Wellington Gravel Travel 2010

[Gravel Travel Events]

Wellington Gravel Travel 2010 is taking place on Saturday 28 August 2010 - this year, without the PPA!

 

For more info, visit www.graveltravel.co.za. Pre-race registration at Sportsmans Warehouse Rondebosch (26/08 from 12h00 - 14h00; Sportmans Warehouse Tygervalley (27/08 from 12h00 - 14h00) and Adventure Cycles Wellington (27/08 from 16h00 - 18h00).

[GLuvsMtb]

ohsim! can't wait for this one!

[Shebeen]

Without the PPA.. He he, that's seen as a selling point these days??!

[Funkman]

Who's doing this ride?

There is some rain expected for tomorrow. Is it going to be a mudfest?

[Bos]

Im doing this ride and cant wait. The first race I actually feel confident doing for a while! My last 2 were the 75km stellenbosh challenge and the Trans baviaans. If Im right we do most of the good singletrack around groenberg etc? Hopefully also Doolhof next to the pass. jipee! Going to pedal til I puke! see how long I last before I blow. then drink some Wine and pass out.

[Jake]

I'll see you there. Legs are tired from rides earlier this week in the Cederberg, but it should still be a blast!

Rain expected in afternoon only, but you never know. B)

['Dale]

Yeah, a couple of dudes I train with went to do this one.

Was holding thumbs for you all out there in the stormy conditions...

 

Be cool out there.

[Tiny K]

Weather should have been great..... early AM was partly cloudy DARK clouds but now it's high level light grey.... but chilly! Hope it was a great ride guys

[Wannabe]

Bellville area dark and overcast. Mist starting to roll in now.

[GLuvsMtb]

Gravel travel race report – 28 August 2010

 

The 3rd edition of the Gravel Travel kicked off around the vineyards of Diemersfontein. With over 1000 entrants it promised to be an Epic ride. The start was a self-seeding affair that worked much better than any of the complex seeding systems that I’ve been subjected to at races.

The route consisted of challenging climbs, technical jeep tracks, exhilirating single track decsents, fast and flowing single track and district gravel roads (to get you to the fun bits). The only tar we saw was in crossing tarred roads. The water points were well stocked, the volunteers and marshals were friendly and helpful, and the scenery was breathtaking (or was it the climbs that knocked my breath away?). About an hour into the ride, the rain came down in a steady drizzle. The route quickly turned muddy, but thankfully we were able to ride all of it. Recent hard training and good form ensured that my racing partner and I were well positioned to ride just about all the single track. We got held up slightly on 2 occasions, but the inconvenience was a welcome opportunity to recover from the fast pace my partner was setting. The really big climbs were in the first half and by halfway we have done over 1000 meters of the 1600m climbing. We used the second half to consolidate our position and had to leave a bit in the tank for the last climb back up Hawekwa. The race went by without any major hitches. I almost overcooked a quick right / left combo but managed to stay in control. The consequence that my partner who was on my wheel made the left turn too late and had a tumble. Drinks on me for that one...

I used a Conti race king 2.2 on the back and Geax Saguro 2.2 on the front. Fortunately the course was not a mud bath as the Conti would not have held up in full wet weather.

The race was one of the harder ones I’ve done recently. Well done and thank you to the organisers, land owners, volunteers and fellow riders that made this a great day on the bike.

Welvanpas is definately on the menu for next weekend. With all the routes on our doorstep, how could we possibly get bored?

[robmac]

Might not have been a mudbath for you but when us tailenders got there it was spectacularly dirty!! - Renaming the race from the Gravel Travel to the Bloody Muddy!!!

[Chris_K]

Was a great route, loads of single track, mud, rock, river crossings and interesting bits. The mud was a good laugh by the time the tailenders got there. Thanks to the compeditors and the organisers!