Swartberg pass 2024 gravel race

[DieselnDust]

  On 4/29/2024 at 1:09 PM, The Ouzo said:

I wasnt aware that the epic was around when Prost was young enough to do it.

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😂

he rode in his late 50’s. He has never stopped training. Once an athlete always an athlete. The guy he rode his first epic with was a water skiing world champ.

 I think he rode in 2013 and 2015

[Furbz]

  On 4/29/2024 at 9:18 AM, Skubarra said:

Yes

And if you are over 60 male or over 50 female you must do the short route if you want to qualify which I think is daft.

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this. 100% agree.

100% daft!

[Mongoose!]

  On 4/29/2024 at 8:47 AM, Skubarra said:

Top 25% per age cat qualify for the UCI medal and world champs 

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I was 12th of 49 and did not qualified.??..🤦😆

 

Edited April 29, 2024 by Mongoose!

[Skubarra]

  On 4/29/2024 at 4:17 PM, Mongoose! said:

I was 12th of 49 and did not qualified.??..🤦😆

 

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Out of 49 that finished or 49 that started?....

If it is the latter then I suggest you write the organisers a strongly worded complaint 😉

[Mongoose!]

  On 4/29/2024 at 6:22 PM, Skubarra said:

Out of 49 that finished or 49 that started?....

If it is the latter then I suggest you write the organisers a strongly worded complaint 😉

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49 finished... but .... cannot afford an offshore trip anyway....😜

[Kom]

  On 4/30/2024 at 12:46 AM, Mongoose! said:

49 finished... but .... cannot afford an offshore trip anyway....😜

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The next best economic option for us ZA's stuck on a green mamba is to do the Kenya leg --> https://ucigravelworldseries.com/en/naivasha/

R9k return flights to Nairobi from CPT

~R5k for accomodation in  Nairobi

R4k for event entry and transport from Nairobi

 

[Shebeen]

  On 4/30/2024 at 8:01 AM, Kom said:

The next best economic option for us ZA's stuck on a green mamba is to do the Kenya leg --> https://ucigravelworldseries.com/en/naivasha/

R9k return flights to Nairobi from CPT

~R5k for accomodation in  Nairobi

R4k for event entry and transport from Nairobi

 

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speaking of international.

How many foreigners came out for this event?

not exactly a world series is it...

 

[Bub Marley]

  On 4/30/2024 at 8:01 AM, Kom said:

The next best economic option for us ZA's stuck on a green mamba is to do the Kenya leg --> https://ucigravelworldseries.com/en/naivasha/

R9k return flights to Nairobi from CPT

~R5k for accomodation in  Nairobi

R4k for event entry and transport from Nairobi

 

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There’s a gorilla gravel option in Rwanda as well. 

[stringbean]

For those doing it to qualify for worlds is a waste of time any way.

Even if you qualify and go to worlds(all at your own expense as usual)you will get zero recognition from CSA.

This is from my own experience .

Im talking age groups and not elite men and woman.

 

[babse]

  On 4/30/2024 at 10:00 AM, Shebeen said:

speaking of international.

How many foreigners came out for this event?

not exactly a world series is it...

 

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Why not?

 

...bottas and his lady friend obviously stands out there.

[Kom]

  On 4/30/2024 at 10:23 AM, stringbean said:

For those doing it to qualify for worlds is a waste of time any way.

Even if you qualify and go to worlds(all at your own expense as usual)you will get zero recognition from CSA.

This is from my own experience .

Im talking age groups and not elite men and woman.

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What recognition are you referring to? A number of iron men / xco / gravel champ qualifiers go unnoticed for their efforts and hard earned cash spent to attend champ invitationals for nothing other than self satisfaction/achievement/goals - everything else is temporary no?

  On 4/30/2024 at 10:00 AM, Shebeen said:

speaking of international.

How many foreigners came out for this event?

not exactly a world series is it...

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Hold up tiger - Gravel is still a very recent olympic sport, and consider that the gran fondo entrants for this years swartberg was double that of last year. Looking at this picture, its still not alot ... (Yes thats the entire gran fondo group, there was no seeding etc)

[LuckyLuke]

some nice pics on facebook under Swartberg100.....flip I can still taste the beer!!

[Skubarra]

  On 4/30/2024 at 1:58 PM, Kom said:

Hold up tiger - Gravel is still a very recent olympic sport, and consider that the gran fondo entrants for this years swartberg was double that of last year. Looking at this picture, its still not alot ... (Yes thats the entire gran fondo group, there was no seeding etc)

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I find the numbers pretty impressive for a new-ish cycling event in the the Karoo. Try organising a mtb or road event in Prince Albert and see if anyone shows up?

Also along with the trinkling of a few international riders you see people attending from the whole country, not just the Western Cape.

I suspect/hope that this event will grow much more going forward.

[Prince Albert Cycles]

  On 4/30/2024 at 1:58 PM, Kom said:

What recognition are you referring to? A number of iron men / xco / gravel champ qualifiers go unnoticed for their efforts and hard earned cash spent to attend champ invitationals for nothing other than self satisfaction/achievement/goals - everything else is temporary no?

Hold up tiger - Gravel is still a very recent olympic sport, and consider that the gran fondo entrants for this years swartberg was double that of last year. Looking at this picture, its still not alot ... (Yes thats the entire gran fondo group, there was no seeding etc)

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Looking at the results there was lot of non starters

[milky4130]

This event started back in 2016 & I was fortunate to be there on my Gravel Donkey / Monster Cross. Then again back in 2018 on my MTB. 2017 the event was cancelled as some of the critical parts of the route was washed away by torrential rain. In those days there was literally no accommodation & the town couldn't handle the capacity especially when it coincided with other events in the town on the same weekend as I found out the hard way & had to book accommodation 53kms away in Klaarstroom. Now there are tents & more guesthouses have popped up. The event has definitely grown in numbers year on year. Well Done Big John & the Team!!

[DieselnDust]

Gravel is the new epic…..

 you heard it here first