Daily Dispatch MTB Challenge

 

For detailed route info and GPS files for the 35km Route Click Here!

For detailed route info and GPS files for the 65km Route Click Here!

For detailed route info and GPS files for the 100km & 46km Daily Dispatch Road Race Click Here!

 

Start/Finish: Nahoon Dam – 10km North of East London just off the N2.
Registration: Cycle Tour Expo, at the Osner Hotel, Esplanade Rd on, Friday 20 February 2009 10:00 - 18:00
Distance: 65 km main race and 35km Ride
Age: Cyclists under the age of 12 years old (on race day) must be accompanied by an adult
Date:Saturday, 21 February 2009
Time: Race Start @ 07h00
Prize Giving: Will take place at 12h00 at the Nahoon Dam.

For more info on the cycle festival click here.

Invest Pro MTB Challenge Route Descriptions
Getting There:
Get yourself to East London, then onto the N2 and go in the direction of King Williams Town. Then roughly 8km outside of East London there is an off-ramp clearly labelled "Nahoon Dam". Take this off-ramp and turn right toward the Nahoon Dam. Follow the road for 6km into the Dam complex. Then follow the sign boards to the Picnic area.
65km Route Description:
Start at the Nahoon Dam picnic area. The route starts by going out the Nahoon Dam complex via the tar road. The route then turns off to the left onto gravel farm roads, and winds past a huge FM tower which is quite a land mark for the area. The route then goes toward Johnson & Johnson factory, where a short tar section is followed before ducking off past Border Towing toward Thorny Croft, and then to Hempels Farm, where some of Eastl London's best and most testing single track is to be found, including an infamous rocky river bed. Tough, but great fun! Then a few hills take you up to the N6 which is crossed to take you along beautiful farm roads and past some private game farms. A new addition to the route this year takes riders through a brand new section of purpose built mountain bike track. Everyone will love this section! Then you cross over the N6 again and start the descent back to the Nahoon Dam. 4km after turning off the N6 there is a turn to the right off of the gravel road, along some awesome cattle trails - nice and technical and fast stuff! Then there is a longish single track climb back up to the gravel road. This gravel road then takes you down a short steep slippy and rutted downhill to the dam complex, where there is a short +-5m compulsory portage through the complex's main fence(which will be opened only for the race weekend unfortunately). Then there is one last short very steep technical climb up and over a little hill , through some brand new single track to the finish area.
35km Route Description:
Start at the Nahoon Dam picnic area. The route starts by going out the Nahoon Dam complex via the tar road. The route then turns off to the left onto gravel farm roads, and winds past a huge FM tower which is quite a land mark for the area. The route then goes toward Johnson & Johnson factory, where a short tar section is followed before ducking off past Border Towing toward Thorny Croft. After Thorny Croft the 35km route turns off onto Baden Powell road. Here a tough gravel climb awaits! It takes you toward the N6, but turns off to the left in the direction of the Nahoon Dam, just before getting to the N6. Here a lovely fast downhill is followed by a climb up to a farm with a tricky/slippy downhill. Beware if it has rained. Duralube in a Bauer Pan is more grippy! A short rocky climb takes you up to the gravel road. This gravel road then takes you down a short steep and rutted downhill to the dam complex, where there is a short +-5m compulsory portage through the complex's main fence(which will be opened only for the race weekend unfortunately). Then there is one last short very steep technical climb up and over a little hill , through some brand new single track to the finish area.
10km Route Description:
Start at the Nahoon Dam picnic area. Follow the main race out along the tar, but just before exiting the Nahoon Dam security gates, turn left and go around the back of the Staff residences, there are some gnarly grassy downhills taking you back to the tar road. Then turn right into some lovely lush single track towards the small dam wall, and turn up the hill, to give the last hill of the main races a go! After the hill head down toward the dam for a out and back route along the water’s edge. Then head back to the finish area through some brand new single track.



DOWNLOADS:

entryform_4.jpg (399kb)

How to get to the Garmin MTB Challenge.pdf (430kb)

2010 60km Race Route Topo Small.jpg (914kb)

Dispatch image.jpg (71kb)