With the Absa #CapeEpic spending two days in Paarl in 2025 there's no better time to launch a big bike shop in the Winelands town. #CycleLab will be servicing that growing cycling community there from their new store, which opens on the 25th of October 2024. Read about the new #bikeshop here: https://diverge.info/2024/09/26/cycle-lab-expands-into-the-winelands-with-paarl-store/
#Cycling #BicycleShop
The rejuvenated, 5-day, #CapePioneer is set to provide thrilling racing next week. Read the stage race preview here: https://diverge.info/2024/09/25/cape-pioneer-5-thrilling-days-of-racing-await-from-1-october/
#MTB #MountainBiking
Tristan Nortje soloed to victory and a new course record at the 2024 Lions #Karoo2Coast. In the women's race Catherine Colyn completed a childhood goal by winning the title. Read the race report here: https://diverge.info/2024/09/23/karoo-to-coast-nortje-and-colyn-go-solo-to-win-2024-titles/
Two days of mud and rain didn't prevent the #DrEvilExperience riders from loving the riding, and a stunning final day in bright sunshine capped a spectacular event in #PlettenbergBay in style. Read the full story here: https://diverge.info/2024/09/21/dr-evil-experience-delivers-smiles-come-rain-or-shine/
Michael Larter established the Aimee Howard Foundation to help young people access #mentalhealth support, now he and Meagan Rioux are running to Namibia to raise funds for the charity. Read the story here: https://diverge.info/2024/09/17/aimee-howard-foundation-running-to-namibia-for-charity/
The 2024 Lions #KarooToCoast features a stellar elite field for the first time in nearly a decade, which in turn - along with cool weather conditions - bodes well for an attempt at Charles Keey and Ariane Luthi's 12-year-old course records. https://diverge.info/2024/09/17/karoo-to-coast-cool-temperatures-but-red-hot-racing-predicted/
Tuesday marked 40 days to the 2024 #CapeTownMarathon. This year's event is set to feature the best elite field ever assembled for a marathon on the African continent. Read about the race here:
https://diverge.info/2024/09/12/cape-town-marathon-strongest-elite-field-ever-assembled/
#Marathon #RoadRace
Once you've forgotten the pain of riding up MAC, you're ready to ride #TransBaviaans 24HR MTB Race again. After my post-race humbling at JBay I've forgot the hardship of scaling the Mother of All Climbs. Read about my #Baviaanskloof and #JeffreysBay misadventures here: https://diverge.info/2024/09/09/trans-baviaans-kook-slams-the-baviaanskloof-forgetting-mac/
#MTB #MountainBiking
#DrylandEventManagement are launching a 6-day #gravelbike stage race through the #GardenRoute and the #KleinKaroo in the summer of 2026. What do you think about the #GardenRouteGiro concept?
https://diverge.info/2024/09/06/garden-route-giro-dryland-introduce-6-stage-gravel-race/
Support the #PedalProject and their #TrailTherapy programme by joining the SA Dream Bike Raffle. Each R150 ticket gets you a spot in the draw to win a custom Hasie and the Robots etched Outer Cycles Link. Find out more here: https://diverge.info/2024/09/02/pedal-project-support-trail-therapy-with-this-raffle-for-good/
#MTB #MountainBiking #Charity
Stage 5 of the 2024 SPAR #SwissEpic provided a fitting finale to the #EpicSeries race through the magnificent trails of Graubünden. It did however not provide any major upsets as Gian Schmid and Lukas Flückiger defended their yellow CIOVITA jerseys, despite the aggressive racing of the KTM Alchemist Brenta Brakes team. The women in orange, Monica Calderon and Tessa Kortekaas were even more controlled in their victory, adding a fifth stage win to their Swiss success.
