes they could move to. The people... not always that friendly. But the non-local riders are very pleasant.
  
• Sani - Seeing part our country while on a bicycle. Awesome! As for places I'd sell a kidney to luve in... didn't see any. The people however are more frienldy
  

• PDS wins it on this one. Alpine villages just do i for me.
  

And finally... the most important part (after the medals)...

 

The Riding

• PDS - Un-imaginable! One really has to ride there to know what Omega Man is talking about. over 650km of marked trail (and plenty more of "off piste" lines, on all levels (Green Family trails, through to the stuff one sees the pro's do in freeride films). Two weeks there and one doesn't even scratch the surface of what's available. So much variety. And hey ski lifts really are "all that" (even the XC riders there use them).
  
• Sani - Good trails. Well maintained (better than the PDS ones), some fun singletrack. But quite a bit of district road, and the boring climbs outway the fun descents by far. Also traffic jams. If one is slow on the uphills (like me) and gets seeded badly for Day 2, you will be pulling your hair out with frustration at the people walking obstacles on the Umko descent... and the only reason they're in front (putting a damper on your fun) is because they rode the district roads faster on day 1. (although in PDS... we are the traffic jam ) but there it doesn't damper others fun.
  

• PDS definitely wins for riding. Yes I'm biased as I prefer desents on a big travel bike. This whole post is just my personal opinion. But seriously... if I was to be told I could only use a 120mm bike and had to choose... I'd still choose PDS. One doens't need a couch-on-wheels to ride most of that stuff.
  

So overall, (again, my personal opinion), I would choose an Alps trip over a local stage race. That said, I haven't done any other races besides Sani. I personally am not that big into racing, I prefer the trail and fun of riding at my own pace, but I realize the majority of South African MTBers have a focus on racing, and that's fine. For those, stage races will bring more fulfillment.

Good post, you have done both and can make some comparison between them.

 

But to be honest, Sani is my least favorite stage race, it feels a bit too big although the format in the other stage races stay the same.

[patches]

Sometimes I think I'll take the collarbone over the "other thing"

 

hahaha! The "other thing" only didn't keep me off the bike and only took a few days to get over naturally.

 

the collarbone kept me off the bike for 3 weeks (1 week pre-op and 2 weeks post op), and it hit my pocket with just over 10k in medical aid short falls.

 

So although the "other thing" is in no ways glamourous (especially when your partner is attractive and of the female persuasion), I'd still take that over collarbone, haha!

Edited September 17, 2013 by patches

[patches]

Good post, you have done both and can make some comparison between them.

 

But to be honest, Sani is my least favorite stage race, it feels a bit too big although the format in the other stage races stay the same.

 

yeah, I realized I picked the "stage-race-for-the-masses", so it is an unfair comparison. There are some others out there that catch my interest. J2C, Dusi2C, Berg & Bush... but definitely not "the stage race"... Epic doesn't appeal to me at all.

Edited September 17, 2013 by patches

[rouxtjie]

hahaha! The "other thing" only didn't keep me off the bike and only took a few days to get over naturally.

 

the collarbone kept me off the bike for 3 weeks (1 week pre-op and 2 weeks post op), and it hit my pocket with just over 10k in medial aid short falls.

 

So although the "other thing" is in no ways glamourous (especially when your partner is attractive and of the female persuasion), I'd still take that over collarbone, haha!

I dont know man, those sani tents are small, I don't know how you comeback from a shart, will a simple oops be enough.

[Dubber]

Spreadsheet updated with the following events:

Swazi Frontier, Ride the Rock, Imana Wild Ride and Cape Outback.

 

Some of the events lack a bit of detail on the websites - so use the list as a guide - not fact

[Guest Omega Man]

I dont know man, those sani tents are small, I don't know how you comeback from a shart, will a simple oops be enough.

Hahahaha. POD (post of the day)

[patches]

I dont know man, those sani tents are small, I don't know how you comeback from a shart, will a simple oops be enough.

 

hahaha! true! A broken collarbone carries a sort of "chicks dig scars" appeal...

 

...wet-winds do not

[rouxtjie]

yeah, I realized I picked the "stage-race-for-the-masses", so it is an unfair comparison. There are some others out there that catch my interest. J2C, Dusi2C, Berg & Bush... but definitely not "the stage race"... Epic doesn't appeal to me at all.

Yea sani has an insane goodie bag and huge demand, but for me, not my favourite. I love mankele three towers(the trails are less manicured and closer to the type of riding I like), way less district road and because you ride from one spot you can make it as comfortable as you want and at 900 bucks a day, full board a real bargain....beer at 10 rand a pop is icing on the cake. It is also way smaller ito numbers, so no queues and the whole event feels way more personal.

 

J2c the focus is more on riding than racing which I like, experience is the key here, not getting from a to b in x amount of time. Also way smaller than sani so again, feels more personal in every dept.

 

Epic...eish can't afford, and don't think I will ever to be honest. I would rather do two joberg2c or 10 mankele's....but I think that is my bank balance talking

[Gen]

I am only interested in one stage race and that is the Berg and Bush 2day, and I will be doing it this year.