Three-day stage races are all the South African rage, but adding a fourth day takes you, physically and mentally, to a new place. A place where you find out more about yourself and where the reward tends to outweigh the challenge – once you’ve conquered it…

The FedGroup PE Plett is a four-day challenge that takes you from Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape to Plett in the Western Cape along quite possibly the most varied route you can imagine. And because not everyone is a super-fit mountain biker, there are two options: The Tough One (320km) and The Lite One (240km).

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Manicured trails have their place, but the increased challenge of a variety of surfaces takes more concentration, uses more energy and forces you to think more about line choices, which is a key element of mountain biking purity.

The PE Plett certainly throws the full spectrum of surfaces at its participants. From the fast, hardpack singletrack of the Woodridge School XC course and the 3Rivers Trails, to the firm gravel roads of Longmore Forest, to the loose, stony jeep tracks that skirt the Baviaanskloof, to the moist sand on the banks of the rivers in the Tsitskimama region, to the soft, loamy forest floor of the Otter Trail. It’s all there – a complete challenge that changes throughout the four-day journey.

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In 2017, the FedGroup PE Plett will take place, for the first time, in early March. The fifth edition of the event will be held in what should be hot, dry weather at the end of summer. This allows riders to train through the glorious summer months for the event and also gives those competing in the Absa Cape Epic an ideal final fitness and equipment test.

Few stage races change their routes each year because it’s logistically challenging and costly, but the PE Plett switches direction each year as well as adds new sections of trail to incorporate into the race route, making it stimulating for newcomers as well as those that have completed previous editions.

“We do things differently at PE Plett. There is so much duplication of stage race experiences in South Africa and we feel that mountain bikers deserve fresh challenges and rewards each year. We even offer free beer and wine to participants as part of our race entry package because we believe that a stage race is as much about the off-the-bike experience as it is about the actual riding,” said Mike Glover, founder and Race Director of the FedGroup PE Plett.

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The event is open to teams of two and solo riders, but entry numbers are limited to ensure a non-crowded, pleasant experience. To find our more, or to secure an entry in the 2017 FedGroup PE Plett, click here: www.peplett.co.za

 

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