The 2021 joberg2c mountain bike race has been postponed by a further 12 months. Photo: Kevin Sawyer/joberg2c
The 2021 joberg2c mountain bike race has been postponed by a further 12 months due to Covid-19 concerns.
The 11th-edition of the nine-day stage race was initially due to take place in April 2020, but was one of the first casualties of the global pandemic.
After its postponement until a similar timeslot in 2021, race organiser Craig Wapnick confirmed to In the Bunch today that the race has been delayed by a further year.
The new races dates are April 24 to 30, 2022.
“Community safety is paramount,” Wapnick said.
“Being such a big race in terms of riders and support staff, we simply couldn’t guarantee the safety of all concerned.
“While it wasn’t an easy decision to make, at the same time it was the only route to take.”
As the name suggests, the joberg2c race starts in Johannesburg and finishes approximately 900km later on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.
With 800 riders and 350 supporting crew, under current South African Covid-19 regulations, holding a race of such a magnitude is currently prohibited in the country.
“We had to make an early call on whether to wait and see if regulations change or to postpone until 2022,” Wapnick confirmed.
“Come April, we may have been permitted to hold the race, but in fairness to the large numbers of international riders in the field as well as those needing to make travel arrangements, we felt it best to make an early decision to postpone.”
Wapnick, along with fellow race organisers Gary Green and Glen Haw, are already busy plotting a “bigger and better” 2022 race.
“It’s full steam ahead for 2022’s race.
“We have a loyal bunch of riders both local and international who are itching to get back to joberg2c.
“We’re confident it’s going to be even bigger and better than before,” Wapnick concluded.
The race, which crosses four provinces and passes through 220 private farms, started in 2010.
Its roll of honour boasts several of the biggest names in South African mountain biking.
Matthys Beukes is the defending elite men’s winner, while Sarah Hill and Theresa Ralph teamed up to win the elite women’s category in 2019.
