Riders have until Friday 29 October to capitalise on the 20% early-bird entry discount for the Val de Vie MTB Expedition 3-Day Stage Race, which takes place on 7-9 October next year. The Expedition is limited to 400 riders and entries are filling up fast.
Paid partnership with Val de Vie Expedition
For all the event info and to enter click here.
The event has been bolstered in a number of ways for 2022 with Food Lover’s Market partnering with the Expedition to offer all participants scrumptious lunches after every stage of next year’s event.
Another amazing new added service is that Fabian’s Bicycle Transport is sponsoring free bike transport to and from the Expedition for riders from Gauteng, Durban and the Garden Route.
“We are delighted to welcome these partners on board. It’s great to welcome partners who share our vision for the race from the outset,” says race organiser Wynand de Villiers, who has also managed and pioneered some of the most prestigious other mountain-bike stage races in South Africa, including TransCape, Cape Winelands Encounter, Waterberg Encounter and the Sanlam Invitational.
“We limit the participation total of the Expedition to 400 to ensure a user-friendly environment which affords us the opportunity for rider spoils, and the Food Lover’s partnership is another important building block in our event ethos.
“We are jointly committed to a vision of creating the Cape Winelands signature 3-Day mountain-bike event. The event attracted a capacity field of 400 riders in its inaugural edition this year.
Says Mike Coppin from Food Lover’s, “We really look forward to being involved with the event, which has set a new benchmark for mountain-bike stage races in South Africa. It’s great to be able to reward each participant with delicious food following every stage.
“Community and sport are very important to Food Lover’s and we are delighted that we have the opportunity to make a contribution to the participants in this prestigious event,” he says.
De Villiers says a lot of thought and research has gone into the format, venue, hospitality and routes for the Expedition. “We feel that we have created an incredibly user friendly and comfortable off-the-bike experience, coupled with unequalled trails over a solidly challenging and rewarding 3-day racing format,” he says.
De Villiers has managed a variety of cycling events over the past 20 years. Since moving from Johannesburg to Paarl ten years ago, he has relished in the mountain-biking terrain offered by the Paarl-Franschhoek Valley. “There is no better geographical area for mountain-biking in South Africa, and it’s no surprise that the Absa Cape Epic sets up camp in the valley most years and finishes at Val de Vie every year.
“The race village at Pearl Valley is surrounded by mountains on all sides within a 10km radius – Paarl Mountain to the North, the Drakenstein Mountains to the East and South, and the Simonsberg to the West. These mountain ranges boast an abundance of incredible trails, some of which have been naturally shaped while others have been built over the past ten years.
“The routes are tough, but they have been crafted to provide flowing riding and rewards that speak for themselves, including Hawequas ,Welvanpas, Banhoek, Boschendal, Plasir de Merle, Idas Valley Dam, Skyfall, Camissa, Klipwerf, Afterburner, Inferno and Sugarbowl.”
For all the event info and to enter go to http://www.cycleevents.co.za/mtb-events/val-de-vie-mtb-expedition-2022/#more-25213
EVENT OVERVIEW
The Val de Vie MTB Expedition is an extraordinary three stage mountain-bike event that links the sought-after trails in the Paarl-Franschhoek Valley into an epic 172km journey over the some of the best mountain-biking terrain in the country which encompasses 3850m ascent.
All three stages start and finish at the Pearl Valley Clubhouse inside Val de Vie.
ESSENTIAL EVENT INFO:
DATE | 7-9 OCTOBER 2022
VENUE | ALL STAGES START AND FINISH DAILY AT THE PEARL VALLEY CLUBHOUSE RACE VILLAGE
STARTING TIMES
Friday 7 October Stage 1 Time Trial: 13h30
Saturday 8 October Stage 2: 07h30
Sunday 9 October Stage 3: 07h30
ROUTE: 3 Stages | 172km | 3850m ascent.
Stage 1: 20km Time Trail. Trail inclusions – Drakenstein Mountains | Val de Vie and Pearl Valley trails | 450m ascent
Stage 2 – 75km. Trail inclusions: Val de Vie Estate | Hawequas | Welvanpas | Beulha | Drakenstein Mountains | 1650m ascent
Stage 3 – 77km. Trail inclusions: Val de Vie Estate| Helshoogte| Banhoek | Boschendal | Plasir de Merle | Idas Valley Dam | Skyfall | Camissa | Klipwerf | Afterburner | Inferno | Sugarbowl | new Plaisir descent | ascent 1800m
The 20% discounted early bird entry fees applicable until Friday 29 October are:
2-RIDER TEAM ENTRIES:
Entry including 2 nights twin room sharing accommodation at the luxurious Pearl Valley Hotel by Mantis (at the race village) and all meals: R15 600 per team.
Race entry only, excluding accommodation and meals: R5 600 per team.
SINGLE RIDER ENTRIES:Entry including non-sharing accommodation at the luxurious Pearl Valley Hotel by Mantis (at the race village) and all meals: R9000 per rider (non-sharing hotel room occupancy with all meals)
Race Entry Only, excluding meals and accommodation: R2800 per rider
Custom Val de Vie MTB Expedition Rain Jacket included in all entries.
For more information, email devillierscycling@mweb.co.za
Paid partnership with Val de Vie Expedition
