{"id":12526,"date":"2023-02-07T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-07T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/2023\/02\/07\/celebrate-valentines-gees-with-fnb-wines2whales-r8534\/"},"modified":"2023-03-20T08:50:34","modified_gmt":"2023-03-20T06:50:34","slug":"celebrate-valentines-gees-with-fnb-wines2whales-r8534","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/celebrate-valentines-gees-with-fnb-wines2whales-r8534\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrate Valentines GEES with FNB Wines2Whales"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Entries to the 2023 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epic-series.com\/wines2whales-riders-entries?utm_source=web-story&amp;utm_medium=bikehub&amp;utm_campaign=Entry-Awareness\" rel=\"external nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">FNB Wines2Whales Switchback<\/a> events open on Valentine\u2019s Day, that\u2019s 14 February for those of you who\u2019ve forgotten; a day when the love of trails, teammates, good food, great wine, incredible views, and serious GEES are at their peak..<\/p>\n<div class=\"w-full aspect-video\" contenteditable=\"false\">\n<div><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Why Ride? - FNB Wines2Whales\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/1zj_a9-uclQ?feature=oembed\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>It is the constants in life which we subconsciously pin so much to. Like the sun rising, the tides ebbing and the seasons changing, so is the Valentine\u2019s Day entry opening of the FNB Wines2Whales.<\/p>\n<p>While the day on which entries open remains unchanged, so much of the race has evolved and shifted over the years. The most significant change is the Switchback. 2023 will see the second running of the reimagined route; from Curro Hermanus to Lourensford Wine Estate, in Somerset West. Once again there will be new singletracks, as Cape Trails sculpt paths through the fynbos, gum forests and vineyards. Oak Valley Estate, like the opening day \u2013 remains the central race village for two nights \u2013 providing a constant to come home to; a place to unwind, recharge and reminisce about the day on the trails.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed\" style=\"height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image.57c3cbd30d089001ab21ba689396e039-1.jpeg\" alt=\"image.jpeg\" width=\"1200\" data-fileid=\"1708157\" data-ratio=\"66.67\" data-unique=\"v8y0o2lr7\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-12 gap-4\">\n<div class=\"col-span-6\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed\" style=\"height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image.8fa19ae24eb3c5f70f9751f2225a18f8-1.jpeg\" alt=\"image.jpeg\" width=\"1200\" data-fileid=\"1708162\" data-ratio=\"66.75\" data-unique=\"3csut6ftt\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-span-6\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed\" style=\"height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image.d94e1b5e2c5434b8704466c608686d48-1.jpeg\" alt=\"image.jpeg\" width=\"1200\" data-fileid=\"1708163\" data-ratio=\"66.67\" data-unique=\"16xgnt909\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In 2023, the FNB Wines2Whales Switchback shifts forward slightly on the calendar, starting with the women\u2019s Chardonnay race from the 20th to the 22nd of October. Then it is time for the eBikers to charge their batteries and power though the switchbacks in the mid-week Pinotage event, from the 23rd to the 25th of October. Finally, the men\u2019s, mixed and Exxaro races take to the course, from the 27th to the 29th of October. Anyone can enter any of the events, of course and riders of all levels are welcomed with open arms.<\/p>\n<p>For most mountain bikers, their own schedules are the deciding factor of which event to enter, and teams are encouraged to enter the event that best suits their schedules and ambitions. Whichever event is selected, one can rest assured that there will be enough like-minded people to share the trails, tent village and tables at dinner with. Everyone is sure to rediscover old friendships and establish a few new ones, too. *A word to the wise: the Chardonnay event tends to fill up fast, so have your browser loaded and your card handy on 14 Feb at 08:59 ahead of entries opening at 09:00.<\/p>\n<p>One of the highlights of the FNB W2W Switchback is the most imposing feature of the traditional direction\u2019s opening stage: Gantouw Pass. Located mid-way through Stage 3, Gantouw Pass leads teams from the Elgin plateau down into the Helderberg during the Switchback edition. The ancient footpath was established by vast herds of eland, before being used by Khoi herdsmen and later European settlers, with their ox wagons. For ages it was the easiest route through the Hottentots Holland Mountains, which it remains, today, for FNB W2W mountain bikers.