[Event] King Price Race to the Sun

[mecheng89]

39 minutes ago, Rowl said:

The person's name has been shared on some whatsapps, but no detail about what happened. RIP

RTTS FB post mention something small.

[mecheng89]

1 minute ago, Charity85 said:

Yeah I also got confirmation a head on collision, around 110km mark after the KOM. If I recall it was a section of roadworks. Generally there was alot of marshalls and officials, but imho vehicular traffic could be better regulated, had a number of bakkies/trucks moer past me at massive speed, then you can see anything in the dust, to be frankly honest glad I got it done, but will be a once off. The route is very average at most not much to look at, and bloody pricey if you include all the logistics etc.

This is the primary reason (other than lack of fitness LOL) that I did not do this event, being from the Souf, the costs are simply too high. Probably the most expensive gravel event (correct me if I'm wrong) and you really don't get much for your money. 

[Pandatron]

From what I understand, there was a roadworks truck carrying soil down the road after WP3, the soil(fine red dust type) was spilling out creating a dust cloud. A Taxi impateint with waitng behind the slow construction vehicle decided to overtake blindly and struck the rider.

[Spinnekop]

Open invitation to anyone to kick me in the nuts at full strength if I ever attempt to race this thing again.
Well organised.  Vanilla route with unmaintained roads.
Corrugation, sand, loads and loads of rocks. 
The last 10km was "lets see if we can kill them" stuff.  We normally went home battered and bruised on the tar but this year it seems the organisers did not want to let us off easy..........

Add the price tag and logistic issues.

3 times is enough.  This was not fun.

Well done to all who finished.  Huge respect.

Edited May 13 by Spinnekop

[mecheng89]

Just now, Pandatron said:

From what I understand, there was a roadworks truck carrying soil down the road after WP3, the soil(fine red dust type) was spilling out creating a dust cloud. A Taxi impateint with waitng behind the slow construction vehicle decided to overtake blindly and struck the rider.

I hope the taxi driver sits for a long time. Unlikely, but there's hope.

[Danger Dassie]

Presser

 

[mecheng89]

1 minute ago, Spinnekop said:

Open invitation to anyone to kick me in the nuts at full strength if I ever attempt to race this thing again.
Well organised.  Vanilla route with unmaintained roads.
Corrugation, sand, loads and loads of rocks. 
The last 10km was "lets see if we can kill them" stuff.  We normally went home battered and bruised on the tar but this year it seems the organisers did not want to let us off easy..........

3 times is enough.  This was not fun.

Well done to all who finished.  Huge respect.

I'm very disappointed to hear this, but relieved I never came through. The organizer will have to have a close look at the route for 2025 and make sure what can be addressed is.

[jcza]

20 minutes ago, Spinnekop said:

Open invitation to anyone to kick me in the nuts at full strength if I ever attempt to race this thing again.
Well organised.  Vanilla route with unmaintained roads.
Corrugation, sand, loads and loads of rocks. 
The last 10km was "lets see if we can kill them" stuff.  We normally went home battered and bruised on the tar but this year it seems the organisers did not want to let us off easy..........

Add the price tag and logistic issues.

3 times is enough.  This was not fun.

Well done to all who finished.  Huge respect.

+1 

[117]

16 minutes ago, Spinnekop said:

Open invitation to anyone to kick me in the nuts at full strength if I ever attempt to race this thing again.
Well organised.  Vanilla route with unmaintained roads.
Corrugation, sand, loads and loads of rocks. 
The last 10km was "lets see if we can kill them" stuff.  We normally went home battered and bruised on the tar but this year it seems the organisers did not want to let us off easy..........

Add the price tag and logistic issues.

3 times is enough.  This was not fun.

Well done to all who finished.  Huge respect.

I was at the finish - was playing taxi to a few pals. The competitors that finished on dual suspension bikes seemed a lot happier than the gravel bikers for those reasons

I think its progressed from a 100miler mtb race to a 100miler balls to the wall racing gravel bike race. It just might seem the organisers havent noticed this yet and have kept the route a mtb race. 

That being said, I am gobsmacked by the finishing times for the top riders (which were slower than last year) - an amazing feat of endurance over that distance. The new finish area was pretty well organised with plenty of seating areas and shade. Only downside was you needed a 4th bond on your house just to buy a beer or food!

And that auntie with the whistle and loudhailer.... please let it be and leave the darn noise machines at home next time

[mecheng89]

1 hour ago, 117 said:

I was at the finish - was playing taxi to a few pals. The competitors that finished on dual suspension bikes seemed a lot happier than the gravel bikers for those reasons

I think its progressed from a 100miler mtb race to a 100miler balls to the wall racing gravel bike race. It just might seem the organisers havent noticed this yet and have kept the route a mtb race. 