https://diverge.info/2024/08/25/swiss-epic-fluckiger-secures-third-title-alongside-schmid/
#MTB #MountainBiking
40-year-old, double SPAR #SwissEpic champion, Lukas Flückiger rolled back the clock, alongside Gian Schmid, to race into the overall lead on the penultimate stage of the 2024 race. https://diverge.info/2024/08/23/swiss-epic-fluckiger-rolls-back-the-clock-on-stage-4/
After 3 floods and a fire, since June 2023, the #ElginValleyTrails have face significant challenges in the last 14 months. Yet they are resolved to build back better, creating a perfect #MTB playground just an hour from Cape Town. https://diverge.info/2024/08/23/elgin-valley-trails-building-back-better-after-floods-and-fires/
#ElginValley #MountainBiking
CANNONDALE ISB SPORT and KTM Alchemist Brenta Brakes added to their overnight leads with victories on Stage 3 of the 2024 SPAR #SwissEpic. The men in yellow, Lorenzo and Nicolas Samparisi claimed their second stage win; while the women in orange, Monica Calderon and Tessa Kortekaas, added a third to their great Graubünden performance. https://diverge.info/2024/08/22/swiss-epic-victories-in-orange-and-yellow-on-stage-3/
#MTB #MountainBiking #EpicSeries
Wilier Vittoria fought back from tenth on Stage 1 to win Stage 2 at the SPAR #SwissEpic; on Wednesday, 21 August. The Italian team had been distanced by their countrymen and the overall race leaders, KTM Alchemist Brenta Brakes, on the ascent of the Scaletta Pass but Fabian Rabensteiner and Samuele Porro descended into Davos faster. In so doing they were able to catch Lorenzo and Nicolas Samparisi before the line and force a sprint finish, which they then won by a slender margin.
In the UCI Women’s’ race the 15 kilometre long, 1 100 metre, ascent of the Scaletta Pass allowed Cannondale ISB Sport to further extend their overall lead over Efficient Infiniti. Monica Calderon and Tessa Kortekaas now lead the orange jersey battle by 9 minutes and 32 seconds.
https://diverge.info/2024/08/21/swiss-epic-wilier-vittoria-fight-back-to-seize-stage-2-victory/
#MTB #MountainBiking #EpicSeries
Stage 1 of the SPAR #SwissEpic saw dramatic racing with the five-star favourites faltering and underdogs seizing their opportunities. The day came down to a sprint finish which KTM Alchemist Bentra Brakes won, but were only officially awarded the stage honours after a UCI Commissaire’s investigation into a potentially irregular sprint: https://diverge.info/2024/08/20/swiss-epic-ktm-alchemist-brenta-brakes-win-dramatic-stage-1/
#MTB #MountainBiking #EpicSeries
The SPAR #SwissEpic got underway in La Punt, Graubunden, today. Here's a look at who to watch and what to expect from the 5 day #EpicSeries stage race: https://diverge.info/2024/08/20/swiss-epic-epic-series-showdown-looming-in-graubunden/
#MTB #MountainBiking
Insect Science's Arno du Toit & Keagan Bontekoning sealed the 2024 #TransBaviaans title, on Saturday evening, in style smashing the course record by 22 minutes. Jess Wilkinson and Rebecca van Huyssteen won the women's race in commanding style: https://diverge.info/2024/08/12/trans-baviaans-insect-science-smash-the-course-record/
#MTB #MountainBiking
The 2024 Glacier #StormsRiverTraverse boasted the best weather of the race's 14-year history when the riders took to the trails and forest tracks of the Tsitsikamma over the #WomensDay long weekend: https://diverge.info/2024/08/12/storms-river-traverse-two-days-of-sunshine-and-one-of-showers/
The 2024 #TransBaviaans marks the famous single-stage event's 20th edition and could well provide a new course record as a strong elite field coincides with favourable weather and road conditions. We could even see the first gravel bike champions too...
https://diverge.info/2024/08/07/trans-baviaans-excitement-at-potential-record-breaking-2024-race/
#MTB #GravelBike #Baviaanskloof