South African mountain bike stage races are widely regarded as the best organised stage races in the world. So how do they continue to maintain this world-leading position? How do they remain attractive year after year? How do they offer the same value, but deliver more fulfilment? Here’s how…
Paid partnership with FNB Wines2Whales
There are many good reasons to enter the annual FNB Wines2Whales, some of which we covered recently. One of those is the incredible route. From the stately vineyards and forests of Lourensford Estate through the rugged mountainous Elgin region and into the coastal haven of Hermanus, the FNB Wines2Whales route truly has it all.
The 2022 edition was widely considered the best yet by those who have done all or most of them and the full capacity for all three races – Chardonnay, Pinotage and Shiraz – confirms that the event still has incredible appeal.
While there are new additions of hand-built trails to the route each year, the decision by the organisers to switch the direction of the race in 2021 with the launch of the Switchback, was ingenious. Day 2 pretty much stays the same as Play Day and takes in Oak Valley and Paul Cluver’s best trails, but Days 1 and 3 are completely switched, with the start in Hermanus and the finish at Lourensford Estate.
Familiar climbs become unfamiliar downhills. Exciting descents become challenging ascents. Yes, familiarity can be comforting. But discerning mountain bikers appreciate a challenge – and leaving a comfort zone is when growth and personal enrichment flourish. Riding a trail in the opposite direction is always going to be interesting. Riding a whole race route in reverse is next level and that’s why the prospect of the Switchback is so enticing.
Of course not every inch of the FNB Wines2Whales trails are ridden on the Switchback edition. For example the finish of Day 3 of the regular FNB Wines2Whales event features the flowy, engaging singletrack through Hemel en Aarde as you approach the finish at the coast. But the Switchback edition takes you up Rotary Way. It’s a stiff climb, but it’s not as long as the climb out of Lourensford on the regular-route start. And the bonus is the spectacular coastal views stretching from Betty’s Bay to Gansbaai as you make your way to the summit.
The Cape Trails crew have built some stimulating sections of trail to distract you from the fact that you’re gradually climbing for quite some time before descending to the Botrivier Valley. More gradual climbing is interspersed with sections of flowy purpose-built trails before you ascend Kat Pas – a gravel road ascent that takes you to the mountain biking oasis that is Houw Hoek before a singletrack feast delivers you to the race-village finish at Oak Valley.
Day 2 remains the iconic Play Day, a singletrack-rich tour of the mountains and valleys of Oak Valley and neighbouring farms, including Paul Cluver, which now only permits use of its trails on rare occasions, one of those being for FNB Wines2Whales.
The final stage from Oak Valley to Lourensford must surely be tackled with a feeling of vengeance. While reversing the ride along A to Z singletrack through Elgin is stimulating in both directions, portaging DOWN Gantouw Pass is a far more appealing prospect that portaging UP it, as is the case with the regular race direction.
It’s quite likely that if they wanted to, the organisers could find an alternate way to avoid Gantouw Pass. Nobody enjoys portaging, but this section of the route that protects the Voortrekker wagon tracks is a shrine to commitment and determination and it’s become a key feature of the FNB Wines2Whales. Only now, it’s on Day 3, near the end and not on Day 1, near the beginning… This gravity-friendly direction can only be easier than the calf-crushing toil of the push up.
The subsequent climb and then descent into the Helderberg Basin – under-rated for it’s magnificent beauty – is followed by one final ascent before the spectacular, lengthy singletrack descent into the classy finish at Lourensford. Don’t resist the urge to stop and take in the fantastic views of False Bay before you conclude your final stage. Normally behind you as you climb away from Lourensford, the Switchback delivers a visually iconic virtual fist bump as you relax and take in the last descent to the finish.
FNB Wines2Whales 2023 – Switchback. Chardonnay: 20-22 October; Pinotage: 23-25 October and Shiraz: 27-29 October. Different direction, yes, but expect the same spectator-friendliness, same world-class organisation, same food and beverage feast, same value for money, same three-day escape from your daily grind; and the same legendary Wines2Whales gees…
Check out the video on Why Ride the 2023 FNB Wines2Whales?
To ensure you’re clued up on what event, what package, what you get for your entry fee, and where you’re heading, head over here.
Lastly, DO NOT FORGET THAT ENTRIES OPEN ON 14 FEBRUARY AT 09:00!
Paid partnership with FNB Wines2Whales