<\/p>\n<p>Heading down the pass provides more opportunity to appreciate the spectacular views over False Bay, the wine farms of Somerset West and the verdant fynbos. Riders should be on the lookout for proteas in bloom, tiny sugar birds feeding on the nectar of said flowers and the basking <em>bloukop koggelmanders<\/em> (or agama atra if you are feeling scientific).<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed\" style=\"height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image.7199bf3a9e34238c0b3fa828b7ccee7d-1.jpeg\" alt=\"image.jpeg\" width=\"1200\" data-fileid=\"1708158\" data-ratio=\"66.67\" data-unique=\"rv1bf4xz2\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-12 gap-4\">\n<div class=\"col-span-6\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed\" style=\"height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image.e0a424c24cce45370f45aeaeac224dd6-1.jpeg\" alt=\"image.jpeg\" width=\"1200\" data-fileid=\"1708159\" data-ratio=\"66.67\" data-unique=\"nbgnj4q57\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-span-6\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed\" style=\"height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image.22aeb6e014b571979f20288c33e9c15c-1.jpeg\" alt=\"image.jpeg\" width=\"1200\" data-fileid=\"1708160\" data-ratio=\"66.67\" data-unique=\"ep2245lfw\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed\" style=\"height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image.eb32547512580bf484b21f43dcd366e6-1.jpeg\" alt=\"image.jpeg\" width=\"1200\" data-fileid=\"1708161\" data-ratio=\"66.75\" data-unique=\"30b4z458k\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>There are few opportunities outside of the FNB Wines2Whales Switchback to rail switchback berms and trails in the morning, while surrounded by the unparalleled biodiversity of the Cape floral kingdom, followed by a delicious lunch, an afternoon of sipping award winning cool-climate wines, and an evening of watching the Rugby World Cup after another hearty meal.<\/p>\n<p>So, three days spent like that sounds pretty good right now\u2026<\/p>\n<div class=\"bg-slate-100 p-5\">\n<p>Celebrate your love for all things mountain biking this Valentine\u2019s Day and enter the 2023 FNB Wines2Whales Switchback. Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epic-series.com\/wines2whales-riders-entries?utm_source=web-story&amp;utm_medium=bikehub&amp;utm_campaign=Entry-Awareness\" rel=\"external nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">www.epic-series.com\/wines2whales<\/a> and start the love affair with SeriousGEES.<\/p>\n<p><b>2023 FNB Wines2Whales Switchback<\/b><\/p>\n<p>200km with 4 500m of climbing from Hermanus to Lourensford Wine Estate<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Chardonnay &#8211; 20 to 22 October<\/li>\n<li>Pinotage &#8211;\u00a023 to 25 October<\/li>\n<li>Shiraz &#8211;\u00a027 to 29 October<\/li>\n<li>Entries Open\u00a014 February 2023 at 09:00<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epic-series.com\/wines2whales-riders-entries?utm_source=web-story&amp;utm_medium=bikehub&amp;utm_campaign=Entry-Awareness\" rel=\"external nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Website<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed\" style=\"height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image.0999264a7d762b4c1da5e699eef4c4aa-1.jpeg\" alt=\"image.jpeg\" width=\"1200\" data-fileid=\"1708156\" data-ratio=\"66.67\" data-unique=\"ezg00fkp3\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Entries to the 2023 FNB Wines2Whales Switchback events open on Valentine\u2019s Day, that\u2019s 14 February for those of you who\u2019ve forgotten; a day when the love of trails, teammates, good food, great wine, incredible views, and serious GEES are at their peak.. It is the constants in life which we subconsciously pin so much to. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":22479,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[15],"featured_location":[337],"class_list":["post-12526","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-wines2whales","featured_location-top-row"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12526","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12526"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12526\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61492,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12526\/revisions\/61492"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12526"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12526"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12526"},{"taxonomy":"featured_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_location?post=12526"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}