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In
preparation for the Cape Epic 2006 we put together two
epic training ride weekends. We have found that one of the
best ways to get the training hours in and to get your mind
right is by doing back to back riding days that simulate a
couple of stages at the Cape Epic. These multiple days are a
great time to test out riding strategies in terms of food,
drinks, riding with your partner and bike and equipment
setup. It is also an opportunity to meet some other riders
who are going to do the epic as well as some who have done
it before.
Sabie
Mountain Biking - Epic
Ride Weekend 24-26 February 2006
The first
weekend was held at the end of February in
Sabie Mpumalanga. This turned out to be just a 2 day epic training ride
and we used the Sabie Subaru Classic as one of the days. We
did a really awesome ride the day before the Sabie mountain
bike race. A
big Cape Epic training ride Mountain
biking in Sabie is always going to be challenging. When you
are right at the escarpment in the mountains you are guaranteed
a lot of climbing. We set out to do a good long ride with
lots of climbing so as to simulate a typical Cape Epic stage
and to get some practice at long ascents. So we plotted a
route that turned out to be an epic ride. The
route worked out a bit tougher than expected at 156km with
just over 3000m of climbing and was a combination of jeep
track, dirt roads and tar. We started at Merry Pebbles and
followed the green mountain bike trail along the river and
up to the misty mountain chalets on Long Tom Pass and then
took the tar on to Lydenburg. Here we refuelled with water
and food and set off on the road to Machaderdorp. Just
outside of Lydenburg we turned left onto the dirt road to
the Sudwala Caves via Doornkop and Weltevreden. This was the
best part of the ride, going from the highlands down through
the forests and into the sub tropical lowveld. At the caves
we refuelled again and tackled the tough 50km section back to
Sabie. This was really difficult despite being on tar all
the way, simply because of the continuous climbing and heat
of the day, although we did have a rain shower to cool
things down half way. The final stretch was downhill into
Sabie. Check out some pictures from our ride in the gallery. The
map below and shows the route that we rode and the attached
route profile gives an idea of the climbing.
If you are
interested in attending future training camps like this then
please mail
us.
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