Details of a challenging route devised for the Tour de Limpopo later this month were released today. The four-day UCI 2.2 stage race, with a formidable total of almost 7km of vertical ascent, was officially launched by Cycling South Africa in February.
Today Cycling SA released a statement outlining the routes of the various stages. The race, which will form part of the 2018 UCI African Tour, will total 416.7km with 6896 metres of ascent.
Details of a challenging route devised for the Tour de Limpopo later this month were released today. Photo: Supplied
The race takes place from April 23 to 26 and will start at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane with the 96.6km first stage. This stage will have 446 metres of ascent with a summit 1700m above sea level.
Riders will be able to accumulate points in two sections of the stage and the route will have an average altitude of 1266m. A King of the Mountains hotspot will occur in the last third of the stage, which finishes in Tzaneen.
Stage two – the “queen stage” – spans 175km, with 2735m of vertical ascent.
With an overall altitude gain of 867m, the stage will be spiked with short sharp climbs where King of the Mountains hotspots will be held in three different sections. The stage will also have one sprint hotspot at the beginning.
Stage three – the team time-trial – will cover a 28.6km circular route in and around Tzaneen.
The fourth and final stage will take riders back from Tzaneen to Polokwane along a 96.9km route, which will comprise one points and one King of the Mountains hotspot. The race ends back at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
