![\"ccs-2-0-75936300-1401183138.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-75936300-1401183138.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nRace Coordinator Andrew van Rensburg, Event Director Alec Lenferna and globally renowned Course Designer Nick Floros soak up the view of Hilton College Nature Reserve and Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve, both of which form part of the 2014 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships course.<\/span><\/p>\n Image credit: Kyle Gilham\/Gameplan Media<\/strong><\/p>\n Floros and his team are hard at work as they look to wrap things up ahead of the SA MTB Marathon Championships on 7 and 8 June, which will serve as an ideal dry-run for the internationally renowned designer\u2019s creation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been working on the course a lot over the past couple of weeks as we look to get things into shape ahead of SA Champs. We are trying our hardest to ensure the full Worlds course is what is used at SA Champs,\u201d explained Floros.<\/p>\n \u201cThis has been one of the toughest courses I\u2019ve had to put together because it goes through so many different properties however it really will be a fantastic course with such great diversity, features and views!\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Starting and finishing at Cascades MTB Park, the course is split into two sections. A 74km first loop and a 21km second loop.<\/p>\n The global spectacle\u2019s men\u2019s race will see participants tackle both loops while the women\u2019s title will be decided over the first 74km only.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a World Championships and so the standard of the course is obviously at this sort of technical level,\u201d said Floros.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 95km route includes 3300m of climbing in total and the nature of the climbing, being short and sharp, tends to eat into your legs.<\/p>\n \u201cThose who aren\u2019t right on top of their game may be okay in the first loop but they\u2019ll really struggle in the 21km loop!\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n The 74km loop takes riders through numerous different ecosystems with the game reserve stretches already being of particular interest.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first sector of the 74km loop is a 7km stretch through Cascades\u2019 forests and will see riders tackle some forest track, a couple of shortish stretches of single track and one or two sharp climbs before they head up to feed\/tech zone one<\/p>\n \u201cThe forest track allows riders to overtake before they head into the single track stretches while the climbs will see riders jostling for position.<\/p>\n A visit to Queen Elizabeth Park is riders\u2019 first game experience of the route before the tough climb up to the Mount Verde estate.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first climb isn\u2019t steep but the steady gradient will be a good challenge,\u201d said Floros. \u201cThe second feed\/tech zone is inside Mount Verde before a playful descent should entertain the guys and girls a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAfter feed\/tech zone three riders head towards Hilton College where the Hilton College Nature Reserve trails offer some typical South African game trail riding.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had to do very little to these trails as they are used daily by the animals of the reserve!\u201d<\/p>\n Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve represents yet another standout feature of the course with spectacular views and a potentially race-defining climb on the cards.<\/p>\n \u201cRiders will climb for 20 to 25 minutes on a wide open road so there\u2019s nothing technical about it but it will definitely allow the bigger guys to get into a bit of a rhythm!<\/p>\n The return journey towards Cascades contours along Otto\u2019s Bluff before some single track, farm roads and forest track return riders to Mt. Verde.<\/p>\n \u201cThe views from Mount Verde of the city of Pietermaritzburg, Albert Falls Dam and the Greytown\/New Hanover area are incredible!<\/p>\n \u201cRiders then head through the start gate of the World Cup downhill course, do a loop of the Hilltop trail before heading past the Umgeni Water waterworks, onto Warwick Road and through the final feed\/tech zone of the first loop.<\/p>\n A dash down through Cascades\u2019 forests will be fast and furious, particularly for the women who then head for the finish line at the bottom of the hill.<\/p>\n For the men, once through the start\/finish arch, the second loop has a strong cross country feel to it with numerous descents, none longer than 1000 metres, and frequent short, sharp climbs.<\/p>\n \u201cEnglish Road single track \u2013 from last year\u2019s Masters World Champs \u2013 Forgotten Trail, Muzzlehouts, Fast and Fluffy single track, Bandits Bend, Vandals Valley and Growing Parks are just some of the many features of this short, testing second loop.<\/p>\n \u201cA final 1.5km stretch of road then heads into a short single track section and the finish straight where it will be flat out the whole way until the finish line!\u201d added Floros.<\/p>\n