Ladysmith Cycle Challenge - 6 September 2015

[Veebee]

Who's done it before, how is it ? Who's doing it this year ?

Going to use this to gauge my fitness for Shova, and i'm sure it must be great to ride out in this part of the country.

 

 

[quintonb]

Great Event. 

Grew up there as a kid, my old hunting grounds...

Its well organised and the route is good. Nice tarred surface.

Go up, I am sure you wont be disappointed. 

[Sarge]

Hi,

As Quintonb says. Can't go wrong.

Sarge

[Veebee]

Thanks, will sign up on Tuesday

[tombeej]

Vivek, it's definitely worth the trip up. I did it last year and I'd definitely be doing it again this year if it wasn't for the fact that I've already got a big mtb trip planned that day.

 

Anyway, the field is small. The 100km had less than 40 riders last year and the first 20 were very, very good riders. The second group came in much later. If you can't hold with them it will become a long solo ride. But the setting and the scenery is so captivating you won't care. The 100km race goes 40km to De Beers pass and then up to the summit, turn at the top and then race back down and home. De Beers is as high as its neighbour Van Reenens pass so it's a PROPER climb, except there are no cars (the silence is incredible up there) and the blacktop is new, smooth and perfect. Coming down that pass is a trip. But if you're feeling a little intimidated by the climb, you can enter the more popular 80km option which turns around at the base of the pass. If you do that, then you must make the trip up De Beers the day before (just park at the bottom - there's no-one there it's so quiet and isolated) and experience the thrill of dropping down the mine shaft on skinny wheels. The B&B's in Ladysmith are all pretty close to the start outside the military base so you can just ride to the start from your B&B. One small challenge is the early morning temp. Might be better to drive to the start and wait in the car with the heater running until the last moment coz the early mornings are seriously cold!

[Veebee]

great thanks for your reply Tombeej. I think I will suffer along, even if solo and do the 100km. the views around there will just make me forget about the pain...