The Ermelo Cycling Club successfully hosted its first Spioenkop Gravel MTB Race on Saturday, 12 September, with riders taking on a demanding mix of gravel roads, plantation routes and challenging terrain outside Ermelo.
It was the first time the club had organised an event of this nature, bringing together cyclists across several age groups and experience levels for distances ranging from the 10 km youth race to the demanding 110 km routes, with more than R40,000 in prize money up for grabs across the categories.
While many riders described the courses as challenging, the overall response was overwhelmingly positive. Several competitors praised the scenic routes, which took riders through plantations, gravel roads and picturesque countryside, with parts of the course even passing a waterfall. The combination of tough terrain and impressive scenery made the routes both demanding and memorable.
Despite the challenge, the feeling among many riders at the finish was that they would gladly return to take it on again next year.
Following the response to the inaugural event, there is already plenty of enthusiasm for another Spioenkop Gravel MTB Race next year.
The younger cyclists started with the 10 km route, while riders in the 35 km categories were faced with a course incorporating forestry roads and gravel terrain around Spioenkop.
The longer 70 km route provided an even greater test of endurance, while competitors looking for the biggest challenge of the day tackled the 110 km distance, which included separate Gravel and MTB categories.
After the racing concluded, the leading riders across the different divisions were recognised during the prize-giving.
Podium results
Girls 10 km Youth (6–10)
Photo: (L-R) Jurie Eksteen, Berné Rautenbach, Amorey Prinsloo | Absent Lena Coetzer
1st — Berné Rautenbach
2nd — Lena Coetzer
3rd — Amorey Prinsloo
Boys 10 km Youth (6–10)
Photo: (L-R) Griffin Eksteen, Kryger van Niekerk, Owen Hodgskin, Jurie Eksteen
1st — Kryger van Niekerk
2nd — Griffin Eksteen
3rd — Owen Hodgskin
Girls 10 km Youth (11–12)
Photo: (L-R) Shanessa Swart, Olivia Cronje, Jurie Eksteen
1st — Olivia Cronje
2nd — Shanessa Swart
Boys 10 km Youth (11–12)
Photo: (L-R) Estian Nagel, Jurie Eksteen | Absent - Christiaan Jansen van Rensburg
1st — Christiaan Jansen van Rensburg
2nd — Estian Nagel
Girls 35 km (13–14)
Photo: (L-R) Emily Londt, Kayla Londt, Jurie Eksteen
1st — Kayla Londt
2nd — Emily Londt
Boys 35 km (13–14)
1st — Andre Pretorius
2nd — Andre Prinsloo
3rd — WJ Hendriks
Boys 35 km (15–16)
Photo: (L-R) Paulus van niekerk, Jurie Eksteen | Absent - Lewelly Ludike
1st — Lewellyn Ludike
2nd — Paulus van niekerk
Men 35 km (17–19)
Photo: (L-R) Stiaan van der Heever, Jurie Eksteen
1st — Stiaan van der Heever
Ladies 35 km (17–19)
1st — Dané Strijdom
Men 70 km Elite (19–30)
Photo: (L-R) Rassie Roux, Jurie Eksteen | Absent - GF Scheepers
1st — Rassie Roux
2nd — GF Scheepers
Ladies 70 km Elite (19–30)
Photo: (L-R) Daniele Roux, Jurie Eksteen
1st — Daniele Roux
Men 70 km Sub Vets (30+)
Photo: (L-R) Relebohile Tsike, Jurie Eksteen | Absent - Vince Vilane, Duane Purcocks
1st — Vince Vilane
2nd — Relebohile Tsike
3rd — Duane Purcocks
Ladies 70 km Sub Vets (30+)
Photo: (L-R) Christien Nagel, Jurie Eksteen
1st — Christien Nagel
Men 70 km Vets (40+)
Photo: (L-R) Pannie Marais, Kobus Swart, Lourens Engelbrecht, Jurie Eksteen
1st — Kobus Swart
2nd — Pannie Marais
3rd — Lourens Engelbrecht
Ladies 70 km Vets (40+)
Photo: (L-R) Yolandé Engelbrecht, Hannetjie Pretorius, Jurie Eksteen
1st — Hannetjie Pretorius
2nd — Yolandé Engelbrecht
Men 70 km Masters (50+)
Photo: (L-R) Norman Mhlongo, Jacques Nel, Hennie Broxham, Jurie Eksteen
1st — Jacques Nel
2nd — Norman Mhlongo
3rd — Hennie Broxham
Men 110 km Gravel
Photo: Rudi Du Randt, Barry Forrsman, Jurie Eksteen
1st — Barry Forrsman
2nd — Rudi Du Randt
Men 110 km MTB
Photo: (L-R) Hardus Joubert, Eben Swart, John-Henri van Zyl, Jurie Eksteen
1st — Eben Swart
2nd — Hardus Joubert
3rd — John-Henri van Zyl
For a first event of its kind organised by the club, the Spioenkop Gravel MTB Race provided riders with a tough but rewarding day in the saddle and laid the groundwork for what could become an annual fixture on the local cycling calendar.
Sponsors make the event possible
Ermelo Cycling Club also extended its appreciation to the businesses and individuals whose support helped make the inaugural event possible.
A special thank you goes to AHG Nel Vervoer, YE Keramiek, Jan-Hendrik Jacobsz, Teraglin, All About Cloud, BTH (Be the Happiness), Ermelo Glas & Aluminium, Jabula Maintenance and Plumbing, De Wit Motors Ermelo, Tyremart Ermelo, ETTC Group, BB, Wildman Hunting and Outdoors, Speedy Water, Goldwagen, Blue Skies Farming and Ermelo Fire & Signs for their contribution and support.
With the first Spioenkop Gravel MTB Race now completed — and riders already indicating that they are ready to tackle it again — attention can turn towards making the challenge even bigger when the event returns next year.