Ah, Montagu. If you could wish for the perfect town, this would likely be it. Small and old enough to be quaint and historic, big enough to offer all the modern luxuries, Montagu is a discerning tourist’s treasure chest. It’s also host to the Montagu Gravel & Grit Festival from 1-3 November 2024, where mountain bikers and gravel racers will discover more Montagu magic.
Paid partnership with Montagu Tourism
Around a two-hour drive from Cape Town, Durbanville and Stellenbosch, Montagu is located in the Langeberg Mountains on Route 62, a world-renowned, scenic route thorough the Western Cape.
While it has successfully hosted mountain biking events for more than two decades, Montagu’s location and terrain make the town a gravel-riding nirvana. To celebrate, there’s a mountain bike race and a gravel race on offer at the Montagu Gravel & Grit Festival. You’ll have to choose which you want to do as they both take place on Saturday 2 November.
The 55km mountain bike race has been designed to be relatively non-technical so that it can be completed by all skill levels. There’s also a Schools Challenge that’s expected to attract a strong youth element to the event. The mountain bike race route has 811 metres of climbing, much of which comes in the first half.
There are two distance options in the gravel race – 100km and 140km both routes designed to take in the best of the Montagu region. The 100km route has 1187 metres of climbing and has been given once-off access to the privately owned African Game Lodge, which is home to a variety of wildlife, including Giraffe, Zebra, Kudu, Eland, Gemsbok and Springbok.
The 140km route has 1699 metres of ascent and follows a similar start to the mountain bike event, with the addition of a loop in the Anysberg Nature Reserve, where wildlife encounters are also likely.
There are well-stocked water points for each event, with four on the 140km gravel route three on the 100km gravel route and two on the 55km mountain bike route. eBikes are also welcome to enter the 100km gravel race and 55km mountain bike race but must complete the event with the same battery. eBikes are also available to rent from the local bike shop, Manic Cycles.
The 2024 Montagu Gravel & Grit events are Cycling South Africa sanctioned and there is prizemoney on offer for top finishers as per the pre-race schedule. The events will start and finish at Glen Eden Guest Farm and there will be a spit-braai and live music after the race on Saturday evening to create a relaxed, festive vibe for the prizegiving.
The Montagu Gravel & Grit Festival is organised by Makadas Adventures, a company with exceptional local knowledge and event organisation experience. There will also be a sunset hike, trail running events and plenty of activities for non-riding supporters to ensure everyone leaves with wonderful Montagu memories.
For more details click here and to enter, click here.
