Nearly 400 riders from a record 15 countries have secured their entries for this year’s Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek international seven-day mountain bike stage race.
The Swartberg Pass, an 11-kilometre, 1100-metre out-of-category climb, will once again be a key feature of the 2014 Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek. Photo: Zoon Cronje / Nikon / Xtremedia
The event which kicks off on October 12 will cover a distance of 574km with a total vertical ascent of 11 958 metres.
It will start and finish in Oudtshoorn and will take riders through three different eco regions in what is one of the most diverse bicycle race routes on the international calendar.
The prologue time trial and stages one, two and three are all similar to last year, but stages four, five and six will be very different with some big changes being made.
Stage two will have an out-of-category mountain-top finish and the 86km leg is relatively short, but climbs a total of 2 781 metres, the final 1 100 metres coming in the last 11km up the iconic Swartberg Pass.
Racing as Team RECM, Erik Kleinhans and Waylon Woolcock claimed the overall title last year, but will be paired up with different teammates this time. Woolcock will be partnered by Darren Lill for the Cannondale Blend team, while Kleinhans will pair up with Team RECM stablemate, Nico Bell, the 2012 Cape Pioneer Trek champion.
Other top names include SCOTT Factory Racing’s Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes, winners of two stages last year, SA marathon champion, James Reid and his ASRIN Cycling teammate, Konny Looser (BEL) and rising stars Louwrens Luus and Adriaan Louw (Fairview Elite). Leading the international charge for the men’s title are Simon Stiebjahn (GER) and Tim Bohme (FRA) of Team Bulls.
View more event information here.
