On the 14 th of October gravel racers will gather in Prince Albert, at the northern foot of the
\nSwartberg Pass for the grand finale of the inaugural Western Cape Gravel Cup. The second edition of
\nthe Prince George Monumental 100 Miler will take them up and over the Swartberg Pass, a UNESCO
\nWorld Heritage Site, across the plains and rolling hills of the Klein Karoo and down the Montagu
\nPass, itself a National Heritage Site to George. Alongside the 160 kilometre main event, the race will
\nalso boast a 50 Miler in 2023, to provide a taste of the gravel action for those not keen for a massive
\nday out on the bike.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first edition of the Prince George Monumental 100 Miler, in 2022, was a great success,\u201d Henco
\nRademeyer of Dryland Event Management said. \u201cIt was our first big foray into gravel racing. Our
\nother gravel friendly races, like News24 Karoo Burn and the 36ONE MTB Challenge, have gradually
\nevolved with the growth of gravel in the country into more gravel friendly events. In the case of the
\n36ONE, gravel bikes also had to become more capable too, because the route is pretty rough and
\nuncompromising in places. The Prince George route though is 100% gravel friendly. It can of course
\nstill be raced on a mountain bike. It will probably be more comfortable; but it certainly won\u2019t be
\nfaster, even on a hardtail.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe included a few testing sections last year, which were fun for some but maybe a bit hectic for
\nmost,\u201d Rademeyer laughed. \u201cBut this year we\u2019re working hard to make it all ridable. That means
\nsmoothing out the river crossings and sections which were short but compulsory portages last year.
\nWe\u2019ve also changed up the route a bit, looping further south from the halfway point at Highgate
\nrather than heading due east past Oudtshoorn.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest change is the finishing venue though,\u201d he noted. \u201cThis year we\u2019ll be finishing at the
\nWitfontein Forest Station, at the foot of the Montagu Pass, just outside George. It\u2019s a beautiful
\nvenue and creates a fun downhill run to the final 200 meters, which are on a paved road. If the race
\nhas to be decided in a sprint the slight uphill drag to the line on a wide road will provide a
\nspectacular finish!\u201d<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s race will also see the introduction of a 50 Miler distance. Starting at Highgate Ostrich
\nShow Farm the route will follow a similar, though slightly shorter route across the Klein Karoo to the
\nsummit of Montagu Pass, before descending to the finish line in George. The distance is ideal for
\neBike riders and racers keen to experience the open roads and scenic vistas of gravel biking. \u201cThe 50
\nMiler has real potential to develop into a junior gravel showdown,\u201d Rademeyer said. \u201cIt\u2019s short
\nenough to be manageable on the smooth gravel roads, but also tough enough to provide a real test
\nfor aspiring young riders. The eBikers will of course enjoy it too, though they will have to manage
\ntheir batteries carefully, or risk a heavy pedal through the final kickers near the bottom of Montague
\nPass\u2026\u201d
\nGravel racers will also be relieved to hear that the provincial road department are also hard at work
\non the surface of Montagu Pass. The pass was damaged by floods in the early winter months and it is
\ncurrently closed for resurfacing. This should mean a smoother descent from the summit of the final
\nclimb frequent riders of the famous pass have experienced in many a year.
\nThe race is also the final event in the five-race Western Cape Gravel Cup. Riders\u2019 top four results
\ncount towards the overall standings and three finishes are required to qualify for a placing on the<\/p>\n
log. The first two events of the series, which were the Ronde van Riebeek and The Gallows, have
\nalready taken place, while The Cedar and the Boland Gravel Monster take place on back-to-back
\nweekends in September. Bringing the series to a close, the Prince George Monumental 100 Miler is
\nthe final opportunity to score points in the series, before the prize giving and podiums for the
\nWestern Cape Gravel Cup are bestowed during the WC Cape XCO and XCM awards evening at the
\nend of the season.<\/p>\n
Already in the first year the race provided the opportunity for Strava KOM chasers, with Tristan
\nNortje setting a new best time from the Eerstewater river crossing to Die Top. It took the Toyota
\nSpecialized man 41 minutes and 23 seconds, which was 2 minutes and 19 seconds faster than
\nMatthys Beukes\u2019 previous KOM, to complete the 11.83 kilometre climb; which gains 845 metres at
\nan average gradient of 6.6%. With ample segments on the gravel roads between Prince Albert and
\nGeorge still left to conquer, including the southern descents of the Swartberg and Montagu Passes
\nas well as the northern ascent of the Montague Pass.<\/p>\n
Entries to the 2023 event are open and would-be riders can find out more about the event by
\nvisiting www.princegeorge.co.za.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Photo<\/strong>: The Prince George Monumental 100 Miler presents gravel racing at its very best, with<\/em>
\nnorthern ascents of the Swartberg and Montagu Passes, as well as descents of those historic<\/em>
\nmountain roads and a traverse across the rolling terrain of the Klein Karoo basin. Photo by<\/em>
\nShift Media Co.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"