![\"ccs-62657-0-07336200-1426837362.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-07336200-1426837362.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nParticipants of the 50km Classic, 20km Ride and 10km Fun Ride events that take place at the Pietermaritzburg Mountain Bike Festival on Sunday 5 April can expect courses of immense beauty and vast mountain biking variety. \/\/ Photo: Darren Goddard\/Gameplan Media.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMore and more people are feeling the pinch of the current economic times and going away on holiday during the Easter period appears to be less and less common these days,\u201d says event director Alec Lenferna.<\/p>\n \u201cMany MTB lovers will be looking for recreational opportunities during the Easter long weekend and mountain bikers will be hard pressed to find an excuse not to be part of the Pietermaritzburg MTB Festival!\u201d\u2028\u2028<\/p>\n Few visitors to the province are expected to pass up the rare opportunity to tackle a top class race outside of their regular riding circles.<\/p>\n \u201cMany of those likely to be heading down from Gauteng and surrounds \u2013 looking to take advantage of the extra-long holiday weekend \u2013 are avid cyclists as well.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are therefore looking forward to welcoming all those from up-country to Cascades this Easter, especially for Sunday\u2019s 50km, 20km and 10km events!\u201d said Lenferna.<\/p>\n The three-day mountain biking fiesta\u2019s full schedule offers riders the chance to both participate in one or more of the wealth of events across the variety of disciplines and\/or watch some of the top local and international stars in action.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Pietermaritzburg MTB Festival\u2019s programme includes events for all ages and abilities across all major mountain biking disciplines so there is something suitable for and of interest to everyone,\u201d said Lenferna<\/p>\n \u201cWe expect Sunday\u2019s mass participation events to be very popular as the courses have been designed with the area\u2019s extensive natural beauty and uniquely African experiences in mind.\u201d\u2028\u2028<\/p>\n Amateur and social riders alike can look forward to a challenging yet manageable outing while the 50km Classic course\u2019s inclusion of much of the routes used for last year\u2019s UCI MTB Marathon World Championships and Rainbow Challenge offers beauty and MTB variety of international appeal.<\/p>\n Riders start by contouring their way out of Cascades\u2019 forests and heading for Albert Falls Dam before a trip through the Edmonds\u2019 Farm brings them to the uniquely African cycling experience of a journey through Mt Verde\u2019s game reserve.<\/p>\n The day\u2019s one and only tough climb out of the valley and up to Otto\u2019s Bluff will get the heart beating and blood pumping however the extra bead of sweat is soon justified as at the top, cyclists are treated to the breath-taking views of Albert Falls Dam, Karkloof, Hilton College and surrounds before going through the downhill gate as they start the final stretch home.<\/p>\n The home \u2018straight\u2019 adds a final pinch of spice to the day\u2019s mix as riders are kept on the edge of their seats with a maze of twisting, turning cross country-like obstacles all the way to the finish line.<\/p>\n