South Africa’s premier gravel race, the Swartberg 100 Gran Fondo, has officially achieved Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) accreditation for the 2023 Gravel World Championship Series.
This historic achievement makes the Swartberg Gran Fondo South Africa’s first and only UCI accredited gravel race. Set to take place on 29 April 2023: the 171km gravel race, covering a total of 3 000m of climbing, joins the ranks of other world class gravel races throughout Europe and the US.
Starting in Prince Albert, the 171km route covers a combination of tar and gravel sectors, with the gravel comprising a total of 79km. Riders can expect a course that traverses steep mountain passes, gruelling gravel and tar stretches, and fast scenic descents. Its founder, John Swanepoel describes the Swartberg 100 Gran Fondo as, “Arguably one of the toughest Gran Fondo’s in the world.”
UCI launches worldwide Gravel Series
Originating in the US Midwest about 15 years ago, gravel races have grown fast in popularity worldwide. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) describes gravel racing as being, “Popular with riders seeking new challenges, it combines elements of both road and mountain biking, and takes place mainly on unsealed roads (gravel, forest tracks, farm roads, cobbles, etc)”.
The concept of the new gravel series is based on that of the existing and very successful UCI Gran Fondo World Series, where riders can earn their spot for the annual UCI World Championships. 2022 saw the inauguration of the first ever UCI Gravel Championship.
UCI President David Lappartient declared: “I am thrilled that we now have an exciting and rich calendar of gravel events for riders with an adventurous spirit who enjoy cycling on unsealed roads and paths. The best among them will earn the right to compete in the inaugural UCI Gravel World Championships. The UCI Gran Fondo World Series is incredibly popular, and I am convinced that this concept will be equally successful for the gravel format.”
At each round of the new UCI Gravel World Series, the fastest 25% of men and women from each age group qualify for the UCI Gravel World Championships – earning the opportunity to be crowned the UCI World Champion for each group.
The 2022 UCI Gravel World Series kicked off the 12-event cycle in the Philippines, followed by races in the US, Australia, France, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. The Swartberg 100 Gran Fondo now joins this prestigious list for the 2023 UCI Gravel World Series.
Swartberg 100 Gran Fondo
The dramatic landscapes this race traverses are quite simply breathtaking and riders will leave with a lasting impression. The Swartberg mountains are amongst the best exposed fold mountain chains in the world, and the road seems to slice through these magnificently scenic rock formations.
The race kicks off at 07h00, giving riders a 10hr window to finish the 171km circular route from Prince Albert, through the town of De Rust and ending back in Prince Albert. The first 85.5km of the race is considered the more “flat and rolling” terrain, whilst the second 85.5km leans more towards riders who enjoy climbing.
The first 50km of the race is a long, fast, tar road section, after which riders will head off road into the magnificent Meiringspoort. The geological rock formations and vivid quarts stone colours of the area have produced a jaw-dropping scenery. At the 56km mark, on the top of the Middelwater climb, riders will hit the first of four strategically placed waterpoints. The second waterpoint being at the 100km mark, just before the Oudemuragie Pass: a 31km climb with a total ascent of 595m. A bit of a prelude to the formidable Swartberg Pass that is yet to come.
The next sector sees participants riding through tiny hamlets interspersed by tar and sand sections, after which one arrives at the foot of the final climb over the formidable gravel Swartberg Pass: a relentless climb of 28km, with the final 9.8km reaching gradients of 16% in places. It’s a total 745m ascent to the final waterpoint at the 150km Swartberg Pass summit. As Paul Ingpen, MTB Editor puts it, “It’s only when at the foot of the pass, with heavy legs and a deep craving for the abundant koeksisters, boerie rolls and jelly babies, that the magnitude of 170km with 3 000m of climbing, hits you.
The 21km decent down the Swartberg Pass back to Prince Albert is exciting because it’s beautiful and fast, and particularly sketchy, especially for those on gravel bikes who have ridden 150km already by then. Once in Prince Albert, riders are greeted by a festival vibe with local craft beer, Klippies & Cola, and of course, exaggerated war stories and promises to return.
Event accommodation is available in the tented village, conveniently situated about 800m from the start, in either luxury glamping tents that include linen and breakfast, or standard 3×3 dome tents with linen. For riders opting not to stay in the tents, bed & breakfasts and self-catering options are available in town, though limited. The race village promises a space with manicured lawns, hot, high-pressure showers, and fireside koffie and condensed milk to rekindle any lost amp factor at dawn.
To learn more visit: https://www.swartberg100.com/the-races-and-routes.html
Hmmm, this news makes ma want to buy a grevvel machine. 🤔