That being said, I am gobsmacked by the finishing times for the top riders (which were slower than last year) - an amazing feat of endurance over that distance. The new finish area was pretty well organised with plenty of seating areas and shade. Only downside was you needed a 4th bond on your house just to buy a beer or food!

And that auntie with the whistle and loudhailer.... please let it be and leave the darn noise machines at home next time

Last year's winner was Matt Beers. I think he solo'd to a win, and we know what its like when he hits the front. Not taking away from Marc's power or ability. 

[Dexter-morgan]

1 hour ago, Spinnekop said:

Open invitation to anyone to kick me in the nuts at full strength if I ever attempt to race this thing again.
Well organised.  Vanilla route with unmaintained roads.
Corrugation, sand, loads and loads of rocks. 
The last 10km was "lets see if we can kill them" stuff.  We normally went home battered and bruised on the tar but this year it seems the organisers did not want to let us off easy..........

Add the price tag and logistic issues.

3 times is enough.  This was not fun.

Well done to all who finished.  Huge respect.

I could not agree more, I had a good time until the beeste-kraal, then hit the wall so hard and started to cramp, I sat under the shade of a few trees to get to WP3, limped home with the help of a friend and some strangers that gave me Cramp block, then the part next to the rail way, you just can not get momentum,  all down to Nutrition and pacing I suppose - apart from the cost, I don't think I will be back.

Edited May 13 by Dexter-morgan

[Titleist]

Enters a gravel race and then complain about the gravel surface.....

 

That's the gamble you take when buying a gravel bike. You never know what you are going to get. Gravel surfaces change daily due to the elements and vehicles using it. It's not a tar road that stays constant.

[Jbr]

15 minutes ago, mecheng89 said:

Last year's winner was Matt Beers. I think he solo'd to a win, and we know what its like when he hits the front. Not taking away from Marc's power or ability. 

Alex Miller won last year from a small group of strong Mountain bikers (including Beers)

I must say this years finish took me by surprised twice. I expected the last 10/15km to be on a long downhill tar section, which was perfect because I had less than a bar left in each of my tyres and every rock was a risk of having a race-ending snakebite, so I pretty much had to ride in the front to avoid all the rocks or try save energy but feel every rock in my butt through my rims. 2nd surprise was how twisty and lose the last turns were before the finish, and how short the finish line was, I lost my race there overcooking one of the last turn and couldn't make up the gap to the line. Fair enough, all the aero in the world can't make up for poor skills 🤣

All in all the route wasn't too bad in my opinion, the two sections with very soft soil (before and after the KOM) were death for me as I was the lightest rider/least powerful in my group. Since my tires were really low in pressure from quite early in the race (despite having to stop at 40km to re-inflate my front that was completely flat), corrugation didn't kill me too much.

[bleedToWin]

Across the various threads I'm seeing a lot of "gravel is the future" but then also "won't be back to this one". Here's to hoping we can find what works and keep enough people satisfied for the sport to grow!

[Jbr]

27 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

Across the various threads I'm seeing a lot of "gravel is the future" but then also "won't be back to this one". Here's to hoping we can find what works and keep enough people satisfied for the sport to grow!

People will never be happy, if there's tar then it's not a gravel race, if there's gravel only, then the x sections where the gravel is a bit *** will make people not want to come back. Each race is different, all the races I've done so far were full of challenges (the real races, not the strava timed ones that are just fun ;)), either because there was a ton of mud, or some technical sections, or death climbs, or or...

I think that's why  I like it.

I may not always like it in the moment, but it's great memories afterwards. I want to believe all the people who say they won't come back will eventually look back at it and think differently once the discomfort has gone

Edited May 13 by Jbr

[JJDT]

It was no 3 for me, but also the last. Apart from the huge entry fee the logistics to Harties and then from Sun City back home does not warrant the effort. I think that Sun City is very expensive to host the finish as it is not friendly on the wallet and possibly the reason for the steep entry fee.

The race: This was also the very first race ever that I cramped badly and basically "limped" to the finish. I burnt all my matches on that long drag when I was stuck behind a slower rider (possibly from the short ride) on the right hand side with more slower riders on the left, I decided to go through the middle. This was a huge mistake as the loose gravel/sand was hectic and after about 50meters I was done and gave up. Just after this stupid mistake paid the price when I started to cramp.