Mountain bike stage races in Johannesburg aren’t new. But the Fedgroup Cradle 100, which will take place for the first time in April 2025, promises a fresh take on a multi-day event, from the route, to the venue, to the supporters’ experience and, most significantly, to the participants. Here’s exactly what you can expect.
Paid partnership with Fedgroup
Over the past 15 years, the Cradle of Humankind has become a cycling hot bed. The declaration of the area as a UNESCO World Heritage Site has prevented commercial and residential development and facilitated the building of a safer road-cycling district and a network of stimulating mountain bike trails.
The inaugural Fedgroup Cradle 100 will embrace the value of this region, including the historic significance, the varied wildlife and the natural beauty for two days of engaging mountain biking. Certain existing trails will be incorporated into the 100km route, while fresh trails are being built specifically for the exciting new event.
The Fedgroup Cradle 100 will be sponsored and organised by Fedgroup, a progressive financial services, commercial property and investments provider. The race director is Andrew Grobler, who, for more than a decade, organised the popular USN Cup MTB Series in Gauteng and helped launch the annual Garmin MTB Classic.
The Fedgroup Cradle 100 also doubles as a celebration of Fedgroup Trails, a network of mountain bike trails in the Cradle of Humankind region that are professionally built, well-marked and consistently maintained. Essentially, stand-alone trails parks, including Avianto and Cradle Moon Conservancy are now part of a larger trails system that will continue to expand with the support of Fedgroup.
The Fedgroup Trails will be rideable all year round and offer safe, stimulating mountain biking for all levels of skill and fitness. Access will be carefully managed and annual memberships will be available, as will day passes.
Fedgroup CEO, Grant Field, believes that this initiative is a great fit for the business. “As an experienced financial services provider, Fedgroup is a strong proponent of making good investment decisions that can stand the test of time – and that means investing in your health as well. We’ve always had a love for the outdoors and, as a business, we’re intimately connected to our environment,” said Field
“Many of our offerings incorporate physical, tangible assets that have the potential to positively impact the economy and the lives of community members across South Africa. When it comes to these types of events, it is important to us that we get involved with initiatives that align to our business’s values. So, developing Fedgroup Trails and launching the Fedgroup Cradle 100 was a natural fit,” he added.
Stage 1 of the Fedgroup Cradle 100 will be held on Saturday 12 April. It will cover a distance of 45km and will take in some existing trails around Avianto, with plenty of new trails on the south of the Cradle of Humankind opening up exclusively for the event.
Stage 2 on Sunday 13 April will cover a distance of 55km and will explore the popular Cradle Moon Conservancy trails with new trails taking riders through surrounding hillside terrain to ensure a well-rounded route that will appeal to Intermediate and Advanced mountain bikers.
“Whilst the distances of both stages look short, the inaugural Fedgroup Cradle 100 will boast some amazing new purpose-built singletrack on land that has never been ridden before and that will challenge the seasoned rider. Punchy hills and technical terrain are a given in the Cradle area,” said Race Director, Andrew Grobler.
To find out more or to enter the inaugural Fedgroup Cradle 100, click here. An early-bird entry discount applies until 31 January 2025.
