Grape Escape Cancelled. Your thoughts

[GLuvsMtb]

They did mention this year that it could be the last time they ran it.

 

I think it isnt luxurious and its HOT! Dusty and rocky. I love the riding in Baines and Welvanpas.

 

Big pity. I like the event and with it being a solo ride I dont need to find a partner who wants to ride sonder gears, which is always a challenge for me on these stage races.

 

The 2400zar I payed this year is reasonable for a stage race that provides shuttles, food, massages and good ablutions. Hot showers and a swimming pool for the afternoon. I dont know hey..... Luxury lounges and wi-fi were missing, but then Im doing a mountain bike stage race. A bit of vasbyt is expected.

 

I propose those who think it was shoddy or without necessities to do something like expedition Africa or the Freedom Challenge to see what constitutes as necessary or enough.

 

But all in all it was a good 1st time stage race and it is a biog pity it has been scratched off the register

Good to get some feedback from someone that seemed to enjoy the ride. I must admit that most of the guys I spoke to that did this event felt that it never really lived up to the hype.

The direction for these events seem to go more and more to the corporate side. Like you mentioned: Chill zones etc. at events are all corporate hospitality opportunities and the savvy event orginiser has recognised them as such.

I wonder what the future of the smaller events such as Hell and Back, Lighthouse to Lighthouse etc. has in store. In many respects these were the Pioneers of what is now a lucrative and attractive niche market for corporates to get their teeth into.

While some culling will take place in the next year or 2 to remove less attractive events from the calendar, I hope that some of the smaller rides survive as not everyone is into the big corporate vibe. I guess that those who are still interested in the smaller events will have to vote with their wallets to keep these on the calendar.

[Jaco-fiets]

I was really looking forward to this race

[Jewbacca]

Good to get some feedback from someone that seemed to enjoy the ride. I must admit that most of the guys I spoke to that did this event felt that it never really lived up to the hype.

The direction for these events seem to go more and more to the corporate side. Like you mentioned: Chill zones etc. at events are all corporate hospitality opportunities and the savvy event orginiser has recognised them as such.

I wonder what the future of the smaller events such as Hell and Back, Lighthouse to Lighthouse etc. has in store. In many respects these were the Pioneers of what is now a lucrative and attractive niche market for corporates to get their teeth into.

While some culling will take place in the next year or 2 to remove less attractive events from the calendar, I hope that some of the smaller rides survive as not everyone is into the big corporate vibe. I guess that those who are still interested in the smaller events will have to vote with their wallets to keep these on the calendar.

 

So true. As riding bikes becomes more like golf and less like riding bikes, the events have to take on a different approach.

 

Gone are the days of roughing it. Without Wi-Fi how on earth would we be able to blog our daily exploits and instagrm the bajesus out of our muddy faces?!

 

Dunno hey, I like to think the smaller ones will stay alive but it is looking bleak. Without the dancing girls and fly banners they dont get much TV time, thus the sponsors are reluctant to sign etc and so the cycle (oops) continues.

 

As mentioned earlier, route planning and timing is essential. But these days to get the entry quotas the routes are definitely being dumbed down. I think the level of 'technical' proficiency has plummeted in the last few years.

 

I hate the whole 'technical' measure as people forget, up until only a small number of years ago we used to get our fix riding illegally on hiking trails and home built lines. Negotiating drops, steps, rocks and roots was called riding, not 'technical'... I dont call 60km of jeep track a mountain bike race, but these days if the track has 3 small rocks and 7 roots in it we have to have a council meeting about it.

 

Off topic I know, but as the sport grows, the money and sponsorship is being pulled away from those who love the sport for all its simple factors and is being forced to go the route of accommodating those who can fill the coffers. In any industry that is the eventual outcome, after all, Money talks.

 

If the smaller races continue to provide a challenge and something for the die hards, they will have enough support to keep going but will likely not be able to grow in the same vein as the 'growth' involves more people, thus inevitably dumbing down etc etc.....

 

Not many people organize races for the love of it anymore so without revenue it looks as though we are witnessing a death and a rebirth.....

[Wannabe]

Personally i think the timing of the race was wrong. Ii was jammed right in the middle of the Argus/ Epic period and in the Heat of march in CT. I recall when i did it last year or 2 years ago its was 47 degrees. If the event was held during the quieter mths of say May - Aug it would of worked as a solid stand alone event without much competition. It could then develop its own character and vibe. As the Op stated it just did not have any identity. Then the weather is way more conducive to an event like this which is tough with lots of climbing.

 

Agree with you there.