Beukes and Bell offer praise for this year's course
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Team Westvaal BMC's Gawie Combrinck (left) and Nico Bell, the 2012 champions, at the Johannesburg launch of the 2013 Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek.(Image credit: Zoon Cronje)
Master of Ceremonies, Gerald de Kock, addresses the guests at the Johannesburg launch of the 2013 Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek.(Image credit: Zoon Cronje)
Bridge CEO, Emile Aldum (right) at the Johannesburg launch of the 2013 Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek.(Image credit: Zoon Cronje)
There was high praise for the route for the 2013 Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek at both the Cape Town and Johannesburg launches.(Image credit: Zoon Cronje)
The route for the 2013 Cape Pioneer Trek has been revealed. The fifth edition of the mountain bike stage race will travel through South Africa's Western Cape Province this October 20-26.
The total distance of 549 kilometers over seven days is in line with the organizers' quest to deliver quality distance, not quantity distance. The ratio of vertical ascent isn't excessive, but it's relatively high and indicative of the gradient the route will cover. There's a total of 11,657 meters of vertical ascent, which is spread evenly throughout the event.
Organizers moved the race a week later this year to avoid some conflicts with some other major races in Europe and Asia; however, it will still overlap with the Crocodile Trophy, the Brasil Ride and the La Ruta de los Conquistadores stage races.
Who's coming?
Among the top South African racers to have already confirmed their intention to compete in the 2013 edition, are Matthys Beukes, Nico Bell, Max Knox, Gawie Combrinck, Lourens Luus, Waylon Woolcock, Erik Kleinhans, Ariane Kleinhans, Kevin Evans, Charles Keey, Darren Lill, Yolande Speedy and Yolande de Villiers.
