The third stage for the Wines2Whales mountain bike events has been announced, with the start at the Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin-Grabouw.
The route will take riders on a memorable 69km journey before finishing at the Onrus Caravan Park in Hermanus.
Mountain bikers go past the Paul Cluver Bike Park in the Amphitheatre during stage three of the Wines2Whales events. Photo: Tobias Ginsberg
It will start with rolling hills from the race village through the Paul Cluver Wine Estate.
Riders will slip past the Amphitheatre on a downhill and over three dam walls before exiting Paul Cluver to start the journey towards the whale haven of Hermanus.
They will be greeted by the first single-track at Korteshoven (10km into the stage) and then the second single-track at the Houw Hoek Trails.
From Houw Hoek Inn, which is also a spectator point, the Old N2 Trail will take riders onto Katpass (the old railway road).
Riders will then enter the town of Botrivier, which will have the first water point 23km into the stage. This is also a good spectator point.
Soon after the water point riders will reach the Wildekrans Wine Estate. On a contour single-track along the Bot River, the Steel Bridge will be crossed.
Besides the finish in Onrus, the Steel Bridge is the lowest point on the route, completing the downhill part of stage three.
The second water point will be 41km into the stage and from here riders will get to experience Gaf-se-Bos.
Once on the Karwyderskraal gravel road, riders are asked to keep to the left.
They will turn right at the De Bos Dam onto a steep downhill, which is part of the public MTB Hermanus trails.
The third water point after 61km will be at the Plaaskombuis on the Hemel en Aarde Road. This is also a spectator point.
From here the trail runs along the Onrus River towards the sea. It is a mostly fast and fun downhill section.
The last 3km will be spectacular, cycling on the Fruitways Pallet Beach Crossing, over the Peri Onrus River Bridge and onto Atlantic Drive which will take riders to the finish.
“Even our event team is faced with mixed emotions on the day. We are excited to reach the finish venue in Onrus, but we are sad that it signifies the closing off of a really special event,” said W2W director Michael Meyer.
