{"id":14738,"date":"2021-03-25T11:20:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-25T11:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/2021\/03\/25\/come-race-your-modern-gravel-bike-at-nova-eroica33-r8254\/"},"modified":"2023-02-08T19:09:30","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T19:09:30","slug":"come-race-your-modern-gravel-bike-at-nova-eroica33-r8254","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/come-race-your-modern-gravel-bike-at-nova-eroica33-r8254\/","title":{"rendered":"Come race your modern gravel bike at NOVA Eroica!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ccs-144148-0-73517300-1616666239.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I often get \u201cI thought Eroica was only for vintage bicycles?\u201d \u2026 well you\u2019d be correct that Eroica has always been about celebrating vintage cycling culture and the ways things used to be. But Eroica also looks to the future, and just like those early racers took their road bikes to gravel when they had to, so we do it now on our modern gravel bikes so many years later. NOVA is Eroica\u2019s answer to how modern cycling can be invited to the vintage fold. Come race your modern gravel bike at NOVA Eroica!<\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-42455000-1616666339.jpg\"<\/a>Callum cresting the infamous Ouberg Pass climb. A hard climb on any day.<\/span><\/p>\n

The NOVA in South Africa is on the same day as the Classic Eroica ride, and shares the same emphasis on good fresh local food stops and the social aspect of the ride. And this is where the nice part comes in – NOVA is a race, but there are only four clearly marked timed racing sections along the approximately 90km route. Each racer will have a detailed map marked with the route, the Strava segments, food pick-up stops, picnic spots, view points and a secret swim spot or two. This means that you can plan ahead to make your day as laid back, or challenging as possible. Go hard in the race sections, and spend the rest of the day hanging out, drinking beer, swimming, and enjoying the view, all along the magnificent route.<\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-65111600-1616668665.jpg\"<\/a>The tar section down the Koo can be fast and sketchy.<\/span><\/p>\n

For 2021 the NOVA route will be a little shorter than before, but judging by how many riders the original 150km route destroyed in previous years, I\u2019m sure some will welcome the new 90km distance. The old 150km goes up the infamous Ouberg Pass and then turns north towards Touwsrivier, then west towards the top of the Koo valley for a long fast drop down the tar back to Montagu – but not before a quick sojourn into the Baden area for a last race section. In previous years this route was hard on riders. The northern most sections are very remote, and extreme heat and wind can make a tough day into a serious challenge.<\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-53916600-1616668689.jpg\"<\/a>The semi-desert of the Karoo.<\/span><\/p>\n

But for 2021 we\u2019ve got our new 90km NOVA route – almost no tar, and with more technical sections. And, after some negotiations with local farmers, riders will have the opportunity to traverse some truly spectacular sections on private land. These are rich and storied roads, and even though you might only be about 15km as the crow flies from Montagu at times, it feels like time has stopped in some of these valleys.<\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-27336100-1616668709.jpg\"<\/a>Occasionally a mechanical is a good excuse for a break.<\/span><\/p>\n

Each rider will be required to have Strava installed on their smartphones to enable us to compare their racing segment times at the end of the day. There are four clearly marked racing sections, each about 7km in distance, and the end of the last segment is a portage up the back of the dam wall of the Pietersfontein Dam for a compulsory NOVA-selfie, to be posted to your ride on Strava. Once you\u2019re on top of the dam wall your race is over, and you can scramble down to the water for a well deserved swim, or head back to the Groenland rest stop for a couple of John\u2019s famous gin-coolers.<\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-90196600-1616668719.jpg\"<\/a>Never make the mistake of looking back if you haven’t reached the top yet!<\/span><\/p>\n

With everything we\u2019ve been through in the last year I\u2019m sure you\u2019re also looking forward to get back to some kind of normalcy. But we have also made sure that Eroica this year is planned with everyone’s safety in mind. From the informal start – whenever you want from 07:00 to 10:00 – to the open spaces at our food and drink stops, we\u2019re giving everyone the opportunity to make their Eroica 2021 their own event, and engage with others on a level they feel comfortable.<\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-71904200-1616668729.jpg\"<\/a>Missing the days of social interactions like these.<\/span><\/p>\n

So come join us for NOVA Eroica 2021! Remember the NOVA will share the route with all the Classic riders too, so come check out some beautiful vintage bikes, and maybe even race someone on an old steel racing steed up a hill! It\u2019s time to make some new memories, and to share adventure again \u2026 it\u2019s been too long!<\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-22595700-1616668739.jpg\"<\/a>Respite from the heat!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-07184300-1616668750.jpg\"<\/a>Tech.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-86821400-1616668757.jpg\"<\/a>Hey Joe provided the beer!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-91925100-1616668762.jpg\"<\/a>Feel the heat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-44537600-1616668779.jpg\"<\/a>The Troyeville Flamingoes from JHB. Don\u2019t be fooled – tough birds.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-80728200-1616668788.jpg\"<\/a>Smiles and thumbs up!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-88909900-1616668799.jpg\"<\/a>Until \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-31446400-1616668810.jpg\"<\/a>Lynnae and her super-cool retro-modern gravel built.<\/span><\/div>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-98733500-1616668815.jpg\"<\/a>These views.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-41057400-1616668821.jpg\"<\/a>Race face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-64350700-1616668827.jpg\"<\/a>It never looks very steep on camera.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-96938700-1616668845.jpg\"<\/a>Looking done at the first rest stop!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-30270700-1616668855.jpg\"<\/a>When you see Poppie leading you in you know there will be roosterbrood!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-37431400-1616668864.jpg\"<\/a>Old meets new.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-32718900-1616668873.jpg\"<\/a>Real food at Eroica!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-24026000-1616668882.jpg\"<\/a>The 2018 NOVA winner, Jean Biermans, almost didn\u2019t finish after his derailleur went into his wheel.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-36773900-1616668889.jpg\"<\/a>But in true Eroica spirit he quickly converted to singlespeed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-71988100-1616668967.jpg\"<\/a>Back on the road – smooth single-speed sailing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-02238400-1616668899.jpg\"<\/a>Every Eroica rider and NOVA racer receives a route map that must be stamped at every checkpoint.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-80903600-1616668907.jpg\"<\/a>The NOVA race segments are recorded on Strava – if you complete all four segments the fastest, you win.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-85552800-1616668916.jpg\"<\/a>NOVA winner in 2018 – Jean Beirmans!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-55085500-1616668925.jpg\"<\/a>Smile or grimace?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-75513600-1616668934.jpg\"<\/a>Views and views. If you remember to look up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-89490900-1616668942.jpg\"<\/a>Long way to go.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-84467000-1616668959.jpg\"<\/a>Philip feeling the heat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ccs-144148-0-59820900-1616668974.jpg\"<\/a>Finisher!<\/span><\/p>\n

\nTo enter, or for more information, please visit https:\/\/eroica.cc\/en\/nova-south-africa<\/a>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I often get \u201cI thought Eroica was only for vintage bicycles?\u201d \u2026 well you\u2019d be correct that Eroica has always been about celebrating vintage cycling culture and the ways things used to be. But Eroica also looks to the future, and just like those early racers took their road bikes to gravel when they had […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":58855,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[62,167],"featured_location":[],"class_list":["post-14738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-eroica","tag-vintage"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14738","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=14738"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14738\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58855"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14738"},{"taxonomy":"featured_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_location?post=14738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}