The Uniqueness of Lions Karoo to Coast

The Lions Karoo to Coast has been a mainstay of the South African mountain biking calendar since 1999. The historic route, which follows the country’s longest gravel pass from Uniondale to Knysna, has ensured that thousands of riders have taken part in each of the 25 editions to date. E-Mountain bikes and gravel bikes have brought change to the race in recent years, and 2025 will see an expansion of the event to include a second day of registration as well as an expo on the Uniondale Showgrounds fields.

“This year, for the first time, we will be adding a second registration day, on Friday, 19 September,” Race Director Zandile Meneses said. “Riders will thus be able to come through to Uniondale, spend two nights in the town, and explore the area by bike, by car, or on foot. The Show Grounds will be open for camping from Friday, and the luxury camping option is the same price for one night or two, so you might as well arrive a day early.”

Uniondale is off the main tourist route of the Garden Route and, as such, is often bypassed by visitors to the region. The Wheels and Wine Expo at the Lions Karoo to Coast registration seeks to attract and keep more race entrants in the town for longer. “We would like to showcase some of the area’s unique attractions, provide a platform for local producers to exhibit their wares, and provide the cycling industry with an opportunity to reach a core market of riders,” Uniondale Lions President Xander Britz explained. “The Lions Karoo to Coast is a key driver of tourism to Uniondale, and there is not a free bed in town on Saturday night ahead of the race. If we can expand that impact to Friday evening, too, the restaurants will benefit, and the bed and breakfasts will benefit, but the riders will benefit, too. It will give you the opportunity to explore beyond the race route, delve into the history of the town, and experience the warm platteland hospitality of the Klein Karoo.”

For many South African mountain bikers, the 95 kilometre race from Uniondale to Knysna needs little introduction. It provides a significant challenge due to the 1 800 meters of accumulated elevation gain along the route, and the ascent of the Ou Wapad, Prince Alfred’s Pass, Gouna, and Simola climbs. The landscapes evolve as one rides south towards Knysna, from the sparsely vegetated hillsides of the Klein Karoo to the mountain fynbos of Prince Alfred’s Pass, and on to the plantations and deep indigenous forests of Knysna. Riding-wise, it is the perfect challenge to take up for a mountain biker progressing from newcomer to the sport, towards being more experienced. Veterans, meanwhile, can set goals of bettering previous best times or simply enjoying the beauty of the route.

Being able to ride on an E-MTB makes the Lions Karoo to Coast a more manageable challenge. “We have seen E-Bike entries triple between 2022 and 2023, then continue to grow in 2024,” Meneses noted. “I expect that to be the case again this year, and for more people to make use of the K2C battery transport service.” E-Bikers can hand in their spare bike battery at registration, and it will then be taken to the Buffelsnek Water Point, 59 kilometres into the course.

Gravel bikes are also welcome, but competitive riders are reminded that the route is almost undoubtedly faster on a mountain bike. In 2024, the first gravel biker home was Bert Verlinde, in seventh, 21 minutes behind the winner Tristan Nortje.

Nortje was one of a number of riders with Cycling South Africa racing licences who took part in the 2024 event. Having foregone CSA sanctioning for nearly a decade, the event welcomed elite racers last year and was rewarded with the shattering of the 12-year-old course record. Nortje’s 2024 time was nearly 3 minutes faster than Charles Keey’s 2012 effort. In 2025, an even deeper elite field and favourable weather conditions could see someone dip below the 3-hour mark for the first time, which would be truly historic.

“As a community-focused event, which raises money for Non-Profit Organisations, like the Guide Dog Association of South Africa, for cataract operations and cornea grafts, and to purchase reading glasses for local children, it was great to see the local riders doing so well last year,” Britz added. “Nortje, Cronje Beukes, Jayden Durandt, and Roxy Kemp, who all achieved top-five places, hail from George. Three-time Cape Epic winner and multiple-time South African champion Matt Beers kick-started his career with a victory here in 2015. Hopefully, over the next 25 years, the race will continue to help talented young local riders develop into world-class athletes.”

“The Lions Karoo to Coast is also a Cape Town Cycle Tour seeding event,” Meneses reminded. “If you’d like a good starting batch for the 2026 CTCT, then you have another great reason to join us in Uniondale on the 21^st of September 2025.”

Entries to the 2025 edition are open, and the R800 entry fee includes dinner at the Uniondale Show Grounds on Saturday evening. Accommodation options can be found on the event website, www.karootocoast.com, or by clicking here. To enter the race www.online.entries.co.za or follow this link.

Header image: Registration for the 2025 event will open on Friday, 19 September, and continue through Saturday, 20 September, ahead of the race on the 21st. Photo by Oakpics.com.