 The Trans Baviaans 24hr
MTB Challenge is not for sissies! It is the longest
single stage race in the world. It could be a lot
tougher. There is only 2600m climbing over the 230km.
But, I think it is perfect.
The start at 10:00
leaves you feeling a bit weird. Races normally start
much earlier and when your race nerves wake you up at
6:00am there is a lot of time to kill. Willowmore is a
really small town. But it is one of those places in
South Africa that everyone should try to visit. I am
not really sure why, but I love these small towns. The
whole town was present at the start, with some drummie
displays and a choir singing. Most people on the start
line were in high spirits, but there is a definite
pensive atmosphere. Can you really prepare for a
single 230km MTB race?
Our team of 4 had a
very clear plan. Start slow, and back off from there.
That was until the start gun sounded. And we were out
of the blocks like a race horse! The tail wind
certainly helped us to feel good, and the first
hundred kilometers really flew by. One has to be very
careful not to over-cook it in the first 100km. it is
very easy to feel good on the fast, mostly downhill
section. But there is plenty climbing to come, and you
best err on the right side of easy.
There are 6 main check
points and a seventh sneaky, unmanned checkpoint just
to make things interesting. The daylight hours were
good to us, with perfect conditions. The water
crossings were a good time to portage and let the cold
water sooth warm feet. The race is non-technical for
the most part. The aptly named; “Mother of all climbs”
is the roughest section with some rocks and ruts to
negotiate. Our team managed to ride everything except
the river crossings where we opted for walking to save
drive trains.
 When the sun goes down,
things change drastically. This is only the second
time I have ever ridden off road in the dark. It
really does change everything. Good lights are a must.
2 members of our team were riding Light and Motion
light sets. These offer unbelievable power and burn
time. We had many teams riding our slip, just to see
where they were going. The night time was also kind to
us. There temperature was very moderate only dropping
to about 9 degrees.
This race would be a
real killer in anything but perfect conditions. Last
year there was mud and rain, and this slowed riders
drastically. This year, the winners set a new record
time. A testament to the good conditions.
The race is extremely
well organized, with well stocked water points and bag
drops, were handled very well. One tip, you may want
to read the map and instructions before the race.
Especially at night. There are some turns to take and
you are expected to find them without the help of
marshals. We missed a turn, but luckily discovered it
soon, before we went into the great beyond!
Trans Baviaans Website
Team Probike Review
Baviaans Kloof accommodation
Jefferys Bay accommodation
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